Renowned contemporary folkloric and popular dancer, educator and choreographer Sarita Leyva was born in Holguin, Cuba and began her dance career when she was 7.
She studied at the Vocational School of Art Raúl Gómez García in Holguín, in the specialty of Classical Ballet and completed her studies at the Escuela Nacional de Instructores de Arte (ENIA), bringing home her diploma as a Professor- Instructor of Dance in 1987.
Sarita performed professionally with La Casa de Africa (The African House), located in Old Havana, is a venue dedicated to the preservation of African and Afro-Cuban culture. Sarita's work in this scenario allowed her to be immersed in Cuban folklore; it also allowed her to work with recognized dance groups such as Omó Olorun Group, Grupo Oriki, the Pinos Nuevos dance company, and more.
She’s worked with 'Casa de Africa' performing with the late Merceditas Valdes and Lazaro Ross and the Cuban Diva Omara Portuondo.
As a professor, Sarita worked as a Contemporary Dance Technique and Classical Ballet teacher at the Paulita Concepcion Vocational School of Arts in Havana.
Important dance demonstrations were made at the Cuban Institute of Art and Film Industry (ICAIC), the National Union of Cuban Artists and Writers (UNEAC), and the Palace of Fine Arts in Havana, to mention a few.
In 1996, Sarita toured Europe performing with the folkloric group called Los Pinos Nuevos, dedicated to presenting the varieties and folklore of Cuban culture with a repertoire of music that encompasses Cuban Popular and Folk Dances; Salsa, Modern Dance and Ballet.
After emigrating to Toronto, Sarita started to teach at Etobicoke School of the Arts and Toronto's Spanish Centre. Later she also was part of the teaching staff at the faculty of the School of The Arts, Media & Design at York University, teaching Cuban dance and Salsa and Related forms of Latin Dance.
From the beginning, Sarita Leyva showed a clear interest in preserving the Afro-Cuban culture's integrity and authenticity through performances, demonstrations, and workshops. Three years later, in May 2000, she founded the IRÉ OMÓ Afro-Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble, dedicated to researching and developing the traditions of Afro - Cuban music through the performance and teaching of dances, music and songs of Afro- Cuban origins, such as Yoruba, Congo, Arara, Abakuá, Franco-Haitian and some other indigenous rhythms of Cuba, (Rumba, Bailes Campesinos, Comparsa, Pilón, Mozambique, etc.).
Iré Omó introduces all attendants to the universe of Gods, magic and African-rooted rituals.
To date, Sarita is the Artistic Director of Iré Omó Afro-Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble and the School's first dancer of Iyá Iré Afro-Cuban Ensemble. She also works as a dance instructor at Lula Lounge. Also worked from 2018 – 2019 at Araguacu Latin Dance Company. Sarita also offers private instruction where she researches and develops Afro-Cuban music and dance traditions and promotes authentic Cuban dance and culture in Toronto.
www.saritaleyva.com
