This 2026, the CND plans to promote a dialogue between tradition and innovation

This 2026 opens a new chapter for the National Dance Company (CND), where tradition and contemporaneity dialogue as part of the same scenic journey.

With the artistic direction of Érick Rodríguez, this year it unfolds as a journey that combines history, innovation and emotion on stages in Mexico City, and opens the possibility of discovering dance as a comprehensive and living experience.

“Each proposal was designed to build bridges between classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballets. We seek that the company can move through all these languages ​​as part of its identity and that the dance moves, arouses curiosity and makes people of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome,” said Rodríguez in an interview with The Day.

The opening took place this weekend with the Contemporary Gala in the Miguel Covarrubias room of the University Cultural Center of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, with works by Nacho Duato and Arshak Ghalumyan, along with Mexican creators such as Sonia Jiménez, Jacqueline López and Édgar Zendejas.

This line of work emphasizes the collective nature of the CND. “We see this institution as a living laboratory where choreographers, musicians, designers and dancers come together. Everyone can express what they need to transmit and contribute to the language of dance,” added Rodríguez (Matanzas, Cuba, 1982).

February also brings the return of romantic ballet with The sylph and the Scotsman, in Terrence S. Orr’s version based on the play by August Bournonville, accompanied by the Fine Arts Theater Orchestra.

The experience will continue in March with new performances at the Arts Theater of the National Arts Center, which reinforces its exchange between the national and international scene.

For the director, these pieces allow for a current reading: “They approach the romantic ideal, but they can also be read as the story of a free woman, with her own desires that challenge the norms of her time.

“Art offers multiple interpretations and each viewer can find a different meaning. Historical memory thus coexists with a contemporary look that highlights the poetry, love and mystery of romantic ballet.”

Between April and May, one of the most unique moments of the year will arrive: the co-production with the National Opera Company of witchy love y The short life, by Manuel de Falla, a proposal that integrates flamenco, contemporary dance, ballet and singing.

“It will not be ballet and then opera. The two stories come together in a single creation. It is a historical challenge that forces us to leave our comfort zone and take on new experiences. We are sure that it will be a success in every way,” said Rodríguez.

The production commemorates the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth and the 80th anniversary of his death, and is emerging as a milestone of inter-institutional collaboration.

Work aimed at children also occupies a central place with The king’s waves, by Patricia Marín, who will offer 18 performances at the Guillermina Bravo Dance Theater, including one with interpretation in Mexican Sign Language.

“Bringing dance closer to new generations is essential: we want children to be excited, discover this artistic manifestation and become familiar with it from a young age, with an inclusive perspective designed for the family audience,” shared the director.

The classical repertoire will return in summer and autumn with Cinderella, in a version by Ben Stevenson and music by Prokofiev, as well as Swan Lake y The nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky, accompanied by the Fine Arts Theater Orchestra.

“These stagings are not museum pieces. The music, the theatricality and the scenic richness remain valid. The public’s response confirms that they continue to excite and connect with people,” commented Érick Rodríguez.

August will bring the Summer Gala, with new creations, while November will pay tribute to George Balanchine with the Balanchine Gala, dedicated to the musicality, geometry and neoclassical purity that transformed ballet in the 20th century. The versatility of the cast sustains this journey.

In the words of the director of the CND, “we work with the dancers in their daily training so that they can face any style without losing their identity. The processes prior to the performance enrich their interpretation and allow them to respond with precision and sensitivity to diverse proposals.

“In a context marked by digital immediacy, the challenge is to keep the live stage experience current. The great challenge is to make the viewer disconnect from the screen and experience the dance for an hour.

“We want you to leave the theater with a full soul, to be excited, to question yourself and to discover something new in each encounter.”