Cuban Ballet Program

Born in Havana, Cuba, embarked on his ballet journey at the age of 8 when he joined the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Ballet in La Havana. His talent quickly garnered attention, leading him to represent Cuba in various international ballet competitions. Notably, he achieved an Honor Diploma in Varna in 1996 and a Silver Medal in Vignale Danza in Italy in 1994.

After completing his education, Howard joined the National Ballet of Cuba under the direction of Alicia Alonso. Over the course of two years, he performed numerous principal roles in classical ballets, including Don Quichotte, Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardée, Paquita, and more.

In 1998, Howard’s exceptional skills caught the eye of Robert Berthier, the director of Jeune Ballet de France, leading him to move to Paris. This year marked significant achievements, with Howard winning a Silver Medal in the Paris competition and both a Gold Medal and Grand Prix in Luxembourg.

His success in Paris opened doors to ballet galas and collaborations with renowned dancers, earning him the title “Cuban Tornado.” Further accolades came in 1998 when he secured a Gold Medal and Grand Prix in the Joinville competition in Brazil.

At the age of 21, Howard joined the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Belgium, dancing principal roles in classical and modern productions. Noteworthy performances include 3 Mousquetaires, Romeo and Juliet, Bayadère, Carmina Burana, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake.

His career continued to flourish as he explored different choreographic styles with companies like Leipziger Ballett and Dortmund Ballet in Germany. In 2015, Howard transitioned from performing to become an assistant and guest ballet teacher, contributing his expertise to various renowned companies worldwide.

In 2018, Howard ventured into choreography, creating a new classical version of Giselle for the Slovenian National Ballet. The premiere’s success led to invitations to perform at festivals in Italy, Germany, and Slovenia.

In 2021, he created “Alice in Wonderland” for the National Ballet of Portugal, which was broadcast on national TV.

Looking ahead, Howard plans to create a new ballet for the Annarella Ballet School in 2024, showcasing his dedication to nurturing future talents and exploring new choreographic horizons.

Howard Quintero Lopez’s multifaceted journey in ballet reflects his passion, talent, and commitment to artistic exploration and education.

Certified teacher and choreographer specializing in classical and character dance. In 2008, she graduated in the Art of Dance from the University of the Arts in Cuba, earning the Gold Certificate qualification. Thanks to this training, she had the opportunity to perform in the most important theaters in Havana.

In 2014, she published a book on the pedagogy and methodology of teaching classical dance by Fernando Alonso, the father of the Cuban ballet school.

As a classical dance teacher and choreographer at the Cátedra de Danza of the National Ballet of Cuba under the direction of Alicia Alonso for 6 years, she achieved the category of ‘first level’ as a ballet master. In 2013, she created a version of the ballet Snow White for the end-of-year performance, involving 300 students.

In 2008, she became part of the faculty at the prestigious National School of Cuba ‘Fernando Alonso,’ where she taught various academic disciplines, worked as a choreographer, and participated in international ballet academy competitions. Simultaneously, she taught classical dance at the Contemporary Dance Company ‘Rosario Cárdenas.’

Since her arrival in Belgium in 2014, she has been a resident teacher at the Brussels Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Menia Martinez, instructing in classical dance, pointe technique, character dance, repertoire, and as a rehearsal director.

Certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) Level 3, with the highest level, a training method recognized by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).

She is a guest teacher in several schools in Belgium and participates in various internationally recognized workshops, preparing students for national and international competitions with success.

Marlúcia do Amaral, born in Porto Alegre in Brazil, left high school at the age of 15 and accepted an invitation and scholarship to study at the Cuban National Ballet School in Havana. Her training in Cuba lasted three years and had a profound impact on her, both technically and artistically. From Cuba she moved to New York in 1995, again with a scholarship in her pocket, which enabled her to study for another year, this time at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. When she was offered a contract as a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet to complete her training, she declined and returned to Brazil instead. There she completed her high school diploma and studied dramatic arts for two years at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. At the International Ballet Competition in Brasília in 1998, the German chamber dancer Birgit Keil noticed her and offered her a postgraduate course at the Academy of Dance of the State University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. Thus, Marlúcia do Amaral came to Germany in October 1998, stayed, and found a second home. In 2000, choreographer Martin Schläpfer hired her for his newly formed ballettmainz. She followed him to the Ballett am Rhein in Düsseldorf for the 2009/2010 season. In ten years, Schläpfer created an immense repertoire of his own and created numerous leading roles for her. Two duos by Hans van Manen, which the two have performed in numerous performances and which have been filmed, are a special testament to the Schläpfer-Do Amaral duo. “The Old Man and Me” and “Alltag,” featured in the film “Keep Fire – Don’t Worship Ashes.” From 2009 to 2020, do Amaral, as principal dancer of the ballet of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, also performed numerous leading roles in works by other seminal choreographers, including Jirí Kylián, William Forsythe, George Balanchine , Twyla Tharp, Kurt Jooss, Léon/ Lightfoot , Brigitta Luisa Merki, Marco Goecke, Jerome Robbins, and Mark Morris, as well as Antoine Jully, Hubert Essakow, Terence Kohler, Natalia Horecna, and Hans van Manen.

Marlúcia do Amaral has been named an “outstanding dancer” several times in critics’ surveys: in 2005 and 2007 in “Dance Europe Magazine,” in 2007 and 2008 in the “Yearbook balletttanz,” and five times in the “Yearbook tanz.” She was honored for the “Most Confident Performance of an Established Ballerina” in the Koegler Journal on www.tanznetz. de, as “Best Dancer” and “Dance Personality of the Year” 2018 in the magazine “Dance for YOU,” and as “Dancer of the Year” 2019 in the trade magazine “tanz.” In 2012, she received the City of Düsseldorf’s Cultural Promotion Prize. In November 2019, she received the German Theater Prize “DER FAUST” in the category “Dance Actress,” for which she was first nominated in 2011.
Following her active stage career, Marlúcia do Amaral completed a master’s degree in dance pedagogy at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden. Since then, she has worked as a guest trainer/coach with various dance and ballet companies, including the Zurich Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Leipzig Ballet, Basel Theater Ballet, Oldenburg Ballet Company, Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, Neuertanz, Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet and others. As a répétiteur, she studies choreographies by Hans van Manen and is able to share her extensive knowledge of his works.

Born in Belgium, Émilie has been passionate about classical ballet from a very young age. She joined the professional dance program “humanités chorégraphiques” in Dinant at the age of 12. She participated in several competitions across Europe and won various awards during her schooling. At 18, she joined the Royal Ballet of Flanders, which marked the start of her career and gave her her first roles. Seven years later, Heinz Spoerli invited her to join the prestigious Zurich Ballet and offered her a soloist contract, sharing the opera stage with stars such as Paulina Semionova and Natalia Osipova.

Her dancing career led her to Germany, at the Leipzig Ballet, one of the largest companies in Europe, where the famous choreographer Uwe Scholz created his best ballets, most of which she performed in collaboration with one of the world’s most prestigious philharmonic orchestras. She then moved to the Dortmund Ballet, where choreographer Jiří Bubeníček created a ballet inspired by the film The Piano Lesson for her, in which she performed the lead role of Ada. Finally, Jacopo Godani, a choreographer who greatly inspired her career, invited her to join the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, formerly known as the Forsythe Company in Frankfurt.

Throughout her career, she has danced many of the most famous classical ballets, collaborated with numerous choreographers, and participated in the creation of many neoclassical and modern works.

Émilie began her professional career at the Royal Ballet of Flanders. Afterwards, she joined the Zurich Ballet as a soloist. Her career then took her to Germany, where she danced with the Leipzig Ballet, the Dortmund Ballet, and the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company (formerly the Forsythe Company).

Throughout her career, Émilie has collaborated with many choreographers and contributed to the creation of numerous neoclassical and contemporary works.

This time, Émilie will lead a special Gyrokinesis class, a method derived from the Gyrotonic® system — a movement practice that blends dance, yoga, swimming, and tai chi. Gyrokinesis aims to improve mobility, strengthen the core, and release tension — an essential tool for dancers and anyone who moves.