Leo Gonzalez (he/him) - Founder, Director, Choreographer & Instructor

Leo was born and raised in Havana, and took his first steps in dance at age eight with a Cuban dance group that was part of the iconic “Casa de la Cultura” in Havana. In 2003, he was selected to study at the prestigious National College of Art and Music Shows in Havana, where he became a professional dancer and choreographer with extensive knowledge of traditional Cuban and international dances, including Afro-Cuban, Afro-Haitian, ballet and contemporary. After completing his undergraduate studies, he joined one of the most prestigious dance companies of Cuba: “Santiago Alfonso”, whose principal was the director of the world-renowned Tropicana Dance and Music Show in Havana.

After moving to Edmonton he started the Cuban Movements Dance Academy in 2013 to share his passion and love for Cuban dance and culture with the Edmonton community. In 2020, he found a permanent home for his dance academy on 124th Street and was also awarded the Mowat Diversity Award by the Edmonton Fringe Theatre for his original dance theatre production called “Mi Habana Querida”, which debuted at the 2021 Edmonton Fringe Festival, selling out six out of the seven scheduled shows to critical acclaim from well-established Fringe reviewers. In 2022, Leo was selected by the Common Grounds Arts Society for the inaugural cohort of RISER Edmonton, a collaborative producing model for theatre and interdisciplinary artists to create and present new work. As part of this opportunity, he presented The Power of the Drum, a homage to the power of the drum as a reflection of the resilience,adaptability, creativity, and autonomy of the Cuban Diaspora in the midst of struggle, crisis, and uncertainty. The Power of the Drum, combining a fusion of AfroCuban and contemporary dance, drumming and narrative, had its world debut in April 2022 at the Westbury Theatre in the Financial Arts Barns, with a successful run of eight shows.

In 2023, Leo presented Ay Candela!, A Cuban Dance adaptation of the Chicago play at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. He was also a recipient of the 2023 Edmonton Artists' Trust Fund Awards.

Cecilia Ferreyra (she/her) - Manager & Producer

Cecilia was born and raised in Argentina, and moved to Canada to pursue a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Guelph. She is currently a Director of Policy Development with the Government of Alberta. Although Cecilia took her first dance class when she was 45 years old, dance has always been part of her heart and soul. For her, dance is a sacred space for freedom, creativity and expression. Starting as a samba dancer, then becoming part of the Cuban Movements Dance Academy, Cecilia's approach to dance is all about expansion. In 2020, Cecilia become the Manager of Cuban Movements. Her journey with our academy led her to become a producer, playwright, actress and dancer for "Mi Habana Querida", the dance musical production that debuted at the 2021 Edmonton Fringe Festival, where she was cast as “Madrina”. She was also the Producer and Artistic Co-Director for The Power of the Drum, presented at the Westbury Theatre as part of RISER Edmonton in 2022. In 2023, Cecilia wrote, produced and co-directed Ay Candela! A Cuban Dance Adaptation of the Chicago Play presented by Leo Gonzalez at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.

Together with her husband Tyler Baker, Cecilia is part of the nonprofit organization Tyler Baker Photography, which uses artistic portraiture as a way of supporting, promoting and empowering minority artists who are ambassadors for the arts and culture. She is also part of the production team for the International Samba Congress based out of Los Angeles.

Janita Frantsi (she/her) - Instructor

Janita Frantsi is a contemporary dance artist originally from Finland and now based on Treaty 6 territory in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. In Finland, Janita trained in different dance styles, such as modern dance, jazz, ballet, street styles, and flamenco. In addition to finishing a contemporary dance program in Finland, she studied dance pedagogy at the University of Jyväskylä. Janita came to Edmonton to study and completed her Master of Arts in Dance at the University of Alberta in 2019.

During her time in Edmonton, Janita has worked as a dancer, choreographer, and instructor with organizations such as Mile Zero Dance, KO Dance Projects, Edmonton Opera, University of Alberta, and Concordia University of Edmonton. She has also created works for SkirtsAFire, Nextfest, Orchesis Dance Motif, Madrigal Singers, and TEDxUAlberta. Some of her most recent work has been with dance and film, and she is excited to explore this new medium. Janita is grateful to have received grants and scholarships from the Good Women Dance Collective, Government of Alberta, Orchesis Dance Performance Group, and Healthy Dancer Canada to continue exploring her artistic practices. 

Janita teaches dance at the University of Alberta and Concordia University of Edmonton. In addition to dance, Janita is also a Pilates and fitness instructor. Her classes are always focused on finding ways to perform the movements that feel good in everyone’s unique body. She values individual backgrounds and encourages her students to use her material as a stepping stone in their own exploration and growth as artists.