In a dazzling launch that blended Hollywood glamour with the raw passion of dance, Antonio Banderas—international movie star and director of Málaga’s iconic Soho CaixaBank Theater—joined forces with celebrated ballerina Lucía Lacarra and Thierry Malandain of the Malandain Ballet Biarritz to unveil the very first edition of the international dance festival Tiptoe.
From the very start, Banderas explained, dance has been at the heart of the Soho CaixaBank Theater. “We needed to give it the spotlight it deserves,” he said. “And who better than Lucía Lacarra to steer this festival to the grand scale we’ve always dreamed of?”
During the press conference, the author asked Banderas—in English—if he sees Tiptoe blossoming into a must-attend annual event on the global dance calendar. His eyes sparkled as he answered: dance, in all its glorious forms—from classical ballet to fiery flamenco and cutting-edge contemporary—is cherished by audiences everywhere. “It’s a universal language,” he declared, “one that shatters barriers just like music does.” And with a hopeful smile, he added that he fully expects this bold new festival to return year after year.
Lucía Lacarra, the festival’s newly appointed director, radiated quiet determination as she shared her vision. She wants Tiptoe to carve out its own unmistakable identity: “We aim to bring this art right to our local audiences,” she said, “so they can discover, enjoy, and realize that dance is for everyone—truly accessible and open to the whole world.”
Later, in a warm one-on-one chat, the author asked Lucía about her deep connection to the prestigious Benois de la Danse, the annual international ballet festival held at Moscow’s legendary Bolshoi Theater. Her face instantly lit up, a radiant smile breaking across it. “I love Moscow,” she said softly. “I love the Russian people. It’s such a tragedy what’s happening now—ballet dancers can’t travel freely to the Russian capital anymore.” She paused, eyes shining with memories, then added that she had triumphed in multiple Benois competitions and witnessed countless unforgettable galas on the Bolshoi stage.
The conversation turned to the festival’s opening performance when the author asked Thierry Malandain—in his native French—about the company’s upcoming work Les Saisons (The Seasons) and whether it drew inspiration from the historic Diaghilev Seasons in Paris. Clearly delighted by the fluent question, Malandain responded with genuine enthusiasm: while he deeply respects Diaghilev’s legacy, this ballet draws its true roots from music. It masterfully weaves Antonio Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons together with another set of Four Seasons by Vivaldi’s lesser-known contemporary, Giovanni Antonio Guido.
The French troupe will kick off the entire program with Les Saisons—a breathtaking production featuring 22 dancers who fuse rigorous classical ballet training with bold contemporary expression, all wrapped in a staging of pure poetic fantasy.
As the curtain rises on Tiptoe this week, one thing is certain: dance—especially ballet, that most universal of languages—is about to dazzle Málaga and, with any luck, become a cherished annual celebration for years to come.
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