Arriving at the bus stop everybody in Cuba asks politely who came last: ¿Último? As soon as the bus arrives, everyone hurries to the entrance to be the first one to get in. Rules are there to be broken. At all levels, in all cultures, especially if you are 16 or 17. Or is the flexibility of the authorized not applicable to dancers? In any case you never wantto be last, especially if you are ambitious and want to become a dancer. The first, the best, the most beautiful.

¿Último? is a meeting of young dancers from two continents. The freedom and openness of Dutch young people versus military discipline and passion of Cuban peers. Tangible poverty across western wealth. But what about the spirit and the soul of these young people?

 

“At the beginning of the performance we directly see the contrasts between free moving of the Dutch Youth and the strong discipline of the Cubans. The Dutch dancers move in a wild way through space on ‘Nirvana’ ‘smells like teen spirit’ Alternating the dance a solo, which expresses their individuality. When the Cubans react, a drilled choreography follows accompanied by the military voice of an invisible teacher. It is modern dance, but looks like military precision. This effect is augmented by their costumes: a green training suit with ‘Cuba’ and a red painted hand on the back. After this opening a series of different scenes follow…”
“Most striking of Ultimo is the professionalism of the dancers. The performance is made in a very short time, in fact work in progress. Nonetheless, the strong technique and performance quality of the dancers makes the work look strong and mature. And of course the dancers have tasted another culture as a personal experience; a short but relevant exchange.”
Vakblad Dans, Hanneke Koolen.

Dancers: Miguel Serrano Alemán, Alexis Serrano Alemán, Loes Bon, Romanna Delauw, Rigoberto Fernández Saura, Dariel Milán García,Marta Inés Ortega Cuevas,Sjoerd Martens, Imre van Opstal, Marne van Opstal, Yolanda Pérez Cárdenas, Carline Slaats, Thaïsa Wiebing
Light Design and Technique: Pink Steenvoorden, Einstein Design
Costumes: Karisma Costumes
Coördination students Cuba: Arlai Gonzàles Padin, Sara Gonzalez Medina and Luisa Olivares Navarro
Coördinatie students in the Netherlands: Valuascollege, Liesbeth Wiertz
Business management: Betty Kaan
Choreography: Feri de Geus and Noortje Bijvoets

The program included apart from the performance a great number of workshop at Highschools in the Netherlands.