International Work
CUBA · MEXICO · THE UNITED STATES · SPAIN
Our Dance Grows Through Relationships
For more than two decades, DC Casineros has connected Washington, D.C., with Cuban artists, teachers and dance communities. Our international work is built through shared rehearsals, educational travel, performances, congresses and friendships that continue beyond the stage. These exchanges deepen how we teach and perform Casino, Cuban Son and Afro-Cuban dance.
Santiago de Cuba: A Shared Artistic Home
Our relationship with Santiago de Cuba is part of a wider history of exchange with Cuba spanning approximately twenty years. Learning alongside local dancers and musicians has shaped our attention to musicality, movement and the social life of Cuban dance. We return to these relationships as artists, students and friends.
Our Sister Company: All Stars Santiago de Cuba
All Stars Santiago de Cuba and its director, Jorge Luna Roque, are part of our extended artistic family. Jorge’s work brings together Casino, Rueda de Casino and Cuban popular dance, with a strong connection between choreography and the music that inspires it. His teaching and the All Stars’ distinctive movement have been important to DC Casineros’ artistic development.
In 2017, DC Casineros welcomed All Stars artists to Washington for a residency and collaborative production at Dance Place. The exchange also included a master class at George Mason University. Visits, workshops and shared performance experiences have helped keep this relationship active across borders.
Read the 2017 residency announcement in our press archive · Meet Jorge Luna Roque
Our Sister Company: Ballet Folklórico Cutumba
Ballet Folklórico Cutumba is a Santiago de Cuba company of dancers, singers, percussionists and choreographers whose work draws on the cultural traditions of eastern Cuba. Its practice connects research, the preservation of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Haitian heritage, and the creation of theatrical performance.
For DC Casineros, learning with Cutumba has strengthened our approach to rhythm, expressive movement and the cultural context of what we dance. Its artists have helped shape the stylistic knowledge we bring into training and choreography. Our 2018 travel program included a folkloric dance class with Cutumba in Santiago.
Learning Across Cuba
Our work with George Mason University connects dance education with firsthand cultural exchange. Educational trips to Cuba have introduced students and company artists to local teachers, community spaces and the relationships that sustain Cuban music and dance. This history includes connections in Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa and Guantánamo.
Travel is one part of a continuing exchange: learning from artists where they live and work, bringing that knowledge into our rehearsals, and creating opportunities for Cuban teachers to share their practice in the Washington region.
A Look Back: Our 2018 Journey
The company’s April 27–May 7, 2018 program offers one example of this approach. It brought travelers to Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo, with classes and community encounters throughout the journey.
- Bayamo and Buey Arriba: local music and dance, community encounters, and a class with Jorge Luna Roque.
- Santiago de Cuba: training with All Stars, Cutumba and Folklórico de Oriente, alongside live music and cultural visits.
- Guantánamo: a class and performance with Babul, Changüí study, and social dancing with local artists.
This video introduces the 2018 journey. Visit the original trip archive for more of that chapter in our history.
CubaSon Congress: Organizing, Teaching and Performing
Artistic Director Adrian Valdivia has worked alongside Ramsés Sariol to support CubaSon Congress and its focus on Cuban music and dance. This work includes distinct contributions in Mexico, New Orleans and Spain.
- Mexico: Adrian served as co-director and co-producer with Ramsés Sariol. DC Casineros participated in the 2023 congress in Playa del Carmen through teaching and performance.
- New Orleans, 2024: Adrian helped Ramsés organize the congress with local hosts Dile Que NOLA, contributing to the exchange beyond the company’s time on stage.
- Mallorca, Spain, 2025: company artists contributed teaching and joined an international performance collaboration honoring Juan Formell and Los Van Van.
Watch: Tribute to Los Van Van · Mallorca 2025
An international collaboration from CubaSon Mallorca, shared on the DC Casineros YouTube channel.
From Cultural Exchange to the Dance Floor
These relationships continue in our company’s choreography, classes and community programs. Meet the artists, explore our performances, or join us to experience Cuban dance in Washington, D.C.
Meet the company · Meet our Artistic Board · Watch performance recordings · Find a class