Cuban dancer finds meaning and work in the streets as the island's art
scene fades
[May 15, 2026]
By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
HAVANA (AP) — For nearly three decades, performances by Cuba's Danza
Voluminosa regularly filled prestigious venues like the 2,000-seat
National Theater. Directed by Juan Miguel Mas, the troupe pioneered a
new movement by working exclusively with larger-bodied dancers — a
creative process that was captured in a Canadian documentary.
Today, the 60-year-old dancer and choreographer from Havana is far from
the big stages where he once thrived and rehearsed alongside
professional artists. Instead, he spends his days conducting dance
workshops and classes for children and coordinating performances within
his community.
Like many Cubans navigating one of the island's worst economic crises in
decades, Mas' daily life has been upended by persistent blackouts, water
outages, soaring costs and a lack of transportation.
But for artists like him, the situation is a little worse, compounded by
the cancellation of shows, a lack of production budgets and a mass
exodus from the cultural sector. In fact, he was recently notified that
his teaching contract with the National Theater of Cuba has been
suspended.
“The outlook for the arts is complex and bleak,” said essayist and arts
journalist Michel Hernández. He noted that Cuba’s cultural spaces — once
affordable and state-run — have deteriorated significantly, leaving
artists with few venues beyond a handful of expensive private spaces.
Yet, Mas won't give up.
“I am very interested in staying in Cuba,” he told The Associated Press
on a recent Saturday as he prepared for a rehearsal with children from a
nearby community. “Were I to emigrate, I would lose contact with that
‘Cubanness’ that exists here, with the audience, the people, the folks
next door.”
Transforming a street corner into a dance stage
Born in Havana in 1965, Mas trained as a dancer and choreographer under
the tutelage of Laura Alonso, a renowned ballerina, and Ramiro Guerra,
the father of contemporary dance on the island. He also studied with the
Cuban-American dancer and choreographer Lorna Burdsall, who encouraged
him to persevere despite the discrimination he faced from dance schools
because he weighed 160 kilograms (352 pounds).
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Choreographer Juan Miguel Mas leads an outdoor performance by his
young dancers in a neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, Saturday, May 9,
2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
 He made his debut in 1996 with his
own company, Danza Voluminosa (or Voluminous Dance), which remained
active until 2024 and provided a home for dancers whose bodies
diverged significantly from the industry’s prevailing aesthetic
norms. He also worked as an actor and in 2025 he starred in
“Cherri,” a fictional film based on his own life experiences.
These days, to supplement the modest income he makes working with
children, Mas leases a small area of his home for business use and
hosts weekend garage sales featuring curated recycled clothing,
tableware and household goods.
Since his sister and teenage nephew relocated to Spain last year, he
has lived alone and managed his expenses by shopping at a local
farmers’ market just two blocks away. Conveniently, he also accesses
subsidized medications at a state-run pharmacy directly across the
street.
On a recent morning, water bottle in hand to ward off the heat, Mas
walked six blocks to the lively Marianao district, where a crowd of
30 children and their mothers awaited his arrival.
The group suddenly transformed a street corner into a stage and for
a full 90 minutes, the air filled with music as the little ones
performed their songs and showed off their dance moves dressed as
bees and other colorful characters.
Against all odds, Mas highlighted the importance of staying
connected to his community.
“It’s about bringing the knowledge of art to these children and
lifting them out of a reality defined by conflict,” he said.
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