>>> PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO: COMING UP ON NYC-ARTS A VISIT TO FOTOGRAFISKA NEW YORK, THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM IN THE FLATIRON DISTRICT .. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHS.

STREET PHOTOGRAPH RI MIXED WITH FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS MIXED WITH LANDSCAPE.

FINE ART WORK.

REALLY HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

AND A PROFILE OF BALLET HISPANICO, THE NATION'S PREMIER ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING LATINO DANCE WHICH CONTINUES TO INSPIRE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.

>> BRING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE, SHARE, EXPLORE WITH JOY THE HERITAGE OF LATINO CULTURE.

FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION THE LEWIS “SONNY ” TURNER FUND FOR DANCE JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD ROSALIND P. WALTER ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED, IN PART, BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE IN FIRST BANK FIRST.

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO THE FIRST PRIORITY.

THE CLIENTS.

THE FIRST STEP, RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

SERVICE.

IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

AND BY SWAN ACTION GALLERIES.

SINCE 1941.

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY.

A FIRST TIME BUYER OR LOOKING TO SELL.

♪ ♪ PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO NYC-ARTS.

I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

I'M IN THE GRAND SPACE CONTAINING THE TREASURE THAT IS THE TEMPLE OF DENDUR.

IT WAS BUILT AROUND 15 B.C.

WHEN THE ROMAN EMPEROR AUGUSTUS RULED EGYPT.

IN 1965 THE TEMPLE AND ITS GATEWAY WERE GIFTED BY EGYPT TO THE UNITED STATES, AWARDED TO THE MET TWO YEARS LATER, AND INSTALLED HERE IN 1978.

TRANSPORT TO THE MET AND INSTALLATION WAS DONE WITH THE GREATEST OF CARE.

THE SETTING WAS DESIGNED TO APPROXIMATE THE LIGHT AND SURROUNDINGS OF ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION IN NUBIA, INCLUDING A REFLECTING POOL THAT EVOKES THE NILE.

TODAY IT IS ONE OF THE ICONIC AND MOST BELOVED WORKS OF ART AT THE MET.

A HIGHLIGHT OF THE MET'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR IN 2020 WAS THE REOPENING OF ITS NEWLY INSTALLED BRITISH GALLERIES.

THROUGH NEARLY 700 WORKS CREATED BETWEEN 1500 AND 1900, THE SUITE OF 10 GALLERIES OFFERS A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON BRITAIN'S ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND ITS COMPLEX HISTORY.

VISITORS ARE REMINDED THROUGHOUT THAT THE HISTORY OF BRITISH ART IS FAR FROM AN ISOLATED ONE.

FOR CENTURIES LONDON'S FLOURISHING ECONOMY ENCOURAGED THE TRADING OF FOREIGN LUXURY GOODS AND ATTRACTED COUNTLESS ARTISTS AND CRAFTSMEN FROM ABROAD, MAY OF WHOM ARE REPRESENTED HERE.

A 17TH CENTURY STAIRCASE WITH EXQUISITE CARVINGS WAS BROUGHT TO THE MET IN THE 1930'S FROM CASSIOBURY HOUSE, A NOW-LOST TUDOR MANOR.

IT HAS SINCE BEEN METICULOUSLY CONSERVED AND REINSTALLED IN THE NEW GALLERIES.

AT THE HEART OF THIS EXHIBITION ARE THREE MAGNIFICENT 18TH CENTURY ROOMS.

FROM KIRLINGTON PARK, CROOME COURT, AND LANDSDOWN HOUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED BY NEW LIGHTING AND PAINSTAKING CONSERVATION.

EVERY OBJECT ON DISPLAY IS NOT ONLY AN OUTSTANDING WORK OF ART, BUT AN EMBODIMENT OF A COMPLEX MOMENT IN HISTORY.

A BEAUTIFUL ENGLISH TEAPOT, FOR EXAMPLE, SPEAKS TO BOTH THE PROSPEROUS COMMERCIAL ECONOMY AND THE EXPLOITATIVE HISTORY OF THE TEA TRADE.

ON VIEW ARE FOUR CENTURIES OF EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT, ALONG WITH THE REALITIES OF COLONIAL RULE.

SOME OF THESE OBJECTS MAY TODAY SPEAK TO US WITH ELOQUENCE.

NOW A VISIT TO FOTOGRAFISKA NEW YORK, A NEW PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM IN THE FLATIRON DISTRICT.

LOCATED IN THE LANDMARKED CHURCH MISSION BUILDING, THE MUSEUM IS THE NEWEST GLOBAL OUTPOST FROM THE STOCKHOLM-BASED DESTINATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.

THE BUILDING WAS RENOVATED BY ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM CETRARUDDY TO PROVIDE A MIX OF COMMERCIAL, GALLERY AND EVENT SPACE.

THE FIRM RECENTLY WON A LUCY G. MOSES PRESERVATION AWARD FROM THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY FOR ITS WORK ON THIS HISTORIC BUILDING.

AFTER THE MANY CLOSURES LAST SPRING DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE MUSEUM RE-OPENED IN AUGUST- EAGER TO BRING ITS WORLD-CLASS PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITIONS BACK TO THE PUBLIC.

THE MUSEUM HAS PRESENTED A WIDE RANGE OF PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SUBJECTS: FROM TAWNY CHATMON'S GILDED PORTRAITS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN, TO THE PROVOCATIVE RECREATIONS OF BIBLICAL SCENES BY ADI NES; FROM THE FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY OF ELLEN VON UNWERTH, TO THE PHOTOJOURNALISM OF ANASTASIA TAYLOR-LIND, AMONG MANY OTHERS.

NYC-ARTS VISITED THE MUSEUM TO DISCUSS THE BUILDING'S UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL PAST, AS WELL AS ITS FUTURE.

AMANDA HAJJAR, DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITIONS FOTOGRAFISKA WAS FOUNDED IN 2010 IN STOCKHOLM BY TWO BROTHERS..

THEY'VE HAD OVER 250 EXHIBITIONS AT THIS POINT.

IN JUNE OF 2010, THEY OPENED THE SECOND LOCATION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN TALLINN, ESTONIA, ND IN DECEMBER OF 2019 NEW YORK OPENED.

NANCY RUDDY, FOUNDING PARTNER CETRARUDDY: FOTOGRAFISKA OCCUPIES A NYC LANDMARK THAT WAS BUILT IN 1894 AS THE MISSION HOUSE FOR THE EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH THAT IS DOWN THE STREET.

IT WAS AN UNDERUTILIZED NEW YORK CITY LANDMARK.

AND ONE OF THE REALLY EXCITING CHALLENGES OF THE PROJECT WAS TO TAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT WAS 126 YEARS OLD AND GIVE IT NEW LIFE AND GIVE IT LONGEVITY FOR THE NEXT TWO OR 300 YEARS THE ARCHITECTURE IS KNOWN AS NEO FLEMISH, AND IT REFERS BACK TO THE BEAUTIFUL GUILD HALLS AND TOWN HALLS OF NORTHERN EUROPE THAT WERE BUILT IN THE 15TH AND 16TH CENTURIES.

THE BUILDING HAS AN AMAZING LIMESTONE AND GRANITE FACADE THAT IS PUNCTUATED BY LARGE ARCHED WINDOWS.

IN THE RESTORATION, WHEN WE UNEARTHED ALL OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE, WE ALSO PUT VERY DISCRETE LIGHTING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING SO THAT YOU COULD SEE SIX FLOORS UP THE AMAZING ORIGINAL DETAILING THAT NO ONE KNEW WAS THERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

AMANDA HAJJAR: AS PEOPLE MOVE THROUGH THE SPACE, WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO EMPHASIZE IS DIFFERENT TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHY: STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MIXED WITH FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY MIXED WITH LANDSCAPE, FINE ART, CONCEPTUAL WORK, REALLY HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOTOGRAFISKA IN STOCKHOLM HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL WITH IS EXHIBITION DESIGN.

WE'VE DECIDED TO ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING THIS BUILDING AND BLOCKING OUT NATURAL LIGHT TO ACTUALLY USE THAT, TO ELEVATE THE WORK.

SO WE USE A LOT OF WALLPAPERS, COLORS, FONTS, TO FURTHER EXPLAIN WHAT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS OR WHAT THIS EXHIBITION IS ABOUT.

ELLEN VON UNWERTH IS MOST WIDELY KNOWN FOR HER FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY.

SHE AND NADINE BARTH, THE CURATOR THAT WORKED ON THAT EXHIBITION, CREATED THESE SEVEN DIFFERENT SORT OF THEMES WITHIN THE EXHIBITION.

THEY EACH HAD THEIR DIFFERENT COLORS.

WE USED THE COVERS THAT SHE HAD SHOT OVER HER CAREER OF 30 PLUS YEARS, AND MADE THOSE INTO WALLPAPERS.

IT WAS A REALLY FUN AND DYNAMIC WAY, I THINK, OF SHOWING PHOTOGRAPHY AND IT SORT OF STEERS US AWAY FROM THAT WHITE CUBE MODEL THAT'S SO TRADITIONAL.

THE ARTISTS COOPER AND GORFER ACTUALLY DID THESE EXTENSIVE INTERVIEWS AND PORTRAITS OF MIGRANT WOMEN WHO HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOME COUNTRIES FOR VARIOUS REASONS, USUALLY DUE TO SOME SORT OF CONFLICT OR VIOLENCE HAPPENING, AND ENDED UP LIVING IN SWEDEN.

COOPER AND GORFER ACTUALLY DESIGNED THE WALLPAPERS AND WE HANG THE PHOTOGRAPHS ON TOP OF THEM.

AND SARAH AND NINA REALLY WANTED PEOPLE TO WALK INTO THAT SPACE AND FEEL ENCOMPASSED BY THESE INTRICATE SETS THAT THEY HAD CREATED AND THESE PORTRAITS THAT THEY PHOTOGRAPHED.

MARTIN SCHOELLER IS WORKING WITH A NONPROFIT CALLED WITNESS TO INNOCENCE.

AND WHAT HE DECIDED TO DO WAS, IN HIS SORT OF QUINTESSENTIAL STYLE, TAKE THESE UP-CLOSE PORTRAITS OF DEATH ROW EXONEREES.

BUT ACTUALLY HE FILMED THE SITTERS, THEY'RE SLIGHTLY MOVING AND IT'S A VIDEO INSTALLATION.

HE DECIDED TO ALSO RECORD THEIR STORIES.

SO YOU'RE HEARING FROM THEIR OWN WORDS, WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ARRESTED, GO ON TRIAL, BE CONVICTED AND, AND LIVE ON DEATH ROW FOR CRIMES THAT THEY DID NOT COMMIT.

AND I SAY REAL LOUD, I DON'T WANT TO DIE .

.

.

AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE EXHIBITION, WHAT WE ACTUALLY DECIDED TO DO WAS CREATE THIS SENSE OF TIGHT SORT OF INTIMACY GETTING, EVEN CLOSER AND CLOSER, YOU KNOW, TO ALMOST WHAT A DEATH ROW CELL LOOKS LIKE SO THAT PEOPLE REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHAT THEIR LIVES WERE LIKE WHILE THEY WERE INCARCERATED.

WE HAVE SOME LOCAL EXHIBITIONS THAT DON'T TOUR TO THE OTHER LOCATIONS, SPECIFIC ARTISTS THAT ARE DEALING WITH VERY RELEVANT ISSUES TO NEW YORK OR TO AMERICA.

LARRY FINK IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS OF HIS GENERATION, MAINLY IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY.

LARRY FINK ACTUALLY CONTACTED US AND SAID, I REALLY LOVE YOUR, THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE DOING CALLED PHOTOGRAPHERS ON THE FRONT LINES.

AND THIS WAS WHEN WE REALLY HANDED OVER OUR PLATFORMS TO PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT WERE PHOTOGRAPHING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY WHAT I WAS DOING THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET INVOLVED.

LET'S DO SOMETHING ON THE PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY THAT I TOOK IN THE SIXTIES.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS A LOT OF WORK FROM HARLEM AND WASHINGTON DC WITH VARIOUS STUDENT PROTESTS.

SO YOUTH PROTESTS, THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON.

THAT'S ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF FOTOGRAFISKA IS THAT WE CAN RESPOND PRETTY QUICKLY TO RELEVANT ISSUES AND STAY VERY CURRENT.

NAIMA GREEN IS ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE.

SHE'S A BROOKLYN BASED ARTIST AND ALL OF HER EX ALL OF HER PHOTOGRAPHS ARE OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, MOSTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR.

MORE OF A CELEBRATION, THESE VERY SORT OF INTIMATE AND CAREFULLY CRAFTED PHOTOGRAPHS.

OUR WHOLE CONCEPT IS REALLY CATERING TO THE NEW WAY THAT WE FEEL THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT MUSEUMS, WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENTIAL, A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERACTIVE.

ON THE SIXTH FLOOR, WE DO A LOT OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING ; ARTISTS TALKS, COSTUME PARTIES, WE'VE DONE PERFORMANCE PIECES, CONCERTS, KIND OF PULLING FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS, MAKE IT A LAYERED EXPERIENCE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE DID TRANSITION A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMMING ONLINE, A LOT OF LIVE STREAMING EVENTS.

OUR FAMILY PROGRAMMING THAT USED TO TAKE PLACE INSIDE THE BUILDING, WE'VE MOVED IT OUTSIDE WHEN WE CAN.

THIS IS REALLY GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A MUSEUM OR EXPERIENCE FOTOGRAFISKA SPECIFICALLY.

AMANDA HAJJAR: I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOTOGRAFISKA IS BEING RELEVANT AND RESPONDING QUICKLY TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO FOTOGRAFISKA AND, SEE THAT SOCIAL RELEVANCE IN THE ARTWORK THAT'S ON DISPLAY.

PDM: FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CULTURAL EVENTS IN OUR AREA, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE WEEKLY EMAIL AT “NYC-ARTS.

ORG/E-MAIL.

” TOP FIVE PICKS WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ALL YEAR ROUND.

AND BE SURE TO CONNECT WITH NYC-ARTS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.

PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO: NEXT ON OUR PROGRAM WE'LL GO BEHIND THE SCENES WITH AMERICA'S PREMIERE ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING LATINO DANCE: BALLET HISPANICO.

RECENTLY THE FORD FOUNDATION NAMED THE COMPANY ONE OF AMERICA'S CULTURAL TREASURES.

FOUNDED IN 1970 BY TINA RAMIREZ, BALLET HISP ÁNICO BRINGS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC CULTURES.

ITS REPERTORY DRAWS FROM MANY TRADITIONS AND MANY COUNTRIES - FROM CLASSICAL BALLET TO SPANISH FLAMENCO, LATIN SOCIAL DANCES TO AFRO-CUBAN RHYTHMS.

THE PANDEMIC FORCED THE COMPANY TO CANCEL ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON LAST APRIL.

IN JUNE BALLET HISP ÁNICO PRESENTED A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION WITH WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCES, NEW WORKS CREATED REMOTELY, AND APPEARANCES BY SUCH TALENTS AS LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, RITA MORENO AND GLORIA ESTEFAN.

MORE RECENTLY, THE COMPANY WAS BACK ON THE NEW YORK CITY CENTER STAGE FOR THE FIRST-EVER DIGITAL FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL.

TODAY -- THROUGH INNOVATIVE NEW APPROACHES TO BRINGING DANCE TO THE COMMUNITY -- BALLET HISP ÁNICO CONTINUES TO INSPIRE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.

♪ EDUARDO VILARO: BALLET HISP ÁNICO'S MISSION IS TO BRING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, TO CELEBRATE, SHARE, EXPLORE THE JOYS, THE HERITAGE OF LATINO CULTURES.

AND SO IN THAT MISSION THE VISION IS ABOUT OPENING UP THIS DIALOGUE FOR EVERYONE TO EXPLORE WHAT IT IS TO BE LATINO TODAY.

EDUARDO VILARO: I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORGANIZATION SINCE 1985.

FIRST AS A DANCER AND THEN AS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

BALLET HISP ÁNICO HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1970, WHEN TINA RAMIREZ, OUR FOUNDER, WANTED TO GIVE VOICE TO THE LATINO ARTIST.

AND SHE BEGAN WITH A HANDFUL OF YOUNG LADIES WHO WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO DANCE PROFESSIONALLY.

MICHELLE MANZANALES: THE BALLET HISP ÁNICO SCHOOL OF DANCE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.

IT'S ABOUT GIVING ACCESS TO THE ARTFORM FOR ANYONE.

STUDENTS CAN COME AND STUDY ALL DIFFERENT GENRES, WHETHER IT BE BALLET, FLAMENCO, HIP HOP.

WE HAVE THESE TRADITIONAL DANCE FORMS THAT WE CELEBRATE: CLASSICAL SPANISH DANCE, FLAMENCO, BUT THEN ALSO FUSION.

WE'RE HONORING HISTORY, BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKING IT TO THE FUTURE.

EDUARDO VILARO: I CONSIDER BALLET HISP ÁNICO A CONTEMPORARY LATINO DANCE COMPANY, WHICH MEANS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CULTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY.

AND THE DANCERS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED IN CLASSICAL DANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR HERITAGE.

MELISSA FERNANDEZ: I TRAINED STRICTLY IN CLASSICAL BALLET IN THE CUBAN TRADITION FROM FIVE YEARS OLD TO ABOUT 15.

I WENT TO AN ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, NEW WORLD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS IN MIAMI, WHICH OFFERED NOT ONLY A STRONG BASE IN CLASSICAL BALLET, BUT ALSO THE CLASSICAL MODERN FORMS LIKE GRAHAM, LIMON, TAYLOR, CUNNINGHAM.

MELISSA FERNANDEZ: I THINK SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPED ME PREPARE FOR THIS ROLE THAT I'M NOW IN BALLET HISP ÁNICO WAS THE IDEA THAT I COULDN'T JUST BOX MYSELF IN INTO ONE CATEGORY.

I WASN'T JUST A BALLET DANCER.

I WASN'T JUST A MODERN DANCER.

MICHELLE MANZANALES: OUR DANCERS AT BALLET HISP ÁNICO, BECAUSE THEY WORK WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT CHOREOGRAPHERS, WE WANT THEM TO BE THAT BLANK SLATE THAT IS WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK TO GO INTO THESE DIFFERENT ROLES, TO THESE DIFFERENT STYLES OF DANCE, IT'S LIKE BEING A CHAMELEON, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES.

>> MELISSA FERNANDEZ : OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA STAY TRUE TO OUR LATIN ROOTS, SO THERE WILL BE MANY, MANY PIECES THAT YOU SEE WERE THERE'S AN INFLUENCE OF SALSA, OR RUMBA, OR MAMBO, CHA CHA CHA.

AND THEN WE HAVE CONTEMPORARY MODERN.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT BALLET HISP ÁNICO REPRESENTS, A FUSION OF CULTURES AND STYLES.

>> I DON'T BELONG HERE.

EDUARDO VILARO: DANZ ÓN IS A CONTEMPORARY BALLET THAT WAS CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH PAQUITO D'RIVERA.

I FOUND IT SO RIVETING, THE FUSION OF JAZZ WITH STRINGS.

OF COURSE WE ADDED A LOT OF MORE LATIN RHYTHMS, WHEN WE PUT IT TOGETHER.

AND DANZ ÓN ITSELF IS A FUSION OF AFRICAN AND SPANISH, AND ALSO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS OF MUSIC IN CUBA.

>> EDUARDO VILARO: A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES OF BRINGING IN A NEW DANCER TO WORK LIKE THIS IS STYLE.

SO EACH CHOREOGRAPHER HAS THEIR OWN STYLE IN THEIR GENRE.

AND FOR ME YOU KNOW TO GET A DANCER TO BE VERY TECHNICAL AND AT THE SAME TIME GROUNDED IN AFRO-CUBAN MOVEMENT IS A CHALLENGE.

>> EDUARDO VILARO: SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO COACH THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS.

THE ARTISTRY, THE INTENTION, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE EDUARD VILARO: AND IT IS A WONDERFUL PROCESS, BECAUSE IT'S THERE THAT THAT THE ARTIST LEARNS A LOT OF THEMSELVES AND THEN REFLECTS IT BACK.

AND THAT REFLECTION IS IN THE PERFORMANCE AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

SPIRAL YOUR BACK.

YES.

THAT'S IT.

BAM, GOOD.

THIS WAS LOVELY.

>> JOHAN RIVERA: NONE OF THE DANCERS ARE ACTUALLY ALIKE WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONALITY, LIKE CHARISMA, QUALITY OF MOVEMENT.

SO I NEED TO WORK AROUND THE 360 VIEW OF LIKE HOW THIS DANCER CAN USE THE MATERIAL AND NOW MAKE IT HIS OWN, AS A DANCER MYSELF, IT'S LIKE I SAID SOMETHING WHEN I WAS DOING THE SOLO.

NOW I WANT THAT PERSON TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE SPACE TO FIND THEIR OWN MESSAGE TO SHARE.

>> THINK ABOUT THE PROGRESSION OF LIKE GOING DOWN AS LIKE DESCENDING FROM THE MATERIAL.

NICK FEARON: I WASN'T TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE LATIN STYLES OF DANCE COMING INTO BALLET HISP ÁNICO, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH SO THEY TAUGHT ME VERY QUICKLY.

THE CULTURE IS DEFINITELY A BIG ASPECT TO BALLET HISP ÁNICO IN GENERAL.

CAUSE I'M NOT LATINO MYSELF, I'M IRISH AND POLISH, SO, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT EMBRACING THE LATIN CULTURE BUT IT'S ABOUT BRINGING YOUR OWN CULTURE IN AND EMBRACING THAT AS WELL.

>> MICHELLE MANZANALES: AN EXCITING PART OF BEING A DANCER FOR BALLET HISP ÁNICO IS GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THESE DIFFERENT VOICES.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DANCERS THEY'RE SO DIVERSE, AND THAT DIVERSITY, COUPLED WITH THE CHOREOGRAPHER'S VOICE, COUPLED WITH BALLET HISP ÁNICO'S MISSION ALTOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO RICH.

>> EDUARDO VILARO: EVERY CHOREOGRAPHER THAT COMES TO BALLET HISP ÁNICO TO MAKE A PIECE GETS THAT CONVERSATION WITH ME ABOUT CULTURE.

AND THEY DIVERT DIFFERENTLY.

WE'VE RUN THE RANGE FROM MY WORK THAT IS FULL OF LATINO CARIBBEAN MOVEMENT, TO RON K. BROWN, THAT IS MUCH MORE AFROCENTRIC, TO TANIA P ÉREZ-SALAS, WHICH IS VERY ABSTRACT, AND TO ANNABELLE LOPEZ OCHOA, WHO GREW UP IN BELGIUM WITH A PARENT WHO'S FROM COLOMBIA.

SO IT'S VERY RICH FOR US BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOWS US THAT THE DEPTH OF HOW CULTURE AFFECTS EACH ARTIST.

LIKE MICHELLE'S PIECE “CON BRAZOS ABIERTOS ” IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

>> MICHELLE MANZANALES: “CON BRAZOS ABIERTOS ” IS REALLY JUST--WAS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME.

THE WORK IS REALLY ABOUT TELLING THE STORY OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE BETWEEN TWO CULTURES.

FOR ME AS A MEXICAN-AMERICAN PERSON GROWING UP IN TEXAS, IT ALLOWED FOR ME TO SORT OF REFLECT ON THAT AND THEN BRING THIS PIECE TO LIFE FROM THOSE EXPERIENCES.

THE MUSIC RANGES, IT'S VERY ECLECTIC WHICH IS HOW I FEEL.

I'M NOT ONE THING, I'M NOT JUST MARIACHI MUSIC AND I'M NOT JUST POP MUSIC OF THE 80S, I'M SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.

THE SOMBRERO WAS A FUN THING TO EXPLORE, THE SORT OF CULTURAL STEREOTYPES BUT THEN ALSO DECONSTRUCTING IT, MANIPULATING IT, AND USING THE HAT AS A SYMBOL.

>> MELISSA FERNANDEZ: SHE USES HER EARLY STAGES OF VULNERABILITY AS A YOUNG DANCER, AS A YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHER, AND THEN SLOWLY IT EVOLVES TO SHOW HOW HER INSECURITIES BLOOM INTO ACCEPTANCE AND ADMIRATION FOR HER CULTURE.

>> MELISSA FERNANDEZ: WE'RE NOT ONLY DANCERS.

WE'RE ARTISTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO TEACHING ARTISTS.

ONE OF THE GREAT MISSIONS OF BALLET HISP ÁNICO IS TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TEACH WORKSHOPS AND ENGAGE CHILDREN AND ADULTS, ALL AGES, ALL SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVELS.

>> EDUARDO VILARO: WHEN WE DO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY IT'S ABOUT SAYING THIS ART FORM IS YOURS.

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT LATINO.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEARN TO SPEAK SPANISH.

YOU LEARN TO MOVE, ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAT THAT BREAKS BARRIERS OF COLOR AND SOCIAL STATUS.

AND YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GRAB SOMEONE'S HAND AND YOU LEAD THEM ONTO THE DANCE FLOOR, EVEN THE PERSON THAT'S MOST INHIBITED, LET'S GO JUST A LITTLE BIT.

AND IF WE CAN FIND THOSE POCKETS OF LETTING GO AND OPEN THEM EVEN MORE, THAT'S WHAT BALLET HISP ÁNICO IS ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

>> PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO: NEXT WEEK ON NYC-ARTS A BEHIND THE SCENES VISIT WITH THE FAMED METROPOLITAN OPERA CHORUS .

AND >> WE'RE A COMPONENT OF 80 INDIVIDUALS.

WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE A CHARACTER AS A CHORUS BY OUR MUSICAL EXPRESSION OF THE SCORE.

AND A VISIT TO THE BROOKLYN STUDIO OF A MODERN-DAY VIOLIN MAKER.

>> EVERY VIOLIN I MAKE.

IF AN INSTRUMENT COMES BACK AND I LIKE IT.

I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE LIKE THAT.

I HAVE RECORD OF WHAT I DID.

PDM: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

GOOD NIGHT, AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION THE LEWIS “SONNY ” TURNER FUND FOR DANCE JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD ROSALIND P. WALTER ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED, IN PART, BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIRST REPUBLIC BANK AND >> FIRST THINGS FIRST.

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK FIRST REFERS TO THE FIRST PRIORITY.

THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR.

RECOGNIZE EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

SERVICE.

IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

OUR MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

BY SWANN ACTION GALLERIES.

>> WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS OFFERING BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941.

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY.

INFORMATION AT SWAN GALLERIES.COM.