Keeping Cuban folklore alive

Founder, Director, Choreographer & Teacher

Leonardo Martínez Moya

Leonardo studied at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana. He was a principal dancer of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba for 25 years. As a choreographer there, he created the pieces Moforibale a Changó and Ochanigue.

In 2008 he moved to Italy, where he founded Proyecto Lucumí. He has taught in more than 30 countries. He teaches Afro-Cuban dances (Yoruba, Congo, Arará, Abakuá), rumba, Cuban popular dances, campesino dances and Cuban salsa, as well as contemporary and folkloric technique.

He also teaches at international festivals.

Choreographer & Teacher

Arelys Savón Beltrán

Arelys graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Arte and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Cuba. She was a soloist and teacher with the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, touring Europe, Japan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United States and many other countries, and worked in television, film and modelling.

She has lived in Italy since 2004. She is a member of the Italian Dance Sport Federation, where she judges competitions, and a first-level MIDAS – ASC Danza teacher. She teaches Cuban dance in Italy and across Europe.

She is a member of UNEAC (the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) and of CID-UNESCO. She wrote the book Danzas Arará: Tradición Ewe-Fon en Cuba, about the cosmology, songs, rhythms and steps of the Arará dances. It is the first title of her own series, Raíces en Movimiento.

Creative Director, Choreographer & Teacher

Sergio Larrinaga Morejón

Sergio was a principal dancer and choreographer with the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. During his long career he also taught and choreographed at the Teatro América in Havana and directed the company Yoruba Andabo.

He now lives in Italy, where he is a member of the Federazione Professionale di Danza (FPD), and teaches Cuban and Afro-Cuban dance around the world.

He leads the academy for popular and folkloric dance Raíces de Fuego in Mestre (Venice), where he teaches timba, orisha dances, palo, rumba and abakuá, together with percussion and the history of the dances.

Choreographer & Teacher

Mireisi Muchuli Morales

Mireisi trained at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) and was a first dancer of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. At our trainings she teaches technique and orisha dances. In Rome she co-leads the project Raíces y Elegancia.