Yuli
with Houston Ballet Dancers Mireille Hassenboehler and Lauren Anderson
Yuli is the nickname given to Carlos Acosta by his father, Pedro, who considers him the son of Ogun, an African god and a fighter. As a child Yuli avoids discipline and education, learning from the streets of an impoverished Havana. His father, however, has other ideas, and knowing that his son has a natural talent for dance, sends him to the National Ballet School of Cuba. Despite his repeated escapes and initial poor behaviour, the boy is inevitably drawn to the world of dance, and begins to shape his legendary career from a young age, becoming the first black dancer to be cast in some of the most prestigious ballet roles, with the Houston Ballet and the Royal Ballet in London.
Q&A with dancers Mireille Hassenboehler and Lauren Anderson following screening.
Co-presented by the Houston Ballet
The mission of the Houston Ballet is to inspire a lasting love and appreciation for dance through artistic excellence, exhilarating performances, innovative choreography and superb educational programs.
| Country, Year | Spain, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Director | Icíar Bollaín |
| Writer | Paul Laverty |
| Cast | Carlos Acosta, Keyvin Martínez, Edlison Manuel Olbera Núñez |
| Producer | Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan, Juan Gordon |
| Language | English, English Subtitles, Spanish |
| Runtime | 115 MINS, 0 SECS |
| Genre | Biopic, Narrative |
| Subject | Dance |
| Event Type | Film, Panel |
Special Guests
Mireille Hassenboehler Patman
Mireille Hassenboehler Patman is an American former professional ballet dancer who performed as a principal dancer with the Houston Ballet until 2013. Patman was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She trained in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Houston. She joined Houston Ballet in 1992 and was promoted to principal in 2000. Patman performed leading roles in many classical ballets from the Houston Ballet repertoire including: the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Aurora and Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, among others. She has had featured roles in both classical and contemporary works, including: Adam’s Ketubah; Balachine’s The Four Temperaments, and many more.
Lauren Anderson
Native Houstonian Lauren Anderson danced with Houston Ballet from 1983 to 2006, performing leading roles in all the great classical ballets, appearing across the world to critical acclaim, and in the process, becoming one of Houston Ballet’s most beloved stars. In 1990 became the first African-American to be promoted to principal dancer at Houston Ballet – and one of the few African-American ballerinas at the head of a major ballet company anywhere in the world. She created the title role in Ben Stevenson's Cleopatra, and her performance as Cleopatra received accolades from international critics. In January 2007, Ms. Anderson assumed her new role in Houston Ballet’s education department. Her pointe shoes are on display in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.