Tomás Guilarte • Dance Instruction
Tomás Guilarte is a major Cuban dancer, choreographer, and instructor. He was born in 1970 in Guantánamo in eastern Cuba. He attended Havana’s prestigious Instituto Superior de Arte (National Conservatory of Fine Arts). There Guilarte studied ballet with Jans Linkens, Tania Saurez and others. He graduated with a degree in contemporary dance, receiving training from some of the most important figures in modern Cuban dance including Elfriede Mahler, Eduardo Rivero, Manolo Vázquez, and Isidro Rolando.
During the dynamic 1990’s period that followed Guilarte co-founded the innovative ensemble Danza Abierta. He later moved on to join the Danza Libra ensemble and then Narciso Medina. In 2002 he joined Danza Contemporanea de Cuba as principal dancer. He excelled in that role and eventually added the responsibilities of choreographer and instructor.
Guilarte has performed at premier venues in Spain, France, Portugal, England, Italy, China, Turkey, Venezuela, Russia, Mexico, and the United States. For his work in Cuban dance Guilarte has been profiled, interviewed, and photographed for books such as Contemporary Dance in Cuba: Técnica Cubana as Revolutionary Movement and Dancing With The Revolution: Power, Politics, and Privilege in Cuba.
As a teacher Guilarte has trained a generation of Cuban dancers. Internationally he has taught modern dance workshops throughout Europe, most recently in 2022 in Germany, Italy, and France. In 2011 he had a month residency in England for as guest faculty at Dance East. In 2010 he was guest teacher and choreographer for Venezuela’s Compañia Nacional de la Danza.
In 2019 Guilarte established his own studio in Havana for the study of Cuban modern dance and movement. Since then he has worked with a variety of students from Cuba as well as from Latin America, Europe, and the United States.
Tomás Guilarte (front) with Danza Abierta
Rehearsing at studios of Danza Narciso Medina with Suki John who would go on to write the book 'Contemporary Dance In Cuba.'
Tomás Guilarte (male dancer on right) on the cover of the book Contemporary Dance in Cuba
Tomás Guilarte overseeing warm up and rehearsal of Danza Contemporanea de Cuba
Tomás Guilarte (front left) rehearsing with Danza Narciso Medina
Tomás Guilarte (airborne) in rehearsal at Teatro Nacional. From book Contemporary Dance In Cuba
Another book on that interviews Tomás Guilarte and covers his impactful career in modern Cuban dance.
Tomás Guilarte in traditional dress in rehaarsal with Danza Narciso Medina