Disclaimer: I am not a dance critic nor do I play one on TV (I usually appear as a film historian and critic, which is what I am). So minus this training, you can take my two cents worth for what it’s worth. My personal main interest is that the Malpaso Dance Company is from Cuba, that little country that can, and my long standing interest in that island nation.
As limited private enterprise comes to what is no longer “Castro’s Cuba” (per se), the Malpaso Dance Company moved away from state subsidies and independently formed in 2012 (hence the name “Malpaso”, which means “misstep”). According to press notes, the contemporary dance troupe of 11 hoofers is among the Caribbean country’s “hottest,” combining various dancing styles, including modern, ballet, jazz and urban.
The dancers presented four numbers in a short program of only about 90 minutes, including intermission, at the Wallis Annenberg. The music was presumably taped and the set bare - I suppose 60 years of imperialist embargo and little or no state funding will do that to your budget.
