Alberto Valdes Ricard was born in Havana (Cuba) on December 3rd, 1966. Dancer and choreographer, he began his career by dancing at the young Cuban Society "Tercer Mundo" and participating in numerous international festivals. In 1986 he joined the "Conjunto Folklore" in Varadero, Cuba; in 1988 he joined the Ballet "Continental Cabaret" to join later on the “Society of the Tropicana in Cuba" in 1990 with which he remained until 1995 while touring all over the world. Alberto Valdes combines elegance and class with a strict professionalism that distinguish his teachings. His creative spirit can be noticed both in the creation of choreography and in the leading of exciting animation sets.
When teaching, he succeeds in creating interest and curiosity in people about the world of dance, having the ability to mix the Afro-Cuban dance with folk dances; Alberto is one of the first promoters in the study of the Afro-Cuban body gestures and popular behavior through the use of dancing. It’s definitely one of the first promoters of the "salsa" and "rueda de casino" in Italy, where he has resided permanently since in 1993 and where he has collected countless successes and important collaborations with some of the most successful dance schools in the country, especially because of his very artistic and professional teachings. He also worked with the institutions for which he edited public events and finally with the most important clubs in the latin scene. He was also part of the leading entertainment groups such as "A Solo Pueblo", "Otra Idea" and the dancer and founder of the group "Clave Negra" www.clavenegra.it. Clave Negra is today a well-known international group appreciated worldwide and in Europe.
In 1995 he was the promoter and creator of the "Holiday Cubabaila sea and culture,” a travel to the beautiful island of Cuba which consisted of combinig dancing skills with the study of the local culture; The event is now in its 10th edition and every year it brings an increasing number of participants from all over Italy. In 2001, given the increasing number of people coming from various Italian regions, interested in his lessons and work experience, he became the creator and host of "Meet Ajiacolatino," a vacation of 3-4 days in a mountain setting in which a set of different dancing types and styles is proposed to the students; the name "Ajiaco" is synonymous with the name "minestrone"in italian.
In 2000 and 2001 Valdes was the official “Maestro” of the World Salsa Congress in Italy known as the “Bacardi” Congress and always in the same year he performed during the final evening of the Congress, appearing on stage as a soloist with an original interpretation entitled "Salsa in the rain." In 2002 during the opening night at the World Salsa Congress (Pala Vobis, Milano) he introduced his current group Clave Negra which gained immediate recognition with the critics and the public. In 2003, Clave Negra performed at the World Salsa Congress at the Pala Catania, in Catania, Sicily and at the Congress Centre Lingotto in Turin, Piedmont. In December 2003 at the Palariccia in Rome, Valdes won the “Rueda de Casino” world cup performing the “Rueda Cubabaila.”
Alberto Valdes is a Master Technician; he graduated from FIDP (Italian Federation of Professional Dance) and from FIDS (Italian Dance Sport Federation;) he is a dancer, choreographer and entertainer.
