Photo by Rose Eichenbaum
ABOUT
In the fourteen years since its establishment in 2012, Malpaso Dance Company has become one of the most sought-after Cuban dance companies, with a growing international profile. Emphasizing a collaborative creative process, Malpaso is committed to working with top international choreographers while also nurturing new voices in Cuban choreography. The company tours with eleven dancers and is led by its three original founders: resident choreographer and Artistic Director Osnel Delgado, Executive Director Fernando Sáez, and dancer, choreographer, and co-founder Daile Carrazana.
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An Associate Company of Joyce Theater Productions, Malpaso—together with The Joyce—has commissioned original works from a number of prominent international choreographers, including Ron K. Brown (Why You Follow), Trey McIntyre (Under Fire), Aszure Barton (Indomitable Waltz and Stillness in Bloom), Emmy-award winning Sonya Tayeh (Face the Torrent), Robyn Mineko Williams (Elemental), and celebrated Ephrat Asherie (Floor… y ando!). In a recent collaboration, the ensemble premiered The Year of the Leopard by Keerati Jinakunwiphat, with music by Adam O’Farrill and the Stranger Days quartet.
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As a means of foregrounding Cuban choreographers, Malpaso has also world-premiered works by company member Daile Carrazana (Nana para un Insomnio (Lullaby for Insomnia), Habanera, La Última Canción) and La Estación (The Season) in partnership with the Alma String Quartet, bolstering the list of long-toured pieces by Osnel Delgado, notably Ocaso, as well as 24 Hours and a Dog and Dreaming of Lions, which are often accompanied live by Grammy Award–winning Cuban-American composer and pianist Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, and A Dancing Island with Alejandro Falcón, Ted Nash, and the Cubadentro Trio.
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The company’s repertoire includes Tabula Rasa by world-renowned Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, who traveled to Cuba in spring 2018 specifically to work one-on-one with Malpaso dancers to crystallize the restaging of this seldom-performed piece; and woman with water by the distinguished Swedish choreographer Mats Ek, who also traveled to Havana to premiere the work at the Martí Theatre in December 2021. Earlier this year, Malpaso performed Dark Meadows (suite version) by Martha Graham, celebrating the centennial of her company.
LEADERSHIP
FERNANDO SÁEZ
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Founder and Executive Director
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Graduated from the School of Performing Arts at the Superior Institute of Arts (ISA) in Havana in 1988. He is also a founder and actor of Estudio Teatral de Santa Clara, was the head of the sociocultural development project in Las Terrazas, Pinar del Rio from 1993 to 1997, and has served on the staff of the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba since 1998. He is also a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
OSNEl DELGADO
Founder, Artistic Director, Dancer, and Choreographer
Danced with Danza Contemporanea de Cuba from 2003 to 2011, before founding Malpaso. He has worked with choreographers Mats Ek, Rafael Bonachela, Kenneth Kvarnström, Ja Linkens, Itzik Galili, Samir Akika, Pedro Ruiz, Isidro Rolando, George Cespedes, Sonya Tayeh, Robyn Mineko, Trey McIntyre, Aszure Barton, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Ron K. Brown, Ephrat Asherie among others. Delgado has created works for DCC, Rakatan, Ebony Dance of Cuba, Zenon Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Smuin Contemporary Ballet. Delgado is a 2003 graduate of the National Dance School of Havana, where he is also a professor of dance studies.
DAILEIDYS CARRAZANA
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Founder, Associate Artistic Director, Dancer and Choreographer
Graduated from the National Ballet School of Havana in 2003. She was a member of Danza Contemporánea de Cuba from 2003 to 2011, before founding Malpaso with Osnel Delgado and Fernando Saez. Daile has worked with choreographers such as Sonya Tayeh, Robyn Mineko Williams, Jan Linkens, Samir Akika, Pedro Ruiz, Isidro Rolando, Trey McIntyre, Aszure Barton, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Ron K. Brown, Susana Pous among others. She has created choreographic works for her company Malpaso (Lullaby for Insomnia, Habanera and La última Canción) and for students of Toronto Metropolitan University. She has collaborated with different musicians: “Lullaby for Insomnia" and “La Última Canción” with Jordi Sabatés (Barcelona) and in the piece "Habanera" with Miguel Núñez (Cuba).
Photos by Todd Rosenberg
COMPANY MEMBERS
Dancer and dance teacher who graduated from Raul Gomez GarcÃa Art School in HolguÃn, Cuba. She was a member of Codanza Dance Company from 2006 to 2013. From 2006 to 2008 she also worked as professor at José Martà Pérez Arts Instructors School. She joined Danza Contemporánea de Cuba in 2015. She became a member of Malpaso Dance Company in 2019. Ileana has worked with choreographers such as Theo Clinkard, Billy Cowie, Lea Anderson, Fleur Darken, Anabel López Ochoa, Osnel Delgado, Aszure Barton, Ro
Before joining Malpaso in February 2016, Esteban studied dance at ISA (Superior Institute of Arts)'s Faculty of Dance and was a member of Danza Fragmentada Company (2002-2014). He has worked with choreographers like Aszure Barton, Osnel Delgado, Sonya Tayeh, Robyn Mineko Williams, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Ron K. Brown, Daile Carrazana, Ephrat Asherie, among others.
Graduated from the National School of Dance in 2014. In September of that same year he joined Danza Contemporánea de Cuba company. He has worked with choreographers such as Theo Clinkard, Anabell López Ochoa, Lea Anderson, George Cespedes, among others. He has toured nationwide and abroad in countries and organizations such the City Center in New York, National Auditorium in Mexico, La Maison de Lyon in France, as well as varios venues in Great Britain, Monaco, Germany, Switzerland and Russia.
Dancer graduated from the Samuel Feijó Professional School of Art in Santa Clara in 2017 and from the Acosta Danza School in 2022, where he danced works from the company's repertoire created by the choreographers Alexis Fernández and Raúl Reynoso. He joins Malpaso in November 2022.
Graduated from the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School in 2017. She also received training at the Ruth Page Center and Quenedit Ballet School in the United States. In the same year of her graduation, she was part of the National Ballet of Cuba, where she assumed various relevant roles. She joins Malpaso in 2022.She has danced works by choreographers such Ohad Naharin, Daile Carrazana, Susana Pous and Osnel Delgado.
Dancer graduated from the Alfonso Pérez Isaac Art School of Matanzas and the National Dance School Fernando Alonso 2022. Award-winning student in international competitions, she performed roles in works from the repertoire of the National Ballet of Cuba. She has performed choreographies by Alicia Alonso, Ramona de Saa and Ely Regina Hernández Numa. She joined Malpaso Company in September 2022.
Graduated from Eduardo Abela Elemental Art School in San Antonio de Los Baños and from the National Dance School in Havana Cuba on June 2022. He joined Malpaso Dance Company right after his graduation.
Graduated from the Vocational Dance School Benny Moré in Cienfuegos on 2014 and from the National Dance School in Havana on 2018. She joined Danza Contemporánea de Cuba on 2017 where she danced works by choreographers such as George Cespedes, Yoerlis Brunet, Billy Cowie, Christopher Beranger, Ewa Wycichowska, among others. She has performed in Cuba and abroad. Laura joins Malpaso Dance Company on 2023.
In 2022 he graduates from the Acosta Danza Academy, where he worked with choreographers such as Jorge Crecis, Pontus Lidberg, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Juanjo Arqués, Norge Cedeño and Goyo Montero. She has performed in theaters and events both in Cuba and abroad: Holland Dance Festival, Norwich Festival (England), Venice Biennale (Italy), Budapest Dance Festival (Hungary), Festival from Berguen (Norway) in the Terrasa Dance Season (Spain) and The Royal Ballet. She joined Malpaso in August 2024.
Graduated from the National Ballet School Fernando Alonso in 2020. He joined MicompañÃa in 2019 where he danced works by company’s founder and director Susana Pous. He joined Malpaso Dance Company in 2023.
Graduated from the Regional Dance School Pedro Raúl Sanchez Rodriguez in 2020. She joined Malpaso in September 2023.
Graduated from the National School of Dance in Havana in 2023, right after she joins Malpaso Dance Company.
Graduated from the Alejo Carpentier Elementary School of Dance in 2021. Graduated from the National School of Dance in 2025, joined Malpaso Dance Company in September 2024, and has performed works such as Retrato de Familia by Esteban Aguilar, Unfold by Helen Lambert, La Estación by Daile Carrazana, and Hier Kommt Alex by Osnel Delgado.
Born in April 2005 in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. She studied at the Pedro Raúl Sanchez Rodriguez Vocational Art School in her hometown. Graduated from the National School of Arts in Havana in 2024, she joined Malpaso in June 2025.
Graduated from the Eduardo Abela Provincial School of Art (Artemisa) in 2019, and from the National School of Art (ENA) in 2022, the year he joined Malpaso Dance Company. He has performed works such as Retrato de Familia by Esteban Aguilar, Unfold by Helena Lambert , and Hier Kommt Alex by Osnel Delgado.
Graduated from the National Ballet School in 2007, and the Superior Institute of Arts in Havana as a ballet teacher in 2015. She was a dancer of Matanza's city contemporary dance company Danza Espiral from 2008 to 2014. She was a professor at the National Ballet School and is currently a teacher at the Superior Institute of Arts in Havana.
Mercedes Piedra Graduated from the National Ballet School in 1999, Havana, Cuba. Dancer at the National Ballet of Cuba from 1999 to 2020. Teacher of the National Ballet School from 2019 to 2022. She joined Malpaso in 2022.
Stage Manager. Graduated from the National School of Arts with a degree in acting in 2008. She is a member of Teatro Espontáneo de La Habana. Hernandez worked in the HavanaBama collaboration between the University of Alabama and Cuba. Since she joined Malpaso in March 2014, she has worked with choreographers such as Ron K. Brown, Trey McIntyre, Aszure Barton, Sonya Tayeh, Robyn Mineko Williams, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Ephrat Asherie and among others. Diana has worked also as lighting designers s
Company Historian Author of "First Position: A Century of Ballet Artists", "Fernando Alonso, The Father of Cuban Ballet" and "Cuba's Malpaso Dance Company: a moving portrait". Was University Press of Florida's 2013 miami International Book Fair featured author. Retired Program Director of San Franciscos Public Library's Art and Music Center. Singer graduated from New York's School of Performing Arts, and holds a BA in History from the University of Massachusetts.
Photos by Todd Rosenberg, Daileidys Carrazana and Enmys López
CONTACT
BOOKINGS & TOUR MANAGEMENT
SHARING SPACES PRODUCTIONS
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Anne-Camille Hersh - chersh@enpointemgmt.com - +1 (786) 210-7498
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JOYCE THEATER PRODUCTIONS
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Ross LeClair - rleclair@joyce.org
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