Cuban Ballet Duo Riera and Lastre Sweep Gold Medals at South Africa International Competition

August 8, 2026

Cuban dancers Joan Manuel Riera Pérez and Greisell Lastre Casuso, students at Havana's Escuela Nacional de Ballet "Fernando Alonso" (ENBFA), won multiple gold medals at the International Ballet Competition of South Africa, held August 3-6, 2026, at the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town.

Dancing together, the pair took gold in the pas de deux and contemporary dance categories, performing the Diana and Acteón pas de deux and Psá Mate, a contemporary piece choreographed by Ely Regina Hernández. Riera added a third gold in the male variation category with a rendition of The Flames of Paris, while Lastre earned a silver medal in the female variation category for her performance of the Esmeralda variation.

The two dancers train under teacher Idania La Villa at ENBFA, one of the pillars of the Cuban School of Ballet, whose graduates and instructors have shaped classical dance on the island for decades. The school publicly thanked competition director Dirk Badenhorst for his continued support of the institution's participation in the event.

The result adds to a strong year for Cuban ballet on the international competition circuit, with ENBFA students also earning recognition earlier in 2026 at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow.