The World at Their Feet : Center Offerings Will Focus on Classical Dance With Companies From Cuba, France, Italy and Great Britain

COSTA MESA —  The National Ballet of Cuba will make its first U.S. appearance in more than 16 years as part of the 1997-98 dance season at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The Cubans, in their Orange County debut, will dance a full-length “Cinderella” as staged by Pedro Consuegra to music by Johann Strauss II, on Jan. 20-25.

Founded in 1948 as Ballet Alicia Alonso by Alicia and Fernando Alonso, the National Ballet of Cuba has become become an acclaimed and controversial international showpiece for the Castro government. Alicia Alonso has continued to dance and lead the troupe.

Three other companies on the series will also mark their local debuts. Rambert Dance Company of Great Britain will dance March 13-15; Balletto di Toscana, based in Florence, Italy, April 7-9; and Le Ballet National de Marseille Roland Petit, June 9-14.

Returning companies will include New York City Ballet, Oct. 13-18, 1998. The Moscow Classical Ballet will open a non-subscription “Nutcracker” this year, Dec. 23-28.

In addition to “Nutcracker,” full-length works will include “Charlot Danse Avec Nous” (Charlie Dances With Us), based on the life of Charlie Chaplin, choreographed by Petit, and “Mediterranea,” created by Mauro Bigonzetti for Balletto di Toscana, founded in 1986.

Britain’s venerable Rambert Dance Company, founded in 1926, will bring two works by company artistic director Christopher Bruce, including one set to music by the Rolling Stones. City Ballet will draw from its extensive Balanchine repertory for its mixed-bill programs.

“Our commitment to bringing quality international and national dance companies is resolute,” new Center President Jerry E. Mandel said Tuesday.

“I’m excited about the upcoming season because it truly brings an international flavor to what we’re doing and certainly focuses on classical ballet, which all of our audience surveys indicate [is] what people want to see and are excited about seeing.”

Planning such a season begins years before a company arrives.

“I’m thinking even now what would be appropriate for 1999, 2000 and 2001 because it’s a long process,” said Judith O’Dea Morr, director of programming for the center.

“It’s a process of finding out what companies might be thinking about touring and determining what the realistic possibilities of their touring might be. Every artistic decision, for them as well as for us, is a financial decision, and a tour is a financial as well as an artistic decision.”

Each decision is critical because the center has recently seen declining attendance at dance events despite its sponsorship of several highly acclaimed international companies.

“We have to aggressively work to explain to the audience that these companies--with the exception of City Ballet and Moscow Classical Ballet--have not been here before and that audiences can be here in Orange County and continue to experience new choreographers, new works and new companies that they have not seen before,” Morr said.

“It’s very important to us how the audience responds because in any organization that depends on box office as well as private contributions, you can’t ever forget that what you’re doing is for the community.”

Mandel agreed. “In the past--as in the movie ‘Field of Dreams’--the theory was, if you build [a theater], people will come,” he said. “That doesn’t happen anywhere in the entertainment world any more.

“In some respects, we may be pricing some of our audience out of the market. So we’re working diligently to reduce ticket prices in some areas of the center. For this new season, you can actually subscribe for $29 for a three-package series, and we will have some individual tickets as low as $10. I want people coming into the center.”

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ORANGE COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

1997-98 Dance Season:

* Dec. 23-28: Moscow Classical Ballet: “Nutcracker” (Kasatkina-Vasikliov/Tchaikovsky); a non-subscription event.

* Jan. 20-25: National Ballet of Cuba: “Cinderella” (Consuegra/Strauss II).

* March 13-15: Rambert Dance Company: “Axioma 7” (Ohad Naharin/Bach); “Rooster” (Bruce/Rolling Stones); “Swansong” (Bruce/Chambon); other works to be announced.

* April 7-9: Balletto di Toscana: “Mediterranea” (Bigonzetti/compiled score).

* June 9-14: Le Ballet National de Marseille Roland Petit: “Charlot Danse Avec Nous” (Petit/Chaplin-Carpi-Bach).

* Oct. 13-18, 1998: New York City Ballet; repertory to be announced.

A three-program series (Cuba, Marseille, New York) ranges from $29 to $164. Rambert and Toscano can be added on or bought individually. Single tickets for each performance will vary but range from $10 to $66. “Nutcracker” prices to be set. (714) 556-2787, Ext. 292.