Irene Rodríguez

Director, Prima ballerina, régisseur and choreographer of the Irene Rodríguez Company. Professor, Régisseur and choreographer of the National Schools of Arts (ENA) specialized in Spanish Dance.
Professor, régisseur and choreographer of the National Schools of Arts (ENA) in the Ballet specialty. Consulting Choreographer and Régisseur of the National Ballet of Cuba. Licensed in Theatrical Art (Acting). Master's degree in Theoretical Studies of Dance from the same Instituto Superior de Artes (ISA) of Cuba.

Born in Havana, she began studying Spanish Dance at the Spanish Cultural Society "Centro Andaluz" in Havana. Within a few months, she began performing, and as "an exceptional case" started taking classes with the professional company Ballet Español de Cuba, since her talent was remarkable despite being a child. In 1993, she was admitted to the National Academy of Spanish Dances sponsored by this company. She graduated in 1999, after 5 years of study.

She performed her first leading roles as a student at the aforementioned academy. Additionally, she was part of the dance corps of Ballet Español de Cuba in the main works presented by this company.

In July 1999, after graduating as a dancer, she immediately became a professional at Ballet Español de Cuba, where, after being evaluated several times, she became Prima ballerina in 2007, as well as First-Level Lecturer and Régisseur and Choreographer.

As part of her professional education, she has participated in Workshops, Courses and Master Classes by the most relevant Spanish dancers and choreographers in Cuba, Spain and Mexico.

As prima ballerina, professor, régisseur and choreographer of Ballet Español de Cuba, she successfully performed several times all the leading roles of the works presented by the company, as well as solo roles in all of the company's shows.

In September 2001, she separated from Ballet Español de Cuba, creating her own Spanish dance company.

In Cuba, she has performed in the main theaters on the island, and has been interviewed for many radio and television programs, as well as for print or digital press, both in Cuba and abroad.

Regarding international tours, she has performed with the Ballet Español de Cuba company and also as a soloist in the most prestigious theaters in Barcelona and Granada (Spain), Andorra, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.

She has worked simultaneously as a dancer, professor, régisseur and choreographer in the Art and Teaching Unit of Ballet Español de Cuba which is part of the National School of Arts (ENA), and in the National School of Arts (ENA) in the Ballet specialty.

For several years, she has taught dance in Mexico during the summer courses of the PROART Academy in Santiago de Querétaro, where she has also served as a Qualifying Jury Member.

As a solo dancer, she has participated in all editions of the Ibérica Contemporánea Festival held in Querétaro (Mexico) where she has shared the stage with the best in the world in this genre.

Her work as a choreographer includes many works created for Ballet Español de Cuba, as well as choreographies that are part of the works presented by this company.

Among her most recent choreographies are "Suite del Sombrero de Tres Picos", "Al-Ándalus" (Flamenco) and the two-act theatrical work "EMIGRANTES" which shows various styles, such as Afro-Cuban, neoclassical and flamenco dances. We cannot fail to mention that all have received excellent reviews and public acceptance.

She also works as a choreography consultant for the National Ballet of Cuba, specifically in the latest Spanish-style choreographies of Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso. On several occasions, she has performed as a guest dancer in "Preciosa y el Aire", by Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso, alongside solo dancers and the dance corps of the National Ballet of Cuba, which was included as part of important events such as the Closing Gala of the 23rd International Ballet Festival of Havana and the Gala for the 80th Anniversary of Alicia Alonso's Debut. She also performs as a soloist with the National Ballet of Cuba in "Aires de Tradición", choreographed by Eduardo Blanco, premiered in December 2011.

In July 2009, she toured Mexico as a guest artist with Spanish dancer María Juncal in the show "Tercera Llamada", and in 2010, she danced at the Festival Cuna del Flamenco in Granada, Spain.

In January 2012, she founded her own company: Compañía Irene Rodríguez, receiving excellent reviews from the beginning.

In addition to being a dancer, she graduated with a Gold Diploma in Theatrical Art (Acting) from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) of Cuba (she has performed several times as an actress) and holds a Master's degree in Theoretical Studies of Dance from the same Instituto Superior de Artes (ISA) of Cuba.

She has participated in the most important cultural events in Cuba. She is fluent in English and French, and is qualified in both languages.

AWARDS
In December 2006, she received the CHOREOGRAPHY Award from the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) as best female performer that year for her outstanding work in PERFORMANCE DANCE.
On January 1, 2011, she was included in the Honor Book of the Gran Teatro de La Habana (Gran Teatro de La Habana).
In July 2011, she received the RAMIRO GUERRA Award from the Hermanos Saíz Association for best female performance in Folk Dance.
In July 2012, she won First Prize in the 8th IBERO-AMERICAN CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION "Alicia Alonso" CIC '2012, awarded by the Autor Foundation of the General Society of Authors and Editors, SGAE, and the Cuban Ballet Company with her latest choreography, "El crimen fue en Granada", performed by the Company itself.