When I first heard about Malpaso Dance Company, Cuba’s preeminent contemporary dance ensemble, I misheard their name—I thought they were called “Mariposa,” the Spanish word for butterfly. But after last night’s performance, I realized my mistake held a certain wisdom. The dancers flitted, flew, fluttered, and floated across the stage like butterflies in the sky.
Ephrat Asherie's Floor...y Ando: Esteban Aguilar, Esven González, Osnel Delgado
Malpaso seamlessly blends Cuban dance traditions with contemporary global styles, a fusion that was beautifully showcased in tonight’s program at Emerson Paramount Center. Each of the three stunning pieces by Ronald K. Brown, Ephrat Asherie, and Osnel Delgado—the latter two also members of the company—highlighted the mastery of these dancemakers.
Ephrat Asherie's Flor...y Ando: Osnel Delgado, Esteban Aguilar, Esven González
The opening number, Asherie’s Floor…y Ando, set to the music of Ethiopian composer Emajoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou played by pianist Carolina Baños, was a frolicking delight. With costumes by Asherie and lighting by Guido Gali, dancers Esteban Aguilar, Osnel Delgado, and Esven González moved through space with infectious joy—solo, in pairs, and in intricate chains. Twisting, turning, flowing, the piece culminated in a softer, more graceful take on breakdancing.
Ronald K. Brown's Why You Follow: Laura Rodriguez, Esven González
Ronald K. Brown's Why You Follow: The Company
Commissioned by The Joyce Theater, Brown’s Why You Follow pulsed with emotion, set to music by Zap Mama, Gordheaven & Juliano, the Allenko Brotherhood, and The Heavy Quarterz. With costumes by Seiko Voltair and lighting by Clifton Taylor, the nine dancers led and followed, spun and interwove, lifting their arms skyward in a mesmerizing display of grace, strength, and connection.
Ronald K. Brown's Why You Follow: (front to back) Laura Rodríguez, Iliana Solis,
Osnel Delgado, Esteban Aguilar and Esven González
Osnel Delgado's A Dancing Island: Esven González, Daile Carrazana
Closing the evening, Delgado’s A Dancing Island brought the twelve dancers together in a celebration of Cuba’s vibrant dance traditions—moving from “rumba” to “mambo” to “son,” representing a progression in Cuban dance styles, generally getting faster and more energetic, with the rumba being the most sensual and slow, mambo adding a quicker tempo and more complex footwork, and son providing a more rhythmic and percussive feel. Set to music by Alejandro Falcón, Ted Nash, and Trio Cubadentro, with costumes by Guido Gali and lighting by Manuel Da Silva, the piece wove competition, flirtation, romance, passion, and playfulness into a joyful explosion of movement.
Osnel Delgado's A Dancing Island: Carlos Valladares, Laura Rodríguez, Esven González
Osnel Delgado's A Dancing Island: The Company
The rest of the extraordinary cast—Daile Carrazana, Dayron Dominguez, Liz Marian Rodriguez, Laura Rodríguez, Iliana Solis, Jennifer Suárez Ramos, Carlos Valladares, and Greta Yero—each brought their own artistic brilliance to the stage.
Thanks to the founders—Artistic Director Osnel Delgado, Executive Director Fernando Sáez, and choreographer Daile Carrazana, who danced in tonight’s thrilling program. I adored this company and can only hope it won’t be the last time I see them—their next stop is The Joyce Theater in New York.
Osnel Delgado's A Dancing Island: Iliana Solis, Liz Marian Rodriguez,
Laura Rodríguez, Dayron Dominguez and Daile Carrazana
photos by Robert Torres
Malpaso Dance Company
Celebrity Series of Boston
Emerson Paramount Center
Robert J. Orchard Stage, 559 Washington Street in Boston
played January 17 and 18, 2025
for more info, visit Malpaso
