Born in Cuba and based in the United States since 2019, Irene Rodríguez is an internationally renowned Spanish dance artist, choreographer, and educator. In 2018, she was awarded the Orden Isabel la Católica by the King of Spain, one of the country’s highest civilian honors.
A former Principal Dancer and choreographer with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Rodríguez has also worked as a style and choreography consultant within the Spanish repertory. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and a master’s degree in Theoretical Dance Studies from the University of the Arts of Cuba.
Rodríguez has performed to critical acclaim in major theaters and festivals worldwide, including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Joyce Theater, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and New York City Center. She has lectured, taught, and choreographed for leading institutions such as The Juilliard School, Cincinnati Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, San Jose Ballet, and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
In 2012, she founded Compañía Irene Rodríguez and directed Havana’s leading Spanish dance academy. Since settling in Tampa, Florida, she serves as Resident Choreographer and teacher at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
