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.
- Receive step-by-step instruction about the elementary years (years 1, 2, and 3) curriculum
of the Cuban National Ballet School.
- Observe Ballet Master Roberto Machado apply the lessons from the curriculum in direct,
hands-on approach
- View first-hand the transition from ballet class to stage in videos by the students
from the Cuban National Ballet School
- Participate in a class taught by Ballet Master Roberto Machado for dance educators
only
- Invite two students to participate in the four-day pre-professional intensive scheduled
in conjunction with the Teaching Seminar. The intensive will focus purely on the
Cuban pedagogy.
AGES |
DATEs/Times |
COST |
21 + |
Monday, July 24 - Saturday, July 29 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
|
Early Bird - $525 After March 11 - $575 |
Schedule
Monday, July 24
History and Cultural Traits in Cuban National Ballet School Pedagogy
Tuesday, July 25
Year 1 Curriculum
Wednesday, July 26
Year 2 Curriculum
Student Observation
Thursday, July 27
Year 3 Curriculum
Student Observation
Friday, July 28
Pointe and Boy's Training Pedagogy
Student Observation
Saturday, July 29
Masterclass for Dance Educators
Student Showing
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.