CAMAGÜEY. — The dramatic story of a boy expelled from his home for wanting to become a dancer —and the silent battles that shaped his life— forms the heart of the documentary “Chávez: In Body and Soul,” which premiered on October 24th at the Nuevo Mundo Video Hall in this city.

The 33-minute film offers an intimate portrait of dancer, choreographer, and teacher José Antonio Chávez, now a National Dance Award laureate, aiming to reveal how years of sacrifice and struggle forged the artist we know today.

The production is a collaborative work by Camagüey-based filmmakers Marianne Portuondo, Mayra González, and Víctor Pando, who also shared directing duties. The script was written by Mayra, cinematography was handled by Víctor, and editing was completed by Ray Ortega from Wapanga Producciones.

The creative team focused on the human dimension of the artist. “We wanted to show the person behind the master and choreographer —everything he went through, from his earliest sacrifices to winning the National Dance Award,” explained Marianne Portuondo.

Filming took place between July and August, with interviews shot in key locations such as the Club Victoria (next to the Teatro Principal), as well as scenes inside that theater, the Ballet of Camagüey, and various sites throughout the city used for the film’s opening and closing sequences.

Portuondo noted that one of the greatest challenges was editing: “We interviewed Chávez for three and a half hours, and condensing that into 33 minutes was very difficult. His story is both beautiful and heartbreaking.”

The documentary was commissioned by the Provincial Council of Performing Arts, following previous attempts to honor Chávez after he received the National Dance Award in 2023. The premiere was attended by the province’s top political leadership, marking the beginning of a tribute week organized by the Council to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Chávez’s birth and his 55-year artistic career.

The celebration included a concert program on October 25th and 26th at the Teatro Principal, featuring emblematic works from his repertoire —Vivaldiana, Ofelia, Fatum, and Alfonsina— performed by the Ballet of Camagüey and the Ballet of Santiago de Cuba.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez