The Conjunto Folklórico Nacional, Cuba’s national folkloric dance troupe, was founded in 1962. And for nearly that long, Miami has enjoyed performances by troupe members who have defected to our stages: most notably choreographer Elena Garcia, who for many years ran the Iroko Afro-Cuban Dance Theater Company and dancer Yofvani Gonzalez, who arrived in United States in 2005, when he joined Miami’s Ife Ilé Afro-Cuban dance company. Next month (Sept 25), Miami audiences will have the opportunity to see Conjunto Folklórico itself. “Folklore” is a safe word for the African-based dances of the Caribbean, both sacred and secular. Just as we’ve come to expect from Iroko and Ife-Ile, we’ll see some of the old-fashioned Cuban street dances like the rumba and yuca. We’ll also see more elaborate forms of the sacred dances performed at ceremonies in backyards and banquet halls across Miami every weekend. By calling these dances “folklore,” choreographers can take the movements and the inspiring stories of figures like Oya, the Afro-Cuban divinity of the wind pictured here, out their religious context and put them on stage in a fusion with modern and contemporary dance techniques.

In other words, don’t expect the gods to show up at the Filmore. The faithful believe that can only happen at an actual ceremony. But do expect to be awe-struck by what you see on stage. As the most accomplished folkloric troupe in Cuba, with an enormous roster of astonishing dancers, Conjunto Folklórico is analogous to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the United States. Just as Ailey does with the African American church in the company’s classic, “Revelations,” Conjunto Folklórico makes the spiritual spectacular.

El Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba was postponed from August to 8pm on Saturday, September 25 at the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason, 1700 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139; Tickets cost $46.50 – $86.50, available at www.ticketmaster.com. If you had tickets to the August show and can’t make the September performance, you can return your tickets for a full refund.