Dagoberto Gaínza Pérez

Award-winning artist of universal stature, with a long and fruitful career in the performing arts, with extensive experience in Cuban theater, cinema, radio, and television. He is the current director of the theatrical group ''A Dos Manos'', based in the city of Santiago de Cuba. He received the National Theater Prize in 2021.

He began working as a professional actor on August 1, 1968 in the "Conjunto Dramático de Oriente". After many years of work, he founded with other colleagues the "Cabildo Teatral Santiago" in 1973, the "Calibán teatro" group in 1986; and in 2000, the group ''A Dos Manos''.

He has had a significant participation in national and international festivals; where he has obtained countless awards for his artistic work. Among them stands out the one celebrated in 2006 in Almagro, Spain, in which he won the award for Best Quixote Image, with the work by Albio Paz, On the Strange and Anachronistic Adventure of Don Quixote in the Caribbean Island and Other Events Worthy of Being Known and Performed.... He also participated in the Cádiz festival, one of the most important in Europe. He has also taken his talent to different cities of the old continent.

His participation in the cultural revitalization of Santiago communities is noteworthy. His work stands out in the Popular Council November 30th of his hometown.

He has given lectures, presented works by the collective and organized fairs, festivals and events; where he has demonstrated the artistic quality he possesses.

He has also coordinated a group of activities for children and young people in places where the crime rate was high and has obtained very encouraging results this way. All this makes Dagoberto Gaínza deserving of recognition from the president of the Popular Council, and the appreciation of the entire community and all those who in one way or another have admired his performance for several years.

From 1968 to 2006 he conducted national and international workshops on mask theater, body expression, voice and diction, dramaturgy, and makeup. He has worked and learned with professors of the caliber of Adolfo Gutkin, Rine Leal, Vicente Revuelta, Rubens Correa, Joel James, among others.

International Experience
1981: Participation in the Anniversary of the Ateneo de Caracas. This tour took place throughout the month of July, not only in the capital but in different cities of Venezuela (French Guyana and Maracay).
1981: Tour to Panama.
1981: Artistic Tour to Nicaragua. During 15 days, several works were presented in different regions of the country (León).
1982: Participation in the Cervantino Festival (Mexico). In addition to performing in Guanajuato, the site of the event. For 15 days he worked in various states of the country (Lázaro Cárdenas, Morelia).
1985: Participation in the commemoration of the 100 years of the abolition of slavery in Guyana. This was during the entire month of July, carrying out multiple activities in the capital for 7 days.
2006: Participation in the Festival of Classics of Almagro, and the Festival of Cádiz, in Spain.
2008: Participation in the Festival of the Arts of Naucalpan, Mexico.
He participated in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as a member of the artistic brigade in the Mission Culture Heart Within.

National Theater Experience
As a professional actor, he has participated in more than fifty theatrical works. His talent is always represented with the prominence he achieves in characterizing the emblematic figure of his hometown, with the character of Santiago Apóstol, Patron of the City of Santiago de Cuba, which is presented every year at the ''Flag Festival'', the anniversaries of the city, and the carnivals.

Film
In film he has worked as an actor in the following Cuban films and coproductions:
The First Charge with the Machete, character: Cimarron Mambí. Directed by Manuel Octavio Gómez.
Patty Candela, character: Chivato. Directed by Rogelio Paris.
Black River, character: Bandit. Directed by Manuel Pérez.
Baraguá, character: Guide of the Maceo. Directed by José Massip.
The Refugees of the Dead Man's Cave, character: Chivato. Directed by Santiago Álvarez.
Another Woman, character: Merolico. Directed by Daniel Díaz Torres.
Letters from the Park, character: Mailman. Directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.
The Century of Lights, Cuban-French-Soviet Coproduction. Character: The Executioner. Directed by Humberto Solás.
Caribbean, Italy-Cuba Coproduction. Character: Trafficker. Directed by Italiana.
French Tomb, character: Countermaster. Directed by V. Fuentes.
Anatomy of a Carnival. Character: Negrito. Directed by Santiago Álvarez.
"Papachico" Video Clip French singer, Cuban-French Coproduction.

Radio and Television
Since his beginnings as an actor, he has worked in radio in different children's programs, historical programs, radio theater, novels; as well as in dramatizations and adventures broadcast on the small screen.

Participation in National Festivals
1975: 2nd. Panorama of Cuban Theater, Havana.
1976: 3rd. Panorama of Cuban Theater, Santiago de Cuba.
1978: First New Theater Festival, in Villa Clara.
1978: XI Festival of Youth and Students, Havana.
1979: Carifesta 79, Havana.
1979: 3rd. Fair of Popular Art, Sancti Spíritus.
1979: First New Theater Meeting, Villa Clara.
1982: V Meeting of New Theater, Ciego de Ávila.
1980: 1st. Festival of Theater in Havana.
1981: 3rd. National Meeting of New Theater, Santiago de Cuba.
1982: 2nd. Festival of Theater in Havana.
1983: 1st. Festival of Cuban Theater, Camagüey.
1983: Pregón Festival, Santiago de Cuba.
1983: International Theater Workshop, Havana.
1984: 3rd. Festival of Theater in Havana.
1984 to 1986: Festivals of Art and Culture of Caribbean Origin.
1985: 2nd. Festival of Cuban Theater, Camagüey.
1988: Pre-Festival to the 3rd. Festival of Cuban Theater in Camagüey.
1987 to 1988: Mahogany Mask Festival, Santiago de Cuba.
1990: Participation in the International School of Theater of Latin America and the Caribbean, for one month in Havana.
1998: Participation as Judge in the Camagüey Festival.
1999: International Universities Festival, Santiago de Cuba.
2000: First Poetry Congress, Santiago de Cuba.
2000: Caribbean Festival, Santiago de Cuba.
2001: Second Poetry Congress, Santiago de Cuba.
2001: Caribbean Festival, Santiago de Cuba.
2001: International Festival of Havana.
2002: IX Camagüey Festival.
2002: I Small Format Festival of Havana.
2001 to 2007: Festival of Relations.
2004: Theater Festival of Camagüey.
2001 to 2008: Romerías de Mayo, Holguín.
2003 to 2007: Street Festival of Matanzas.
2006 to 2007: Small Format Festival of Santa Clara. El Mejunje.
2002: International Theater Festival of Havana.
2001 to 2007: Festival of Relations in Santiago de Cuba.
2003 to 2006: VITAL SPACE Festival, of Pinar del Río.

Awards
Individual
Award for best male performance at the Mahogany Mask Festival, in 1987.
Award for best leading and supporting male performance, in the work "Tartufo" with the characters Tartufo and Señor Leal, in 1989.
Best male performance, "Mahogany Mask", work "Yeppeto", in 1992.
Diploma for outstanding artistic work in 1974.
Diploma for artistic merit for the character of "Negrito" in the work The Macho and The Guanajo, in 1976.
Diploma for artistic merit for his outstanding participation in the work "It's About Cuban Theater", in 1976.
Diploma for artistic merit for his outstanding work with the character of "The Devil" in the work "Juan Jaragán", in 1976.
Diploma for artistic merit for his outstanding acting and musical work in the work "The 23rd Breaks...", in 1976.
Florencio Escudero Award, Camagüey Festival 2002 UNEAC.
Acting Award at the IX Camagüey Theater Festival, 2002.
Acting Award at the First Small Format Festival of Havana.
Special Omar Valdés Award (UNEAC), (2004),
Award for Best Quixote Figure at the Festival of Classics of Almagro, Spain in 2006.
National Theater Prize 2021.

Collective
During his acting career he has received more than 12 collective awards, among which stand out:
1975: Award to the artistic collective with the work "On How Santiago Apóstol..." at the 2nd. Panorama of Cuban Theater, in the City of Havana.
1986: Award from the Council of State to the collective participating in the program "In Search of Máximo Gómez" of Tele Turquino.
1996: Special Award from the Provincial Culture Union for the work "Puzzle", at the Mahogany Mask Festival.
2006: Award for staging with the work "The Prodigious Herb" at the Festival of Relations.
2007: Award for Text and Staging with the work "Don Juan Tenorio".

Recognitions
He has received more than 15 recognitions, among which stand out:
Recognition for his outstanding work in the development of the performing arts in 1987, UNEAC.
Recognition for his outstanding participation in the II Mahogany Mask Festival in 1989.
Recognition from the Film, Radio and TV Branch of UNEAC at the Caracol Festival 1995.
Recognition for his outstanding work during the workshop "Current Techniques of Theatrical Creation in Latin America and the Caribbean" (3rd Machurrucutu workshop).
Recognition for 30 years of work in the performing arts, in 1998.
Recognition for having successfully fulfilled his internationalist commitment within "CULTURE HEART WITHIN, CULTURE MISSION" in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. December 2010.

Decorations, Medals and Distinctions
During his working life, this distinguished artist has received several medals and decorations, among which stand out:
Order for National Culture (1993).
Medal for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Máximo Gómez (1986).
Medal for Literacy (1992).
Raúl Gómez García Medal (1993).
José María Heredia y Heredia Plaque (2003).
"Avellaneda" Plaque at the 11th Festival (2006).
He has been nominated for the National Theater Prize 2005 and 2006