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Malpaso Dance Company with Pedro Ruiz. Photo: Christopher Duggan
They cannot cross the border. But their work can.
This is the last letter.
Over the past month, we have brought you to a studio in El Vedado. We have introduced you to the dancers who made it their home. We have told you the story of how The Essence of Us — a work that almost wasn’t made — came into being.
The dancers of Malpaso Dance Company will not be on the stage at 92NY on September 19. Visa barriers prevented the trip from taking place. The artists who gave everything to this work, who showed up through power outages and after nights in unbearable heat, will not be in the room when audiences first experience what they made.
Malpaso Dance Company dancers. Photo: Christopher Duggan
Pedro Ruiz, the choreographer, sits with that absence:
“Learning that the dancers would not be able to stand onstage for the premiere was heartbreaking. Dance is meant to be shared in the same breath, in the same space. Yet somehow that absence became part of the choreography itself. Their physical absence reminds us that art continues to transcend the barriers that people cannot.”
And when the filming was over, what did he feel as he prepared to leave the island?
“Gratitude. Pride. and Sadness. I was grateful for every dancer who gave themselves completely to the process. Proud of what we had created together. And saddened that they could not stand beside the work when audiences first experience it. But I also carried hope, and I know their voices are embedded in every movement. My hope is that, by September 2027, Malpaso Dance Company will finally receive the visas needed to bring The Essence of Us to life onstage at 92NY. It would be a dream fulfilled to see the company and its dancers perform this work live on the historic 92NY stage, sharing in the experience with the audience for whom it was originally created. I believe that day will come, and when it does, it will be far more than a performance — it will be a celebration of resilience, perseverance, and the enduring power of art to transcend borders.”
Pedro Ruiz with Malpaso Dance Company. Photo: Christopher Duggan
Until that day, there is this film.
Made in Havana by Nel Shelby Productions. Created against every obstacle. Brought to Kaufmann Concert Hall for the opening night of our 2026/27 Harkness Mainstage Series, so that you can witness who these artists are, how they work and what they have made together.
Malpaso Dance Company dancers. Photo: Christopher Duggan
Fernando Sáez, Executive Director of Malpaso Dance Company, who has led Malpaso through 14 years of challenges, who chose to stay in Cuba when leaving would have been easier, who continues to build something in that heat-baked studio for young artists who share his commitment and strength, says this about why any of it matters:
“When I was young, I genuinely believed I could change the world. That notion disappeared a long time ago. I believe that the real possibility available to us is to transform ourselves in front of others. I don’t have a great deal of hope, but I do not need it to get up and go to work every day.”
That is the essence of the work.
And perhaps the essence of the artists who made it.
Malpaso Dance Company dancers. Photo: Christopher Duggan
“The Essence of Us is inspired by the notion and belief that, despite our differences and the conflicts that can tear us apart, the essence of who we truly are is our humanity, the force that can unite us all.”
The dancers cannot cross the border to be with you on September 19. But for one night, you can enter their world.
Nel Shelby (far right) with the production crew. Photo: Christopher Duggan
See The Essence of Us: A Cuban Story, a world premiere film directed by Nel Shelby, featuring Malpaso Dance Company and Pedro Ruiz, with a live performance by Ballet Hispánico New York on Sat, Sep 19 at 7 PM. Reserve your seat.
