Episode 4 | 1h 25m 4s | Video has closed captioning.
Ballet Hispánico explores Evita Perón's diverging legacies in this invigorating and emotional work. Her rags-to-riches story is interpreted through movement – following her journey from dancehall performer to Argentina's First Lady and sudden death.
Aired: 04/14/23
Expired: 05/12/23
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
ALL: Che!
Che!
EDUARDO: We need the stories of our people to be told... ALL: Che!
EDUARDO: By us.
ALL: Che!
ANNABELLE: Well, Evita was so ashamed of her past.
I wanted to show who she was, where she came from... ALL: Che!
ANNABELLE: I didn't want to take a side.
ALL: Che!
EDUARDO: Falling in love with the arts really catapulted me to think, "I could do anything, and be fearless about it."
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (speech audience cheering) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ PERÓN: Son vestries gloriosas vanguardias descamisadas de la patria las que están presentes hoy, porque han tomado el porvenir en sus manos y saben que la justicia y la libertad la encontrarán únicamente teniendo al general Perón dirigiendo la nave de la nación.
(speech audience roars) Todo lo que hice no lo hice nunca por ocupar ninguna posición política en mi país.
Es que estando el general Perón en el gobierno, el puesto de vicepresidenta no es más que un honor y yo aspiro nada más que al honor del cariño de los humildes de mi patria.
(speech audience roars) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music and cheering stop) (low frequency rumble) (low frequency rumble) (low frequency rumble) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops slowly) (suspenseful music) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music fades) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) (silence) (stomping) (stomping) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (ballet music stops) (dreamy music plays) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) (laughter) (laughter) (overlapping chatter) ♪ ♪ (music stops) (soft music plays) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) (no audible sound) (no audible sound) (no audible sound) (no audible sound) ♪ ♪ (radio static) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (radio static and feedback) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (radio static and feedback) (overlapping Spanish radio broadcasts) (ticking) (ticking stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (muffled Spanish broadcast) (muffled Spanish broadcast) (muffled Spanish broadcast) (muffled Spanish broadcast) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) (cell door closes) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music fades and stops) (stomping) (stomping) (stomping) (stomping) (stomping and clapping) (stomping and clapping) ALL: Che, oh!
Che, oh!
Che, oh!
Che, oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
Aye-oh!
PERÓN: Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
Perón!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (speech audience roaring) ♪ ♪ (speech audience roaring) ♪ ♪ (speech audience roaring) (speech audience goes silent) (silence) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (groaning) (muffled screams) (muffled screams) (thud) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music stops) (heels clicking) (exclaims) (exclaims) (stomping) (stomping) (stomping) (stomping and clapping) (stomping and clapping) PERÓN: Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
ALL: Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
PERÓN: Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
Che!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (speech audience roars) ♪ ♪ (crowd chants and goes silent) (silence) (stomping) (stomping) (slapping) (stomping) (rhythmic breathing) (silence) (silence) (silence) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ PERÓN: Aquí está, hermanas mías.
Aquí está, hermanas mías.
Recibo en este instante, de manos del Gobierno de la nación, la ley que consagra nuestros derechos cívicos.
La recibo ante vosotras con la certeza que lo hago en nombre y representación de todas las mujeres argentinas.
Sintiendo jubilosamente que me tiemblan las manos, al contacto del laurel que proclama la victoria.
Aquí está, hermanas mías, resumida en la letra apretada de pocos artículos, una historia larga de luchas, tropiezos y esperanzas.
Por eso hay en ella crispaciones e indignación, sombras de ocasos amenazadores, pero también alegre despertar de auroras triunfales.
Esto último que traduce la victoria de la mujer sobre las incomprensiones, las negaciones, los intereses creados de las castas repudiadas por nuestro despertar nacional.
Un líder el destino moldeó para enfrentar victoriosamente los problemas de la época, el general Perón.
(speech audience roars) Aquí está, hermanas mías.
(speech audience roars) Son vestries gloriosas vanguardias... (speech audience roars) de la Patria las que están presentes hoy porque han tomado el porvenir en sus manos, y saben que la justicia y la libertad la encuentran únicamente teniendo al general Perón dirigiendo la nave de la Nación.
No hubo gente, no lo hizo nunca para ocupar ninguna posición política en mi país.
PERÓN: En este instante el general Perón en el Gobierno, al que se dirige el Presidente (speech audience roars) si un día llegaran hasta el honor... (speech audience roars) (cheering fades) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ EDUARDO: When I started at Ballet Hispánico as the Artistic Director, I told the board we will be doing full-length stories because we need the stories of our people to be told, by us.
ANNABELLE: He had heard about me through a light designer based in New York and that light designer said, "You're always looking for Latino choreographers."
EDUARDO: We met and it was... (snaps).
Instant love for each other.
She was truly bringing a voice that was needed, in a male-dominated field.
ANNABELLE: He came to Philadelphia 'cause I was creating a ballet for BalletX and we talked and said, "I have this company that is putting Latin voices on stage.
So, I'm inviting you but you have to make something about your Latin background."
You know, Evita was so ashamed of her past of the fact that she had come from, you know, a poor background.
That she always lied about when she was born and where she was born because she didn't want people to find out who she really was.
I think one of the most traumatic experience that she had as a child is the rejection, uh, of her father, of the family of her father, and the fact that she was born out of wedlock and not recognized as such.
And that really informed her for the rest of her life.
EDUARDO: That moment in which Eva jumps into Juan Perón's arms and doesn't get thrown off is such a pivotal moment, it's a quiet moment.
So, that's the brilliance of Annabelle.
ANNABELLE: Having Eduardo Vilaro ask me to create something about that side of me that I didn't like, taught me to accept that side and be proud of my Latin background.
EDUARDO: Annabelle says, "Yeah, Eduardo, he made me look at my Latina identity, and then opened up a world for me."
But Tina did the same for me.
You're doing it because of the passion and the love you have for the art form and for humanity; for people, for kids.
Tina and I share a love of working with young people.
She gave me that.
PAULO: I knew that being at this company is not just being a dancer, it's being an advocate for a community.
It has so much to do with teaching.
We teach so much on tour, all ages, and we teach all types of courses and classes.
DANDARA: I auditioned to BH.
I had the best time of my life, I, I just, I felt like I fit in, right away.
AMANDA: I feel a strong connection with Eduardo and with the company Ballet Hispánico, um, just being more rooted to my culture.
I have that sense of home and family.
EDUARDO: I was born in Cuba and I left when I was just turning five.
DANDARA: I am from a small town in the south of Brazil called, uh, Alegrete.
The state is Rio Grande do Sul.
A very simple family and I never imagined I would be able to be a professional dancer, actually.
EDUARDO: Being extracted from your, your birth country is very dramatic, um, and traumatic because it leaves you in a state of purgatory.
PAULO: I am queer.
I am non-binary.
I am Salvadorian-American.
I am from a lower-income family.
A single-income house, thank you, mom.
ANNABELLE: I'm half Colombian, half Belgian.
My father is indigenous and my mother is blonde, blue eyes and I, unfortunately, did not look White and I hated that my entire childhood.
PAULO: It's scary to be in a world where some people come into it with privilege.
Some people come into it with White privilege.
Some people come into it with financial privilege, and they don't always realize how that privilege affects other people, especially at a young age.
ANNABELLE: Until the age of seven I thought I was White.
My mother had to put me in front of the mirror and say, you know, see the difference between her and I. EDUARDO: And I came to dance when I was in eighth grade and I got the part of Linus and Linus has a solo with his blanket, a dance solo, and it, that was it.
The feeling of belonging in a community, the ability to feel that people were really accepting my expression.
At that point I really didn't understand what artistic expression was but I know it was my expression, um, was very powerful for a kid in eighth grade.
AMANDA: When I was little, my grandma would take me and my sister to a very, very small studio in Little Havana.
But, I was taken out early on 'cause it was, my family couldn't afford it.
DANDARA: We used to have like black and white television and it was a movie that I can not even know the name because it was just too like blurry and everything.
But, I saw this ballerina on TV and on her pointe shoes and I was just amazed.
My parents, they actually, they didn't want me to dance ballet because they were afraid of me to suffer discrimination, you know, and be mistreated.
So, my sister, she actually took me to the Social Project without them knowing, for me to try it out and see if I like it, and I feel in love.
PAULO: I mean, you walk into a ballet class, you have tights on usually, a shirt, you'll have your ballet shoes.
I walked in, in like these random Target sweatpants, I was barefoot actually.
DANDARA: I had to started working, that was around 13 to 14.
So, I could pay for like a, a ballet slippers, uh, the clothing, 'cause I had the scholarship but I had to find a way to get the, the uniform and everything.
So, I started to working as a, a carpenter.
AMANDA: You know, that rejection of, "Well, you're not gonna be a professional dancer.
You don't have what it takes, you don't have the right body, you don't have the right technique.
You started late."
But, just like Evita, there was that dedication, and that persistence, and that drive.
That knowing I don't care what people tell me.
I can do this for myself and I will make it happen.
PAULO: And, so, when I started dancing, it just clicked.
It happened for me.
I remember the first time I was on stage, it was the most phenomenal experience.
DANDARA: It's possible for us to make dreams come true.
It's not gonna be easy, nothing is gonna be easy in life.
But, you cannot let this die or let nobody kill the dream you have.
EDUARDO: I found the strength to be, to remain open, and caring, and giving, because I found people who are open, and caring, and giving.
That understood that I had something to do and they just pushed me with care, and love, the support of knowledge, and I think that's what lifts you up.
That's what buoys you through things and, you know, it's love.
And if you can accept that love then, yeah, you can concur.
(audience applause).
