África Guzmán

Africa Guzmán, International ballet teacher, Choreographer, Africa Guzman Dance Project artistic director, Assistant Ballet Master of Nacho Duato´s ballets, Africa Guzmán Ballet School artistic director, teacher of the Classical Ballet Workshop at the Professional Conservatory of Dance Carmen Amaya in Madrid.

Africa Guzman was born in Madrid, Spain. She studies with her mother at Africa Guzmán Ballet School and the National Ballet School of Spain under Lola de Ávila´s direction.

As a student, Africa was awarded honors by both careers the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Madrid and The Royal Academy of Dance of London.

In 2007, Africa furthered her education with a Superior degree in Dance. Specialty: Choreography and Dance Interpretation Techniques”.

In January 1988, at the Edge of 16, she joined Compañía Nacional de Danza directed by Maya Plisetskaya where she danced principal roles in classical and neoclassical repertoire in ballets choreographed by Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, Michail Fokine, Alberto Mendez, Ray Barra, highlighting the roll of Lisa in “La fille mal gardée” with 18 years old.

Under Nacho Duato´s artistic direction with CND (June 1990), Africa was promoted to Principal Dancer. Africa had a long career with CND and has played an integral role in a multitude of Duato’s work from 1990 to 2010. As one of Duato´s muses Africa has been a pivotal dancer in both the creative and performance processes.

In 2003, she joined Netherland Dans Theater under the direction of Glenn Edgerton , until her returned to CND in 2005.

Africa has also worked with many internationally renowned choreographers and has in her repertoire a wide variety of works by Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, Hans Van Manen, Jorma Elo, Johan Inger, Angelin Prejolcaj, Olga Roriz, Paul Norton, Nicolo Fonte, Örjan Anderson, Gustavo Ramirez, Meryl Tankartd, André Gingras and many more.

As an acclaimed artist, Africa has danced in over 30 countries. Her artistic talents have led her to be a frequent guest at a multitude of International ballet galas throughout the world.

She has participated in the Master Classes of Maya Plisetskaya in 1992 and in the course of Pedagogy of Dance with Aurora Bosch in 1996.

In 2000, Africa presented her first choreography in Madrid titled Reflejos de un Lied, for the Choreographic Workshop of Compañía Nacional de Danza. Her choreographic works have led her to create pieces for Ballet West in Salt Lake City, the Alvin Ailey School in New York,  Joffrey Ballet School in New York and San Francisco, and Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Carmen Amaya in Madrid, Escuela Profesional de Danza de Casatilla y León in Valladolid and Africa Guzman Dance Project in Madrid.

Her ballet Sweet and Bitter, commissioned by Ballet West for their National Choreographic Festival in Salt Lake City in 20218, had a preview at the Joyce Theater in New York in October 2017, having a great success with the public and critics.

Ms. Guzman is a ballet master and assistant of Nacho Duato´s Works restaging them around the world. Africa was invited to work with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. the Norwegian National Ballet in Oslo, Ballet Nacional SODRE in Montevideo, the Oklahoma City Ballet in Oklahoma, the Finnish National Ballet in Helsinki, the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Chicago, the Mijhailovski Theater in Saint Petersburg, the Staninslavsky Ballet Theater in Mocow.

Since Africa stops dancing in 2010, she continues her career as a ballet teacher at the Africa Guzmán Ballet School. In 2011 she begins to be part of the Classical Ballet Workshop at the Professional Conservatory of Dance Carmen Amaya in Madrid.

As an International Guest Teacher Africa has been invited to teach to the Netherland Dance Theater, the Lyon Opera Ballet, to Ballet Nacional del  SODRE in Montevideo under Julio Bocca´s direction and Igor Yebra and María Ricceto´s direction, to The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the School of Oregon Ballet Theater in Portland, the Joffrey Ballet School and Peridance Capezio Center in NY and San Francisco, to Sydney with New York Dance Project, and to Area Jeune Ballet in Geneva.

Miss Guzman is a frequently judge member and master teacher of international ballet competitions such as Universal Ballet Competition in United States and Danza Activa in Panama.

Since 2012 she has been invited several times to judge the classical ballet exams for the private dance career ACADE in Spain.

Africa’s talents have led her to perform on stage as well as on film. In 1999 she filmed several episodes for Spanish television (TVE) series “Step to step with Nacho Duato”; in 2000 she filmed the DVD “Three by Duato”, in 2004, she filmed for Dutch televisión (NPS) “Kerst met het NDT”; and in 2010, she filmed the documentary “Nacho Danse la Danse” by Alain Deymier.

In 2020, she created the company Africa Guzmán Dance Project,  formation that offers a wide repertoire of different styles with which highlights the versatility that characterizes this company.