COLBA

COLBA is one of the most ambitious works currently in development under the artistic direction and choreography of Liliet Orozco. This multidisciplinary performance explores the layered complexities of Cuban identity during the colonial era, examining themes of transculturation, racial hierarchies, and the resilience of the body under systems of domination.

Through a powerful blend of dance, music, and visual storytelling, COLBA reconstructs Cuban history by highlighting the tension between oppression and resistance. The work investigates how cultural mestizaje has operated as both an imposed structure and a form of symbolic resistance. The narrative unfolds through three symbolic figures:

1. The Arawak Leader – Embodies indigenous memory and a sacred connection to land and nature. Their ritualistic, circular movements reflect harmony with the territory.

2. The African Warrior Woman – Channels the spiritual strength and cultural resistance of the enslaved. Her choreography incorporates Afro-Cuban dance traditions like Congo and Palo Monte, grounded in forceful footwork and ritual gestures.

3. The Spanish Woman – Represents Eurocentric imposition. Her dance, influenced by the formality of European courts, begins with rigidity but fractures as she collides with other cultural expressions on stage.

The soundtrack, produced in collaboration with the National Folkloric Choir of Cuba, Manuel Pérez, and Ángel Terry, deepens the immersive experience, connecting contemporary choreography with Cuba’s living musical traditions.

COLBA does not follow a linear plot. Instead, it uses stereotypical archetypes as theatrical tools—presenting recognizable identities that gradually unravel, revealing the contradictions and hybridities at the core of Cuban cultural identity.