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An Orisha is a spiritual being or presence that is interpreted as one of the manifestations of GOD (Olofi). Yemaya is one of the most intelligent and mighty deities.  She is the mother of all and rules over the ocean. She is the maternal force of life and creation. But can we find her attributes in a man? By projecting four male identities onto a female deity we find Yemayo. In this contemporary choreography filtered through ballet and Cuban folkloric dance, music, religion and daily rituals, Julio questions pervasive notions of masculinity in Hispano-American culture and the contradictions of metro-sexual man. A mutual understanding and shaping of a new equilibrium materializes within this intercultural and intergenerational duality of the sexes.

Julio Hong was born in Havana in 1975 where he earned a Diploma in Classical Ballet from the National School of Arts (ENA) and a Master’s degree in Dramaturgy and Theatre from the Superior Institution of Art (ISA) in Cuba. 

In 1999, Julio moved to Montreal to join Marie Chouinard, where he danced for 6 years. Since 2005, Julio has worked as an independent dancer, choreographer, and instructor. Julio has performed in musicals such as Motown, Joe Dassin and Sherazade; participated in the popular television show Le Match des Étoile; and worked with Victor Quijada in the Rubberbandance Group. Julio is seen as an expert in Latin American folkloric dance, popular Cuban dance, ballet and contemporary dance. He headed the dance department for the School of arts scenes in Joliette, dedicated to educating high school drop-outs. He teaches at local schools and at his own school, the Afro Cuban Association of Montreal. He is also an Artistic Consultant for the Northern Lights School of Dance in Whitehorse since 2004 and for the union des municipalités du québec since 2010.

Julio creates using a fusion of styles and a philosophy of dance that is said to have the capacity to transform even an amateur dancer into something beautiful, creative and original.