Born in Cartagena, Colombia, Horacio Cifuentes started dancing at the age of five. He first studied Flamenco at the Academy of Maestro Realito in Seville, Spain. Later he also danced with the Ballet Folclorico Nacional de Colombia. He followed with classical ballet in Poland, and later gained a scholarship to the prestigious American Ballet Theatre School in New York. He eventually joined the San Francisco Ballet where he was featured as a soloist. He discovered oriental dance at Magana Baptiste’s Royal Bellydancing Academy in San Francisco where he also studied yoga with the great master Walt Baptiste. Together with his wife, Beata, Horacio travels the world performing and teaching.

In this episode you will learn about:

- Horacio’s professional ballet journey

- Using yoga to conquer stage nervousness

- Struggles of combining active ballet and belly dance performance careers

- His book “Confessions of a Male Belly Dancer”

- Aging as a dancer

Show Notes to this episode:

Follow Horacio Cifuentes on FB, YouTube, and website

Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.com

Check out Stackable Drills for your daily practice at www.stackabledrills.com.

Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.

Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.

Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast