Menorca Summer Ballet Gala
Fecha: 7 August, 2015
Last year, 1st of August, the first edition of Menorca Summer Ballet Gala was celebrated in Maó Theatre. The show counted with professional dancers from some of the most important ballets of the world such as New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet or the Spanish National Dance Company.
It could sound strange that such a huge event were celebrated in this peaceful and beautiful Mediterranean island. However, apart from being a tourist site it also offers a wide range of cultural events. It should be outlined their devotion to Opera, exhibitions in almost every single bar, house or institution, Summer Film Festival that we previously talked about, etc.
This particular event, as always, has a story and the name behind it is Joel Toledo Mirabal. Joel is Cuban ballet dancer with a long career as a professional working for renowned companies such as Victor Ullate Company or the Spanish National Dance Company.
Thanks to his professional he has been travelling all over the world, meeting people and performing in some of the best theatres of the world. Though it is also a stressful and tough profession and Joel felt the need to relax and take a break. That was the reason why he ended up in the island.
Interviewer: World is plenty of peaceful and relaxing places and particularly Spain too. So, why Menorca?
Joel: Actually, I had known Menorca for the first time the Eastern Week before arriving as a resident in September. When I was there due to work duties, I liked the island so much that I decided to come back in summer holidays. Both, my girlfriend and I, were so fascinated with the island that when the possibility to live there came around we accepted without hesitation. My girlfriend, Myriam Manso, also a ballet dancer and Spanish Dance professor was offered a job to be a professor in Alba Studi de Dansa (Mahon Dance School). I left my work as a 13 years professional dancer and we started our new adventure in Menorca.
I: Why did you think that the island could be a good host for this event?
J: I soon realized about the island cultural curiosity as well as their passion for Opera—a tradition that provided Menorca with such good singers. On the other hand, I also realized their fondness for dancing reflected in the great number of Dance School through the island. So we thought it would be a great opportunity to present this kind of show where both, Minorcan residents and visitors could enjoy professionals from some of the best companies of the world.
I: How could you gather this number of high professionals?
J: My long career as a professional dancer—first in Victor Ullate Company and then in the Spanish National Dance Company—has allowed me to dance and meet international dancers. Some of them are even friends and this was precisely one of the main pieces to involve them in this project since the very beginning.
I: The Gala was a tremendous success. Did you always believe in this project or in some time doubted about the possibility to carry it out?
J: Actually, at the beginning it was a dream. When we first contemplate the idea with Alba Studi de Dansa (one of the main project’s sponsor), we didn’t know how to do it because such a big event required a big investment. As the project progressed, we were also believe more in it. To be honest, there were also difficult moments that made us doubt, not about the project itself, but about the possibility to carry it out. Fortunately, the project became real thanks to my partner who was always supporting me and also some island people (Minorcan and English) who involved themselves in the project as if it was also theirs.
I: Will a second edition of the Summer Ballet Gala be carried out? If it will, would be again in Menorca?
J: I would love it. It would be great that the Gala became a regular event. In my opinion, it is necessary that such events occur regularly, annually or biennial, to create ballet supporters and make the cultural scene more dynamic. In fact, the regularity of the event was one of our main approaches when the project was set out. It would be fantastic to do it again in Menorca, where the project pillars are. However, it is also true that the project format allow us to export to different geographical scenarios. We are open to any proposal.
I: Personally, what would do say that Menorca has brought you?
J: Menorca has been a turning point in my life. It brought me a lot both professionally and personally. It brought me the peace and calm necessary after such a frenetic pace making me see life from another perspective. It also allowed me to recover values and life habits. Professionally, I was able to apply knowledge about cultural management that I learned in the Master of Cultural Management, Music, Theatre and Dance in Universidad Complutense or Madrid.
I: What are your essentials in the island? Your personal recommendations for new visitors or people who has not experienced yet all the possibilities of the island
As I said before, Menorca is an island with a great cultural variety and this is one of the most unknown features of the island. Its natural environment is unbeatable with such beautiful and relaxing beaches which make it a paradise. However, I think there is much more. In Menorca the cultural movement is tremendous and during the whole year events are organized even by the neighbors.
A great example of that is La Gran Migjornale, in the town of Es Migjorn Gran, where every summer neighbors open their houses and turn them into art galleries, with exhibitions of more than 70 artists. What started as a small town activity, is currently one of the most important cultural events in Menorca. The experience is quite gratifying and give us an idea about the cultural movement of the island.
