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Dance in Costa Rica has achieved a high development in recent years that claims to assert it’s presence within the government structures with an effective institutional response to address the many expectations from the industry and an active presence in society, which allows the Costa Rican citizens to have easier access to culture, an active participation in the development of their creative capacities, a direct contact with the new trends and a constant research of their own expressions.

The National Dance Company (CND in Spanish) is a cultural institution, created under Executive Order 10187-C, on July 10th, 1979. Since January 1st, 2000 it’s governed by the Executive Order No. 27991-C, as a program of the Melico Salazar Theater, both under the Ministry of Culture and Youth.

From it’s incorporation to the Melico Salazar Theater, all it’s processes are adjusted accordingly to Melico’s, allowing greater coordination between both institutions.

Covered under the theme you are part of the movement, the CDA is articulated through the following programs:

National and international tours:
In coordination with national and international institutions it does presentations in different regions of the country and internationally. The presented choreographs are proposals for repertoire.

Urban Area:
With national agencies, it does research projects on our popular and folk dances, which culminates with a show where modern dance echoes life in Costa Rica. This program seeks to explore the configuration of the city and the regions of Costa Rica through the imagination of humans who inhabit it.

Creative Encounter:
Production consists of interdisciplinary research, where it is intended that dance, music, poetry and drama mix as a whole production coordinated with agencies, companies and artists of international renown.

Independent Contact:
The movement of independent dance now represents a tuning fork through which the various artistic trends and searches in Costa Rica vibrate. Free of shackles of political or ideological order, it develops a pioneering work in the global art movement. The IC (Independent Contact) is a network, open and responsive to the creative forces of the independent movement of dance in Costa Rica. This is articulated through:
* Professional meetings and regular classes for independent dancers
* Infrastructure
* Production and Co-productions
* Movement of artists

To achieve the greatest impact on Costa Rican culture, it relies on partnerships with institutions related to dance, as well as other national and international independent agencies. The National Dance Company is supported by the administrative departments of the Costa Rica’s Ministry of Culture and Youth.

Address: CENAC, Former National Liquor Factory, on 11th St., between 3rd ad 7th avenues, district: Carmen, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.935883,-84.073328 (9°56’09.18″N, 84°04’23.98″W)
Phone:+506 2222-2974 / +506 2257-5524

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO De la Danza Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Teatro Arlequín de Costa Rica

In 1972 the Arlequín (Harlequin) Theater was reaffirmed as one of the most important theater groups in Costa Rica. Its first work was “La vida es un sueño” (Life is a dream). Later, that same year, the group announced the construction of their own “Chamber Hall”. As the first offering at its new home, the production of the Arlequín presented “The Toothbrush” (El Cepillo de Dientes) by Jorge Diaz, which was a full success night after night.

The theater enjoyed a great year in 1973. The main groups of all programs, set up and provided the public with a variety of options worthy of praise. During 143 days, of 194 days of the season, the new Arlequín Theater stayed busy. Almost 10,000 performances to see five of its productions were shown through the small Arlequín Theater scene.

Since in 1973, Arlequín was kept busy with the opening of six plays, including “The ginecomaquia” (La ginecomaquia) or “The Struggle of Women” (La lucha de las mujeres) by the Mexican author Hugo Hiriart. For 1975, the Arlequín theater had managed a repertory that included more than 15 plays.

Perhaps this is the most important theater group of the country with over 250 shows, its permanence and continuity has helped start a theater with a tradition of high quality drama for the benefit of Costa Rica.

For reservations: call from Friday to Sunday after 12pm.
Address: on 13 street, between central and 2nd avenues, district: Catedral, canton: San José, province: San José, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10104.
GPS Coordinates: 9.932994,-84.073081 (9°55’58.78″N, 84°4’23.09″W)
Phone:+506 2221-5485

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Arlequín Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Teatro Oscar Fessler (Taller Nacional de Teatro) de Costa Rica

Suppose you love theater and want to learn acting. However, you need to work on the day and can’t study at a university where all courses are at night, or perhaps you don’t want to devote exclusively to the acting profession, 30 years ago there wasn’t an institution that could fulfill these specific needs in Costa Rica, that’s why the birth of the National Workshop Theater (TNT in Spanish) was so important, an institution under the management of the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ in Spanish).

The teacher Oscar Fessler (1912-1996) was the first director of the institution. Currently, the management of the TNT is in the hands of Melvin Mendez, actor and playwright with a recognized career in Costa Rica, as well as professor of the institution.

One of the most important aspects of the institution is its methodology, which considers teamwork essential and promotes a positive attitude in students. The simple fact of being admitted in the institution, entitles to a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, therefore students don’t need to pay for their training. This benefit is paid back with community improvement projects. Annually, advocacy work and workshops are performed at schools, prisons and community groups. Within this framework, there is also a workshop for police officers, which gives them theater tools to learn how to deliver different messages to the boys and girls thwith which they work at schools.

Guido Sáenz, the Minister of Culture at the time the workshop was created, remembers that, due to the big success that the youth program created in 1972 had, he considered that there should be a place where people were formed in theater, without the need for it to be a college career. Thanks to the Catania family he learned about the existence of the master Oscar Fessler, who lived in Argentina.

Thanks to Saenz, the teacher came to Costa Rica in order to create the new institution.. In fact, the theater institution now bears his name. Saenz remembers him as “a man of theater, deep, wise, kind and very knowledgeable.”

Since its creation, TNT has had six directors: Oscar Fessler (1977 to 1980), Gladys Catania (1980 to 1997), Luis Fernando Gómez (1997-2002), Eugenia Chaverri (2002-2004), Arnoldo Ramos (2004-2006 ) and Melvin Mendez, since 2007.

The profile of those studying at the National Theater Workshop is mixed. There are many people coming from other theater schools, with interest to specialize even more. Furthermore, most people work during the day and attend the TNT from 5 to 10 pm. Part of the students are professionals in other areas, which are not only interested in pursuing theater. From the TNT creation until today, the institution has graduated around 400 people.

Besides the formation time that each generation receives, the institution also offers the workshops mentioned above, as well as workshops for the application of theatrical techniques in educational, social and recreational programs. For graduates and professionals in the theatrical field, training spaces are also planned with Costa Rican and foreign teachers.

Another benefit is the space from the Escalante Theater, which has the support from the Spanish Cultural Center. Through it four plays are created each year at the Oscar Fessler Theater.

Address: From the Santa Teresita Church in Barrio Escalante 200mts North and 25 east, OR from El Farolito 75mts west, on 13th Avenue, between 25th and 31st streets, district: Carmen, canton: San José, province: San José, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.937419,-84.065608 (9°56’14.71″N, 84°3’56.19″W)
Phone:+506 2221-1273

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Oscar Fessler Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Auditorio Nacional de Costa Rica

The National Auditorium is located inside the Children’s Museum (Former Central Prison) in downtown San José.

The theater of the National Auditorium is one of the most versatile for performing arts and all kinds of special events. The National Gallery is the most ample space in the country for visual and plastic arts, always full of avant-garde proposals. The youth complex is constantly developing ideas for young people, plus it will house the Historic Prison Museum to reconstruct the history of the Former Central Penitentiary in a modern and dynamic way.

Since its foundation, the National Auditorium has provided a suitable stage for all performing arts because it has a modern lighting system and an acoustic shell with the ability to send an almost natural sound to all 526 seats in less than a second.

For it’s design, location, satellite multimedia, orchestra pit and the possibility of simultaneous translation into four languages, this architectural gem is the best auditorium option in the country.

The auditorium presents classical music, national and international concerts, beauty contests, audiovisual presentations, conferences, seminars, scientific and cultural congresses, and plays that complement formal education in Costa Rica.

Address: Children’s Museum, district: Merced, canton: San José, province: San José, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10102.
GPS Coordinates: 9.940364,-84.080258 (9°56’25.31″N, 84° 4’48.93″W)
Phone:+506 2222-7647

Address map: Click here to view directions from Central La Sabana, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Costa Rica National Auditorium in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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