Cuban National Ballet School Teaching Seminar

Former Director of the Cuban National Ballet School, Maestra Ramona De Saa has hand picked her former student and esteemed Ballet Master Roberto Machado to lead and facilitate this six-day teaching seminar for dance educators.  The teaching seminar will focus on levels 1, 2, and 3 of the Cuban National Ballet School's eight-year curriculum.

Participants will learn about the history, methodology, cultural traits, and distinctive characteristics of the Cuban National Ballet School curriculum over the 6-day teaching seminar. Each participant will have the opportunity to invite two students to attend a four-day Cuban dance intensive that will run in conjunction with the teaching seminar. 

Student Intensive July 26 - 29 - Invited students of participating Cuban National Ballet School Teaching Seminar ONLY.

National Ballet Bios 

Roberto Machado: Originally from Santa Clara Cuba, where he began his studies, he joined the National School of Art in Havana in 1978, from where he graduated in 1983, joining the ballet under the direction of Maestro Fernando Alonso. As a dancer, he has participated in international tours and festivals throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America. He participated in the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 1989. That same year he was invited to the Perm Ballet Company in Russia at the Festival of the Young Creator. He was laureate of the Trujillo Peru international ballet competition in 1991, as best couple and individual gold medal. In 1993 he joined the Monterrey ballet under the direction of Ann Marie D´Ángelo, sharing the stage with Fernando Bujones and working in productions by Cynthia Gregory, Kevin Mackenzie, Melissa Hayden, Nellie Happei, among others. In 1995 he joined the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago under the direction of Gerald Alpino. In 1996 together with Fernando Alonso and Christine Ferrando, He directs the creation of a new Classical Dance Workshop at UANL and is a member of the Faculty's faculty, performing productions of the traditional and contemporary repertoire. In 2006 he became a Teacher of the Superior School (ESMDM), where he held the position of coordinator of the Bachelor's Degree in Classical Dance. In 2009, he was invited as a teacher at the Córdoba Dance Festival, an event of the American Grand Prix. He has been a teacher and temporary rehearser for the Monterrey Ballet company; selected as a jury for Conarte contests; as well as Synodal and Adviser of graduations in local and national events. In 2011 he participated as a rehearsal teacher in Opera Prima (First Ballet Reality Show in Mexico City). In 2013, 2014 and 2015, he was invited by the National Ballet School of Havana Cuba to teach classes at the International Meeting of Ballet Academies. In 2014 he is invited as a teacher and choreographer to the first international course of the Sarasota Cuban Ballet.

Victor Alexander: Originally from Santa Clara Cuba, where he began his studies, he joined the National School of Art in Havana in 1978, from where he graduated in 1983, joining the Camagüey ballet under the direction of Maestro Fernando Alonso. As a dancer, he has participated in international tours and festivals throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America. He participated in the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 1989. That same year he was invited to the Perm Ballet Company in Russia at the Festival of the Young Creator. He was laureate of the Trujillo Peru international ballet competition in 1991, as best couple and individual gold medal. In 1993 he joined the Monterrey ballet under the direction of Ann Marie D´Ángelo, sharing the stage with Fernando Bujones and working in productions by Cynthia Gregory, Kevin Mackenzie, Melissa Hayden, Nellie Happei, among others. In 1995 he joined the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago under the direction of Gerald Alpino. In 1996 together with Fernando Alonso and Christine Ferrando, He directs the creation of a new Classical Dance Workshop at UANL and is a member of the Faculty's faculty, performing productions of the traditional and contemporary repertoire. In 2006 he became a Teacher of the Superior School (ESMDM), where he held the position of coordinator of the Bachelor's Degree in Classical Dance. In 2009 he was invited as a teacher at the Córdoba Dance Festival, an event of the American Grand Prix. He has been a teacher and temporary rehearser for the Monterrey Ballet company; selected as a jury for Conarte contests; as well as Synodal and Adviser of graduations in local and national events. In 2011 he participated as a rehearsal teacher in Opera Prima (First Ballet Reality Show in Mexico City). In 2013, 2014 and 2015 he is invited by the National Ballet School of Havana Cuba to teach classes at the International Meeting of Ballet Academies. In 2014 he is invited as a teacher and choreographer to the first international course of the Sarasota Cuban Ballet.

Maray Gutierrez Ramis: Maray Gutierrez Ramis is a native of Havana, Cuba where she trained at Escuela Nacional de Arte – the prestigious National School of Dance. For 10 years, she was a principal dancer for the internationally acclaimed Danza Contemporánea de Cuba and worked with esteemed choreographers Giovanni di Cicco, Donald McKayle, Joaquin Sabaté, Jan Linkens, and Marianela Boán (Founder of DanzAbierta), among others. She has performed throughout Europe, the U.S., and the Caribbean, as well as, for British television and the Venice Opera. Maray has performed at the American Dance Festival; The International Dance Festival in Berlin, Germany; The Holland Dance Festival; and the International Ballet Festival in Genoa, Italy. Since relocating to Chicago, she has danced with Hedwig Dances, Luna Negra Dance Theater, CDI/Concert Dance Inc; the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Houston Grand Opera. She received an Emmy-nomination in 2008 for her performance in the PBS Documentary of “Ruth Page’s 1947 groundbreaking ballet cartoon”, Billy Sunday, presented by CDI/Concert Dance Inc. She was also a featured performer in the dance film, Arch of Repose, produced by Hedwig Dances in 2009. Maray was named Artistic Associate of Hedwig Dances in 2007. Maray was selected by “See Chicago Dance” as one of the 10 Top Women in 2006 for her choreography of, Eterno Despertar, for Luna Negra Dance Theater. Other choreographic credits include three new pieces she created for Hedwig Dances, and works for Ballet Hispanico of New York (2010) and Milwaukee Ballet II (2013). Maray has taught at Hedwig Dances; Faubourg School of Ballet; School of DanceWest Ballet; Southeast Missouri State University; Kansas State University; and, the Milwaukee Ballet School.