Folk Arts - Master Artist - Roberto Borrell

Born in Havana, Cuba, Roberto Borrell learned traditional Afro-Cuban songs and dance by watching the masters of his community. Since moving to the United States, he has performed in various festivals across the country, reclaiming traditional aspects of African culture and winning a number of awards in the process.

As the recipient of a 1994 Apprenticeship grant, Borrell taught Afro-Cuban dance and music to Mark Lilly. Borrell focused on teaching specific dance techniques and their related social significance and religious symbolism.

Mark Lilly lives in Seattle, Washington and studied Afro-Cuban dance as a student at Portland State University, in Oregon. From his studies, he found that Americans often appropriate dance from other cultures to develop the technical aspects, while neglecting social and spiritual aspects. A goal for his apprenticeship was to share Afro-Cuban dance with others (particularly Latino and African-American communities) in hopes of showing the similarities between African and Latino cultures and dispelling the negativity that surrounds African-based religions. Lilly hoped to use what he learned to strengthen the social and cultural bonds in his community by empowering individuals with knowledge of African history, dance, and music. He anticipated sharing his passion for dance with at-risk youth, offering dance as a constructive alternative for young people in the midst of the challenges they face.