Ballet as a contribution to the integration of the peoples of Latin America

(Caracas, June 25, 2010).- CAF President & CEO Enrique García and the general director of the Ballet Foundation of the Americas, Stella Quintana, today signed a cooperation agreement to promote the internationalization of the Ballet of the Americas, as part of CAF’s efforts in favor of integration and action social.

"This initiative will strengthen CAF’s role in supporting social and cultural development, and reaffirm the importance the institution assigns to the value of music and the scenic arts as a mechanism for social transformation and Latin American integration," García said.

The CAF president said the agreement with the Ballet Foundation was a contribution to building up a new generation of dancers and projecting the international work of the Foundation.

In this respect, exchange programs will be developed with professional teaching centers at international level to train students and teachers and encourage their participation in important events for classical ballet and dance in general.

After the signing, Stella Quintana said, "we are extremely pleased that the Ballet Foundation of the Americas is an institution benefited by CAF. This is a great stimulus for our institution which will help train our young talents through exchanges for our students and teachers with their counterparts from schools in other countries, especially those with a tradition recognized around the world as pioneers or innovators in the field".

Quintana added that the agreement would contribute to the growth and improvement of the quality of ballet in Venezuela, not only with artists who are learning, but also with the spectators who are sensitive to the arts.

Previously, in 2009, CAF supported the Ballet of the Americas with non-reimbursable funds to cover the costs of competing in the XI International Ballet Competition at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia, for ballet students, Ana Karina Enríquez (age 13) and Anthony Vivas (age 18), and choreographer Roumen Rachev, where they performed brilliantly.