Leadership & Team

Javier Torres

Managing Director

From Cuba, Javier is considered one of the best Cuban dancers of his generation, a driven artist with a knack for dance and its business. A former Premier Dancer with Cuban National Ballet & Northrn Ballet and a demonstrated history of working in the performing arts industry. His over two decades of professional experience and artistic expertise span the entire spectrum from acclaimed professional dancer to executive cultural manager.

He is passionate and skilled in Research, Dance Education, Dance Leadership, Communication & Business strategy.

He is a Vice-Chair with Serendipity-UK, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO).

He holds a BA Hons in Business Management and Leadership Practices and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Cumbria. He is demonstrably an adaptable and competent professional, unfazed by the demands of the dance industry.
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Team

Ludovic Ondiviela

AATH+18 Artistic Lead

Originally from France dancer and choreographer Ludovic Ondiviela is a former dancer of The Royal Ballet.

Ondiviela was born in Perpignan, aged 11 he entered the Paris Opera Ballet School and aged 13 he Marseille Studio Ballet Colette Armand, before training at

The Royal Ballet Upper School on a Prix de Lausanne scholarship.

Other awards included -Silver medal at the 2000 Concours International de Danse, Paris - Gold medal at the Roseta Mauri Competition in 2002.

In his graduation year he performed the lead role in Christopher Wheeldonʼs Le Voyage and the first movements Principal couple in Kenneth MacMillanʼs Concerto at the Schoolʼs annual matinee.

Ondivielaʼs repertory with the Royal Ballet included Bronze Idol (La Bayadère), Hans-Peter/Nutcracker (The Nutcracker), Tom Thumb (Tales of Beatrix Potter), Alain (La fille mal gardée), Kolia (A Month in the Country) Puck (The Dream). Symphonic Variations, Swan Lake Pas de trois, Les Patineurs- Blue Boy

He also created principal roles in Alastair Mariottʼs Children of Adam , Wayne Macgregor”s Chroma, Infra. Limen, Carbon Life , Christopher Weeldonʼs Alice in Wonderland

Since leaving the Royal Ballet Ludovic has choreographed - Dopamine, you make my levels go silly- Ballet Black -Lost- Ballet Ireland -Cassandra -Royal Ballet, Royal Opera house -4 times 4 -Gandini Juggling - Sliver Of Sky - Amnesty International, SW (Royal Ballet, ENB, Rambert) - Activia commercial directed by Jordan Scott

- Julien Davidʼs catwalk- Paris Fashion week - La Ronde (ROH rehearsal and development) - Giselle- Ballet Ireland/ Edinburgh festival -Insomniac Fables- Makeshift Company, Helsinki - untitled- Scottish Ballet (rehearsal and development) Huis Clos Montreux Festival (Paris Opera)

- Systeme AI Men In Motion/ Ukrainian National Ballet at Saddlerʼs wells

Ludovic has also completed a professional drama training course at the Actors Temple in London learning the Meisner technic of Acting.

Ludovic has taught ballet and choreography classes for Danceworks London, Vanessa palmer school of Dance. Royal Ballet School, Ballet Ireland. Ballet Black.

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Luanda Pau

Education & Community Programmes Artistic Programmer Manager

From Cuba, Luanda comes from a legendary dance family in Havana. Her mum Rosa Baquero was the artistic director and choreographer of the famous Cabaret ``Parisien & Tropicana de Cuba``, and her da is the legendary Afro-Cuban dance Maestro Domingo Pau.

Before starting her dance career, Luanda was in athletics. In 1991 she began her studies at the National School of Arts, where she remained until 1994. Later she entered the renowned National Folkloric Ballet of Cuba (NFBC), where she danced as a soloist and principal dancer. She is a master in the role of Oya and Yemayá. She was also a solo dancer in the cabaret show at the Casino de Montecarlo in Monaco.

She graduated with a bachelor's in cultural activities and sports & education and has an extensive history working with children and adults as an independent dance teacher.
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Nauris Buksevics

Communications/content & Social Media Engagement Officer

Founder and director of a London-based production company, Poetry Film Productions, since 2015. After graduating in film production from Brighton Metropolitan College in 2014, he embarked on an explortion of contemporary arts, performance arts, athletics, and movement through the digital film medium. He soon began to specialize in content creation, encompassing still photography and video. As a full-time freelance videographer, his commissions span across various genres, including documentary, short film, dance film, music videos, business campaigns, and promotional content for the social media platforms of businesses and individuals.

Within a few years, his production company has produced compelling content for prestigious organizations such as London Fashion Week, Ballet Black Dance Company, Rambert Dance Company, M/Darbnica venue, Riga Last Thursdays event, McNicol Ballet Collective, Fall for Dance North Festival, and the Yuul Yie contemporary shoe label brand, to name just a few.

Born in June 1986, he originally hailed from the former USSR, which subsequently became the independent state of the Republic of Latvia again in 1991. He grew up in the country's capital, Riga, during challenging and transformative times, witnessing the collapse of a regime and the rebuilding of a new cultural identity. In his early adulthood in 1999, he spent time in Toronto, Canada, before relocating to England in 2010. These diverse experiences exposed him to various cultures, lifestyles, and mentalities, all rich in heritage, culture, and the arts, which have significantly influenced him as an artist and continue to inform his practice as a filmmaker and photographer to this day.

Nauris is now engaged with the Acosta Dance Foundation and the Acosta Dance Centre. Serving as the Communication and Media Engagement Officer, he aims to leverage his expertise to develop and expand the foundation's presence and outreach through innovative communication strategies and compelling media engagement. This new endeavor marks a significant step in his journey, and he looks forward to contributing his skills to this dynamic dance community.
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Juliette Lee

Development Officer

After graduating with a degree in Politics & Spanish at the University of Bristol, Juliette was selected to be part of the competitive Charityworks graduate scheme, designed to grow leadership talnt and fill skills gaps in the non-profit sector. Through this she was employed as People & Development Assistant at Poplar HARCA, an award-winning social housing association in Tower Hamlets.

Despite having spent most of her life living on the island of Anglesey in North Wales, she credits her passion for Latin and Afro-Latin music and dance to the 4 years she lived in The Dominican Republic. In her final year of university, she was elected as President of the Student Union’s Salsa Society.

In her role as Development Officer, she will have responsibilities across the breadth of fundraising with a key role in developing and maintaining strong relationships with new and current donors, as well as developing a variety of fundraising initiatives.
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Victor Francis

Venue Manager

Victor with a background in accounting but a passion for business management, embarked on his professional journey after completing his studies. His career unfolded at a burgeoning furniture company, here he assumed the role of office manager. In this dynamic environment, Victor embraced a multi-disciplinary role, requiring hands-on involvement across various departments, including marketing and IT. Driven by a keen eye for opportunities and a love for the cultural movement, Victor encountered the vibrant atmosphere at ADC, a local organisation. Captivated by the prospect of contributing to this new and dynamic entity, he eagerly joined ADC, aspiring to be an integral part of its growth and success.... READ MORE

Heian Perón Araujo

Acosta Danza Academy Coordinator

Born in Havana, Cuba, Heian spent her childhood between Moscow, Berlin and Havana. In 1994 she moved to Mexico, where she continued her secondary and high school studies. In 2002 she graduated with a achelor's in Psychology from the Autonomous Metropolitan University. She holds Master studies in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and a Doctorate in Fundamentals and Development of Psychoanalytic from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. She is part of the Acosta Danza founder's group and the Company's manager. She also coordinates the Acosta Danza Academy operations between Cuba and the UK.... READ MORE

Aymara

Aymara Vasallo

Acosta Danza Academy Director

Graduated from the Alejo Carpentier Ballet Elementary School and the National Ballet School in Havana-Cuba, Aymara is a retired professional dancer and now a ballet teacher. She danced at the NationalBallet of Cuba under the artistic-technical direction of Alicia Alonso, where she reached the category of First Soloist. In May 2017, she graduated with a Degree in Dance Art from the University of the Arts (ISA).

She worked as a ballet teacher at the National School of Ballet Fernando Alonso from 2016 to 2019. Since her retirement as a dancer in 2018, she began working at the Acosta Danza Academy as a ballet teacher and assistant director. In September 2022, she became the Acosta Danza Academy Director.
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Simon Atkinson

Education & Community Programmes Coordinator

Simon is a master in Capoeria Angola (1st foreign, non-Brazilian and recognised in Brazil), a musician and a fluent Portuguese speaker. He has taught, promoted and practiced Brazilian Capoeira Angola or over thirty-five years. He attended the School for Social Entrepreneurs to use Brazilian culture to impact local communities in the UK positively; he is also the director of CapRumba.

After graduating from The School for Social Entrepreneurs, Simon worked as a freelance teacher. He has vast experience delivering workshops, talks, assemblies, and demonstrations in colleges, schools, universities, community centres and festivals in London and the south of England.

Some regular teaching and performing examples:

Bobby Moore Academy September 2022

Eton Collage 1999–2004 - assembly and weekly classes Oxford University 1998-present

Torriano Primary School

Rushmore Primary School After-school club

Roots of Rumba Presentation - 2016

Grand Union Orchestra & Capoeira East London collaboration Music workshop - 2015

Glastonbury Festival 2009 - public demonstrations

Womad Festival - 2003-2005 - public demonstrations

Haggerston Girls School, Hackney - 1997-2002

Sebright School, Hackney - 2009, as an enrichment learning teacher

St Mary Magdalene Academy Autumn in 2008 as an enrichment teacher Rosetta Primary School - 2007–2009

Glenthorne High School, Surrey - 2008 –2009

Among others.
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