Harvard Dance Center, Studio 2, 66 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Join an all-levels Afro-Cuban dance workshop with renowned Cuban dancer and choreographer Reynaldo González Fernández! Fernández will teach the traditional Yorubá dance of the Elegba, Ogun, and Ososi, three of the Warriors from Yorubá mythology originating in Western Africa (Nigeria and Benin). Come learn the culture and embody the foundations of Afro-Cuban dancing which has greatly influenced the evolution of salsa dancing.
All levels welcome! No previous dance experience required!
Free and open to the public. Class capacity is limited and priority will be given to Harvard undergraduate students. All participants must be 18 years or older.
This workshop is co-presented by the OFA Dance Program as part of Imaginary Dialogues: Dahomey with Yosvany Terry and Afro-Cuban Roots, which is part of ArtsThursdays, a university-wide initiative supported by the Harvard University Committee on the Arts (HUCA), in partnership with the Harvard Arts Festival produced by the Office for the Arts at Harvard and the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.
About Reynaldo González Fernández:
Reynaldo González Fernandez was born in Matanzas, Cuba. He has been dancing, singing, and playing percussion since early childhood. He has learned and absorbed the rich living traditions of rumba and ritual music and dance, which have their roots in African Yorubá cultures and for which his native city is particularly renowned. In addition to the traditional dances, he has mastered all popular dance styles as well. While living in Cuba, he served as a principal dancer and choreographer in Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas for fifteen years. He has performed and taught music and dance in the U.S. and in many countries around the globe including Angola, Congo, Germany, Holland, England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cabo Verde, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela.
Accessibility Information:
Harvard Dance Center is accessible for wheelchairs and mobility devices. Studio 2 is on the lower level and there is elevator access. Please ask the class host when you arrive. If you have questions about the accessibility provided or anticipate needing any accommodation to participate in any of the programs, please contact dance@fas.harvard.edu or 617-496-0314. We welcome a conversation with you!