‘Men Who Dance’ Festival: Six Years Of Breaking Down Stereotypes

Dancers Taylor Garcez, Daniel Romero, Duam Castro, and Tobias Souza in “On The Sixth Day” by Rafi Maldonado-López, the opening number of the 2024 Men Who Dance Festival. This year’s festival, at the Broward Center, is set for 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29 and 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30. (Photo by Simon Soong, courtesy of the Men Who Dance Festival).

Six years of history has demonstrated the triumph “Men Who Dance.” Since its inception, the initiative has set out to, and succeeded in, setting a decisive precedent for breaking down stereotypes and prejudices that have long hindered the development of male dance.

The “Men Who Dance Festival 2025,” in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, is set for 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29 and 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30.

Brazilian dancer Iago Breschi, of the San Diego Ballet, in “On The Sixth Day” by Rafi Maldonado López, the opening number of the 2024 Men Who Dance Festival. (Photo by Simon Soong, courtesy of the Men Who Dance Festival)

Rafi Maldonado-López, festival artistic director, says that this year, the “Men Who Dance” has its biggest lineup of dancers and companies yet, having grown from the small number of participants in its early days to 52 dancers representing more than twenty countries.

In its first year, fifteen dancers took to the stage after an eight-month quarantine during the pandemic. “It was an overwhelming and emotional moment for all of us to be back in front of an audience, doing what we are most passionate about: dancing,” recalls Maldonado-López, a multidisciplinary dancer, choreographer, managing director of the Sanctuary of the Arts cultural center, and founder of the Inter-American Choreographic Institute.

Today, he says, it is the largest male dance festival in the United States.

“We never imagined that our adventure was just beginning, and some bet that contacting the South Florida dance community and asking them to join forces would be an impossible task.”

A dance festival of this nature brings with it numerous achievements, but also deeply rooted challenges that require unwavering courage and a firm grasp of the role played by art, artists, and the institutions that support them, especially when issues of gender and diversity are at stake.

Dancer Ataru Matsuya, of the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, in “Taiko Man” by Vladimir Issaev. (Photo by Simon Soong, courtesy of the Men Who Dance Festival)

“Decades ago, when I was growing up and starting my career as a dancer, the world was very different. Dancers, especially in classical ballet, were subjected to ridicule and overwhelming stereotypes. Parents shuddered at the idea of their sons enrolling in dance classes,” says Maldonado-López. “While we are still not without problems, things have slowly improved, and we are seeing more and more men joining professional companies.”

Eight major companies are returning to this year’s festival: Miami City Ballet (MCB), Dance NOW! Miami (DNM), Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami (CCBM), Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami (DDTM), RTW Dance, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida (ABTF), New Canon Chamber Collective, and Syncopate Dance Collective.

Joining them are five other companies including, Jon Lehrer Dance Company (New York), Tropilla Malambo (Buenos Aires), Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre (Chicago), and C.A.M. Dance Company (Davie, Florida). Not forgetting Enterprise (Arizona), the first company of Native American dancers to perform at the 2025 Men Who Dance Festival.

Dancers Anthony Velázquez, David Harris, and Ralphie Ruiz, of AV Dance Company, in “Triad” by Anthony Velázquez. (Photo by Simon Soong, courtesy of Men Who Dance Festival)

“This year, the biggest challenge has been maintaining the festival’s international character. This is due to delays or denials of international visas, even though the vast majority of the dancers representing various countries already reside in the country,” says Maldonado-López.

He comments on the current arts climate in the state of Florida but emphasizes that “Men Who Dance” is not about an agenda.

“Unfortunately, in recent years, the state of Florida has not supported any form of diversity, including gender diversity,” he adds. “Some might say that the legislative climate was becoming somewhat hostile to any group that wanted to celebrate and honor the historical contributions of women, Black people, Latinos, or any other diverse group.”

“ ‘Men Who Dance,’ ” says the director offers a space for expression and exploration. From Indigenous dance to ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, tango, flamenco, and malambo, the main objective of the festival is to normalize the presence of men in dance in all its disciplines, as well as to foster public support.”

But the work of the Men Who Dance Festival, its artistic director, its dancers, and its dedicated team doesn’t stop there, as its growth and activity naturally carry a global perspective.

Dancers/choreographers German Filipeli and Nicolas Filipeli, of Tango Out, in “Milonga.” (Photo by Simon Soong, courtesy of the Men Who Dance Festival)

“In 2021, we created ‘Men Who Dance Global.’ So far, we’ve held global editions in Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico,” explains Maldonado.

Its his production company, the Inter-American Choreographic Institute, which coordinates a three-day seminar/audition with local dance organizations, teachers, and companies.

“The featured artist then comes to represent their city and country at the national Festival here at the Broward Center. However, as I mentioned before, the visa situation has hampered the project’s progress.”

There are two goals he shares for the future of the festival.

“The first is to expand the Men Who Dance Festival seminars/auditions across the country and into Europe, increasing the Festival’s visibility and broadening the range of artists, for the benefit and enjoyment of our audience. The second is to seek out and support the next generation of ‘men who dance’ and achieve their inclusion in the larger Festival.”

He credits the camaraderie that forms each year among dancers, companies and  artistic directors.

“It is the driving force behind the festival’s exponential growth.”

WHAT: Men Who Dance Festival 2025 

WHERE: Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts,  201 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale

WHEN: 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20

COST: $29.50, $41.30, $53.10, includes fees

INFORMATION: www.browardcenter.org

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