The Miami Herald
August 24, 2001

Cuban ballet plans dropped

Grammys pullout sways organizer

 BY GAIL MEADOWS

 Tentative plans to bring the National Ballet of Cuba to Miami Beach this fall have been canceled in the wake of the Latin Grammys' decision to leave town.

 Judy Drucker, impresario of the Concert Association of Florida, had made inquiries with the Jackie Gleason Theater about booking dates in late November and early December for the ballet, one of the world's premier dance troupes. But after the music awards show decided to return to Los Angeles because of concerns over Cuban exile protests against the possible presence of entertainers from Cuba, Drucker had a change of heart.

 ``I'm certainly not going to do it now,'' Drucker said by phone from New England, where she's vacationing. ``It's upsetting. We're the only city in the nation that doesn't have freedom of expression.''

 The 50-member troupe under the direction of Alicia Alonso makes regular trips to the United States. This year's national tour begins Oct. 8 and has stops scheduled in Tucson; Seattle; Minneapolis; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; New York; Norfolk, Va.; Amherst, Mass.; Berkeley, Costa Mesa, Sacramento and Palm Desert, Calif.; and Newark and New Brunswick, N.J.

 Drucker had spoken about bringing the ballet company to Miami Beach with Jane Herman of ICM Artists in New York, who books the troupe.

 Herman said she thought the troupe's Miami Beach appearances ``would have sold out, maybe even double, triple, quadruple.''

 Earlier this year, Drucker had tested local sensitivities in a low-key way by presenting the American Ballet Theatre, which features Cuban dancer José Manuel Carreño as the star.

 His appearance drew no protests, and Herman predicted that's exactly what would have happened had Drucker put on the Cuban ballet.

 Herman recalled a threat against the company two years ago in New York that went nowhere.

 ``Someone called for a permit to protest, and the city cordoned off the streets,'' Herman said. ``Not one single person showed up.''

                                    © 2001