Come witness an amazing modern dance competition at the University of Panama in Curundu. Danza Activa 2009 (which has been organized by Neysi de Sturlesi and Hannia Alfu from K-dance Productions) is the first competitive event in Panama that involves schools, companies and dance groups. The competition will be held on October 24, 2009 at 9am & October 26 at 7pm. Watch talented individuals of all ages strut their stuff by performing your favorite dances on stage such as Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Salsa, Belly Dance, Break Dance, Folklore and much more! You will get to see trios, groups, duos, solos, you name it! This is your chance to view the new dance moves that are being performed at shows and on the streets of Panama.

Learn how to Belly Dance, move to a hip hop rhythm and many others. Join the modern dance workshop on October 24th. Anyone who is ready to wiggle their hips to popular rhythms and dances can register at the University of Panama the same day of the workshop. Tickets to see the competition are now available at Super Deportes in Albrook Mall, Super Centro El Dorado and Multiplaza in Panama City. They will be sold at $10.00 and if you are interested in the modern dance workshop you can attend for only $30.00. For more information, go to www.glintsartspanama.ning.com. Don’t miss out on this chance to get to know the Panamanian culture through music and dances. We`ll see you there!

Israel Galván was born in a family of bailaores in Seville Spain in 1973.  Since he was five years old tablaos, parties, and flamenco have been part of his life.  But it was until 1990 that he discovered his passion for the dance.  In 1994 he became part of the Compañía Andaluz de Danza, under the direction of Mario Maya.  And since then he has been an important member of the world of flamenco.

Israel has won several important awards like: Premio Vicente Escudero in the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco in 1995, Premio El Desplante in the Festival Internacional de Cante de las Minas en 1996, and the  I Concurso de Jóvenes Interpretes in the 9th Flamenco Bienal, 1996.

In 1998 he presented his first show, with his own dance company, ¡Mira! /Los Zapatos Rojos.  And since them he had put in scene Metamorfosis (2000), Galvánicas (2002), Arena (2004), and Tabula Rasa (2006).

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Ballet is a standard art form today, known and loved by audiences across the world. It is a formalized form of dance developed in the early 1600s as a concert dance form. It is an elite form of dancing that requires foot muscle movement, and suspension on the toes. This kind of dance requires strength, resilience, elegance and grace all at once, while making the different movements. In ballet, dance is performed purely to an orchestral accompaniment; there is no singing. Early forms used long skirt; today’s dances use both tutu skirts and tutu bodices. Learning ballet requires perseverance and hard work. Ballet technique is considered to be the basis of training for all types of dance like salsa, tango, cha cha cha between others.

Today exist the classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballet. The classical ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles; it adheres to traditional ballet technique, is generally structured on a narrative pretext they can be based on traditional stories. Neoclassical ballet describes the ballet style using a traditional ballet vocabulary and is usually more modern or complex than in classical ballet, because is more varied. The modern or contemporary ballet is influenced by both classical ballet and modern dance. The concepts of the contemporary ballet came from the ideas of today’s’ modern dance.

Here in Panama City, Panama academies were formed to pass on the fundamentals and traditions of this popular dance with a great quality of dance training. In the different academies that exist in Panama City, Panama you can learn the different ballet steps and the fundamental movements and positions you need to get started in this classical dance.