MIRLEN RODRIGEZ HERNANDEZ
classical ballet and repertoire
Graduate in Performing Arts, specializing in Ballet, Mirlen began her studies at the Rhythmic Gymnastics School of Cuba. She completed two years at the Cuban Television School and, at the age of nine, was admitted to the Professional Ballet School, Prodanza Center, under the direction of Maître Laura Alonso, thus beginning her classical training.
At the age of 14, she joined the National Ballet School of Cuba, where she trained as a teacher of Ballet, Repertoire, Ballroom Dance, Character Dance, and Ballet Methodology. She completed her studies with a Bachelor’s Degree from the Higher Institute of Art in Havana.
In 2003, while still a student, she began her teaching career as an assistant to professors, giving classes in the vocational orientation workshops for the arts. From 2007 to 2015, she worked at the National Ballet School of Cuba as a Ballet teacher and coach to students who went on to win awards in national and international competitions.
Before moving to Spain, Mirlen represented the Cuban method in Brazil, conducting seminars for teachers from various leading schools across the country. Her work, “Teaching-Learning Process of Dancing on Pointe”, received the highest score, won the award for best research paper, and was selected to become part of the bibliographic collection of the Higher Institute of Art in Havana.
Since 2015, she has served as an Associate Professor at the Víctor Ullate Ballet Company and at the Víctor Ullate School-Conservatory, training future stars of dance in Spain.
Mirlen has also contributed to the restaging of works for students at the Murcia Conservatory, in collaboration with the Víctor Ullate Conservatory. In addition, she has been a jury member at the National Dance Competition organized by Montse Sánchez, and at the Tiempo de Danza competition organized by Margarita Muñoz Zielinski, held at the Víctor Villegas Auditorium and Conference Center in Murcia.
At Danzare Ballet, she leads the classical ballet program, focusing on the development of strong technique, expressive artistry, and discipline. She is known for her professional rigor, clarity in teaching, and unwavering passion for dance education.
Her contributions continue to inspire a new generation of dancers in Spain and beyond, rooted in the excellence of the Cuban ballet tradition and enriched by years of international experience.
BENEDICTO CIEZA
classical ballet and repertoire
Benedicto Cieza is a choreographer and classical dance teacher of Spanish origin. He began professional dance studies in Madrid in 1982 under the direction of Luis Ruffo, and shortly after, he became a dancer in the Ballet Clásico y Contemporáneo de Madrid. At the same time, he continued his training as a student of Gilbert Meyer, a dance teacher at the Paris Opera. The following year, he met the prima ballerina, Menia Martinez, during her arrival at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi, the home of the Royal Ballet of Wallonia, with whom he collaborated for more than 30 years.
In 1993, he became a full member of the dance company of the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie. Three years later, he founded his own company (Cie Cieza) and began choreographing his first works. He choreographed and performed in Dimension Tango, Ritos, and Boléro. In 2000, he partnered with Latin dance choreographer Fernando Ortega, and together they opened the multidisciplinary dance school Alcazar in Brussels. Later, Temptations came to life. This performance, based on the Christic myth, was met with great success from the Belgian audience. In 2003, he partnered with his first mentor, Luis Ruffo, for the first edition of the 'Gala Européen de la Danse' in Madrid. For five years, this experience was repeated annually in Brussels, where European dancers from various backgrounds were invited to present excerpts from their recent works.
In 2013, Benedicto co-founded the 'Conservatoire de la Danse de Bruxelles' with Menia Martinez and Jean-Pol Dimmers, in the former premises of the Maurice Béjart’s Ballet du XXième siècle, where he worked for 10 years as a teacher and assistant to the artistic director. In January 2023, he created his own structure: Studio B. ASBL.
In 1993, he became a full member of the dance company of the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie. Three years later, he founded his own company (Cie Cieza) and began choreographing his first works. He choreographed and performed in Dimension Tango, Ritos, and Boléro. In 2000, he partnered with Latin dance choreographer Fernando Ortega, and together they opened the multidisciplinary dance school Alcazar in Brussels. Later, Temptations came to life. This performance, based on the Christic myth, was met with great success from the Belgian audience. In 2003, he partnered with his first mentor, Luis Ruffo, for the first edition of the 'Gala Européen de la Danse' in Madrid. For five years, this experience was repeated annually in Brussels, where European dancers from various backgrounds were invited to present excerpts from their recent works.
In 2013, Benedicto co-founded the 'Conservatoire de la Danse de Bruxelles' with Menia Martinez and Jean-Pol Dimmers, in the former premises of the Maurice Béjart’s Ballet du XXième siècle, where he worked for 10 years as a teacher and assistant to the artistic director. In January 2023, he created his own structure: Studio B. ASBL.
CHRISTIAN FARA
Contemporary dance
After having perfected his classical training in 2004 with Giuseppina Perantoni and Valeria Satta, a contemporary one with Daniela Zuccolotto and Laura Lepori and a modern jazz one with Clelia Bazzoni, Christian Fara continues his training with Gianni Rosaci, former artistic director of the Opera in Rome, and Arturo Cannistrà, former artistic director of Aterballetto. He also travelled in England and Germany in the Contemporary Professional Course of the Balletto di Toscana with Cristina Bozzolini, Simonetta Giannasi, Barbara Baer, Farida Faggi , Lucia Geppi and Silvia Chirico (classical), with Deanna Losi and Fabrizio Monteverde (contemporary) and Arianna Benedetti, Giulia Molinari, Daniele Cervino, and Ivan Mattioli (modern and hip hop). In the same period he follows during three years the training course ‘Kaos Professione Danza’ with Katiuscia Bozza, Eugenio Scigliano, Elena Scotti, Armando Santin, Victor Litvinov (classical) and with Roberto Sartori, Eugenio Buratti, Simona Haag, Enrico Morelli, Elisa Davoli (contemporary).
The professional experiences include the role of solo dancer of the ‘Janas’ Company (2004-2005), the interpretation of ‘The Scream’ by Giuseppina Perantoni (2005-2006) and he enters the Company ‘KAOS Balletto di Firenze’ as a permanent solo dancer. In 2006-2007 he dances ‘Brigata Sassari’ by Arturo Cannistrà at the Teatro Verdi, Cagliari, ‘The Cramping Rhymes’ by Arianna Benedetti, Ballet of Tuscany, Florence, ‘The Nutcracker’ directed by Gianni Rosaci and Giuseppina Perantoni, ‘Quarto stato’ by Giuseppina Perantoni, Teatro Verdi Theater, Cagliari.
Professionalism as a choreographer definitely takes off in 2010, when he signs his first choreography for the company KAOS Balletto di Firenze: ‘Se Solo Fossi Qui’ and ‘Koob’. In 2011 he created the choreography ‘Amore + Psiche’ and in 2012 he created ‘Appleal’. In 2014 he radically changed the approach to the stage with the choreography ‘Storia di un Diverso Any’, where, together with the masters Robeto Sartori and Michele Pogliani (director of Codarts Rotterdam), he staged the show of the ‘Ereti’. He also collaborates with Michele Pogliani in the production of ‘Once Upon A Time’, where he presents his choreography inspired by ‘Alice In Wonderland’. He also had the choreographic direction for the show ‘Chiara Luce’ in the Vatican.
During the years he won numerous first prizes in internationally Dance Competitions and also received several awards for critics for Best Choreography and Best Choreographic talent. He also holds numerous stage and workshops throughout Italy and Europe. Currently he is an invited teacher for numerous stage and workshops throughout Italy and Europe and is also engaged in numerous professional training projects.
Professionalism as a choreographer definitely takes off in 2010, when he signs his first choreography for the company KAOS Balletto di Firenze: ‘Se Solo Fossi Qui’ and ‘Koob’. In 2011 he created the choreography ‘Amore + Psiche’ and in 2012 he created ‘Appleal’. In 2014 he radically changed the approach to the stage with the choreography ‘Storia di un Diverso Any’, where, together with the masters Robeto Sartori and Michele Pogliani (director of Codarts Rotterdam), he staged the show of the ‘Ereti’. He also collaborates with Michele Pogliani in the production of ‘Once Upon A Time’, where he presents his choreography inspired by ‘Alice In Wonderland’. He also had the choreographic direction for the show ‘Chiara Luce’ in the Vatican.
During the years he won numerous first prizes in internationally Dance Competitions and also received several awards for critics for Best Choreography and Best Choreographic talent. He also holds numerous stage and workshops throughout Italy and Europe. Currently he is an invited teacher for numerous stage and workshops throughout Italy and Europe and is also engaged in numerous professional training projects.
OLIVIA GRASSOT
Contemporary dance
Olivia Grassot (Belgium) is a freelance movement artist. She graduated from the Rambert school of Ballet and Contemporary dance in London, 2019. Since then, Olivia performed works from Brandon Lagaert, Karolin Stächele, Roberta Ferrara, Lin Wen- Chung, Cheng Yi-wen, Magnus Westwell, Oscar Schlemmer, Jason Mabana - Around the UK, Europe and China. She has worked with different companies such as DAGADA dance company, Equilibrio Dinamico, Royal Opera House, B21 Company, Matsena productions and Kennedy Muntanga Dance Theatre.. Alongside performing, Olivia creates her own work, teaches and choreographs around Europe and the UK. She is currently working on her project ‘HIDDENTITY’. She performed an extract at the Brussels Dance contest 2023 and was awarded with the First prize of the Jury -Performance and the special Peeping Tom award. She co-choreographed with the collective AOmaon. She also worked as a rehearsal director for DAGADA dance company Matsena productions, KMDT and Magnus Westwell.