The Latin Ballet of Virginia has a knack for telling stories—colorful, rhythmic, entertaining stories that delve into sometimes unpleasant aspects of history and that touch the heart. The latest production, “Son Corazon” (literally, “they are heart,“ or figuratively, heart strings), is a 2-hour history lesson and celebration of Afro-Cuban music and dance, with the emphasis on celebration.

The ballet known as “The Legend of the Poinsettia” originated in a small village close to a town in Mexico called Manzanillo. No one even knows the name of the original village.