Founder – Managing Director
ÁFRICA GUZMÁN, began her dance studies, both in Classical Spanish and Classical Ballet, at the age of 6 at the Royal Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art in Madrid, where she obtained her dance degree with Honors.
She was a teaching assistant at the Royal Conservatory of Dramatic Art and Dance of Madrid under the direction of Professor Laura de Santelmo.
On March 1, 1956, she opened her first dance school in Madrid and from then until today, she continues to train dancers at the school that she now directs, the Africa Guzmán Ballet School.
Through the Polish Conservatory of Music and Dance, under the direction of its professor Raissa Kuzniecowa, Africa Guzmán continues to expand its pedagogical training, also distinguishing itself for its great choreographic skills.
In 1973, Africa Guzmán introduced in Spain the Royal Academy of Dance teaching system, of which she has been a Member Teacher ever since.
Under the teaching of Africa Guzmán, there are many generations of students who have graduated from the teaching systems of the Royal Academy of Dance, the Royal Professional Dance Conservatory of Madrid, the Royal Superior Dance Conservatory of Córdoba and ACADE (Association of Dance Centers). Self-Employed Private Education).
In November 1986, and with the aim of improving opportunities for young students with a future projection, Africa Guzmán created her own dance company the BALLET JOVEN ÁFRICA GUZMAN, together with her daughters María Europa Guzmán as Artistic Director and Julietta de Oceanía as repeater, so that these promising young dancers have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience and thus develop their future experience for the dedication of this art. In its 20 years of existence until 2006, the company performed a multitude of performances in different theaters and cultural centers nationwide.
In July 1993 she created the AFRICA GUZMAN SCHOLARSHIP, which subsidizes those students whose faculties and good qualities are promising for dance.
From 1995 to 2000, Africa Guzmán is part of the Board of Directors of the Dance Sector of ACADE, (Association of autonomous private education centers). He has collaborated as a guest court in the exams that this association organizes for free students of Classical Dance for many years. He has also created and directed the activity “Friday with Acade”, dance shows that bring together different schools nationwide.
In 2017, Africa Guzmán received the European Gold Medal for Work Merit from the European Association for Economics and Competitiveness. Award given to his ballet school founded in 1956 for more than 60 years training dancers and dedicated with great success to the world of dance.
Since its inception there are many students who after their academic training at the Africa Guzmán Ballet School have become professional dancers in different Dance Companies such as the Royal Ballet of London, the National Dance Company, the Montecarlo Ballet, the Netherland Dance Theater, the Bordeaux Ballet, the Ballet du Capitol, the Mainz Ballet, etc. and many who have accessed professional schools such as the Royal Ballet School, The School of American Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Bush Davies School, the Contemporary Dance School, etc. and several teachers who are currently in charge of their own schools.
There are numerous national and international awards that Africa Guzmán has achieved with its ballet school over the years, such as the Prix de Laussanne, Prix Carpeuax, the Verona dance competition, the Valencianne competition, the National City ballet competition of Torrelavega, etc.
Africa Guzmán has invited numerous teachers to collaborate with her Ballet school, among which we highlight:
Maya Plisetskaya, Julio Bocca, Juanjo Linares, Sallie Lewies, Jose Racero, June Christian, Luis del Río, Raissa Kuzniecowa, Patricia Mc Donald, Debora Wayne, Arcadio Carbonell, Gonzalo García, Carlos López, Raúl Tino, Alícia de la Corte, Aurora Bosch, Karemia Moreno, Lizz Burr, George Christoff, June English, Dagmara Brown, Jorge Orozco, Regla Ortega, Azorín, William Spencer, Laura Morera, Ricardo Cervera, Antonio Calero, Karen Waldie, Justin Meissner, Francisco Lorenzo, Javier Monzón, Eduardo Vallejo, Clyde Archer, Luisa María Arias.
It is worth noting the collaborations that the Africa Guzmán Ballet School has carried out dancing with Maya Plisetskaya and the Ballet of the National Lyrical Theater in Isadora Duncan premiered at the Teatro de la Zarzuela 1989 for several seasons.
The Africa Guzmán Ballet School was invited by José Carlos Martínez to create his Nutcracker with the National Dance Company, premiering it at the Teatro Real in Madrid in 2018.
Since the beginning of her school, Africa Guzmán has organized end-of-year festivals as a fundamental part of the development of her students’ training.
She has also participated and collaborated in prestigious artistic events such as:
International Dance Day Gala in Madrid (Community of Madrid)
Madrid in Dance at the Royal Professional Dance Conservatory
International Lions Club of Madrid (Charity Galas)
Manos Unidas in Talavera de la Reina (Charity Galas)
International Dance Day Gala in El Escorial
International Human Rights Day (Charity Galas)
Madrid capital of culture 1992 within the Tribuna de la Danza contest
Christmas festivals in “Casa de Vacas” in Madrid’s Retreat organized by the Madrid City Council
Dance conventions organized by ACADE
XVIII Cervantine Music Conference of Alcalá de Henares
Foundation for mentally handicapped children of “El Mar de Yaki” (Charity Galas)
60th Anniversary of the British Council in Spain
21st century project (charity galas)
APADIS, National Association of Parents of Handicapped Children (Charity Galas)
Durante más de medio siglo son muchos los teatros de ámbito nacional en los que la Escuela de Ballet Africa Guzmán ha actuado destacando el Teatro de La Zarzuela, el teatro Español, el teatro María Guerrero, el teatro Monumental , el teatro Calderón, el teatro Albeniz, el teatro Conde Duque, el teatro de Madrid, el teatro de La Villa de Madrid, etc.
Junto con su hija y directora Africa Guzmán crea en 2020 África Guzmán Dance Project, Compañía de Danza que ofrece un amplio repertorio de diferentes estilos con el que destaca la versatilidad que caracteriza a esta compañía. AGDP ofrecer al bailarín su primera experiencia en el mundo profesional.
