I am an artist, a dreamer, an explorer. All artists have their own way to express something, to tell a story, Dance has all the colours combined. Trance is what I feel when I dance, I feel strong, I move in places where other people are afraid to go, like letting your body, mind and soul feel free. Dance is my ritual and being united with it is a blessing that makes me remember and be connected with my roots and my ancestors. Pedro Ricardo Henry
Pedro Ricardo Henry(35)
Dancer & teacher Afo-Contemporary
Nationality
Cuban
At Conny Janssen Danst since
November 2022
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Modern and Folkloric Dance at the ENA ( National School of Art in Havana).
About Pedro’s class:
Pedro teaches Afro-contemporary dance, a fusion of Afro-Cuban dances—rooted in East African (mainly Nigerian) traditions brought to Cuba by enslaved people—and Cuban modern dance, which emerged after the 1959 Cuban Revolution under Ramiro Guerra, blending American modern dance styles (Martha Graham, José Limón) with Cuban folklore.
He describes Afro-contemporary dance as a way to connect with his roots, identity, and ancestors, preserving a legacy that risks being lost. Through movement, he seeks energy, spirituality, and harmony between the individual, the earth, the sound of drums, and space itself.
During the class, Pedro tries to find the harmony between these components:
- Connection with the ground (gravity, weight)
- Dynamics
- The relation between music and dance (internal and external rhythm)
- Expand the individual not only through the movement but also through the body, soul and mind, these three elements are very present during the practice.
- The importance of dissociation from the different parts of the body.
- Build an emotional link (trance) with your ancestors. The internal sound associated with the external sound of the drums (vibrations, energies).
- Emotional release, feel free while moving.
This class is called “Warming Soul”, where movement becomes not only a physical but also a spiritual warm-up, invoking the Orishas (African gods and spirits honored through dance) as a way to ground dancers in their heritage and identity.