Ballet Español Fusión mesmerizes AUS audiences

A packed audience was riveted by the performance of the contemporary Spanish dance company Ballet Español Fusión (BEF) at the main auditorium of American University of Sharjah (AUS) on Tuesday night, October 11.

The event was attended by Dr. Peter Heath, AUS Chancellor; Vicente Cacho, the Cultural Attaché at the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi, faculty, staff, students and guests. The audience gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance, and the dancers provided an exciting encore. The event was organized and presented by the Event Management Department at the AUS Office of Public Affairs and the Cultural Events Committee at AUS.

The company presented its show Miradas (Glances), which premiered in 2010. The result of seven years of choreographic research, the show consists of eight scenes based on musical pieces by Valencian composer Jesus Serrano. Spanish dance, flamenco and percussion played live were combined to create a powerful performance.

Founded in 2003 in Valencia, Spain, Ballet Español Fusión is made up of eight dancers and director/choreographer Isabel Pérez Torres. The company's first production, Repercusión, premiered in 2004 in the French cities of Calais, Boulogne and Dunkerque and it toured for three years through all of Spain. This production earned BEF the 2004 Carolina Foundation Escena Award and it was nominated for Best Dance Show at the first Abril Awards in the Valencian Community (2007).

In February 2007, the company presented Efektos, which toured for four years, with performances at London's Barn Theater and in ten cities of the People's Republic of China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Wanzou and Shanghai. Efektos received two Abril Awards in 2008 for Best Lighting and Best Graphic Design, as well as nominations for Best Original Music, Best Wardrobe, Best Dance Stage Direction, Best Choreography and Best Dance Show.