Creative Process (Lecture Demonstration) with Arsenio Andrade on Dec 1 – 2:30PM – 4PM

Instructor: Arsenio Andrade
Date: 2025-12-01
Time: 2:30PM – 4PM  – Creative Process (Lecture Demonstration)

Cuban Modern and Contemporary Dance is characterized by its fusion with the Martha Graham technique and traditional Cuban dance forms, including Afro-Cuban rhythms and ballet, with global contemporary techniques.

Emerging in the 20th century, founded by Ramiro Guerra, it reflects a vibrant cultural heritage, emphasizing improvisation and individual expression.
Key institutions like the Cuban National School of Dance and the Contemporary Dance Company and renowned choreographers have contributed to its development.

This dance is not only a performance art but also a powerful medium for social and political expression, showcasing themes of identity, culture, and history.

Biography:

Born and trained in Santiago de Cuba, Arsenio began in Classical Ballet and later specialized in Modern Dance at La ENA, Havana, earning a BFA in Modern Dance Performance and Teaching. A former Principal Dancer and Tutor with Compañía Danza Teatro del Caribe under Eduardo Rivero Walker, and later with the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, he has performed and taught internationally. His choreography and teaching have taken him across the Caribbean, the Americas, and beyond, blending Cuban tradition with contemporary innovation.
In 2024, Arsenio served as Artist in Residence at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts (Chicago) and CoDanco Studio (Suriname), conducting master classes in Kingston, Jamaica. Now based in Toronto, he teaches Cuban Modern Contemporary and traditional forms at Toronto Metropolitan University and other institutions. Dedicated to preserving and evolving Cuban dance, Arsenio inspires new generations through performance, choreography, and education.