Abdiel Figueroa Reyes
Contemporary
Wednesday 11:45am-1:15pm
Focused on contemporary movement, this class emphasizes physicality and musical dynamics, intentionally employing layered phrase work. In class, dancers will be guided through progressive warm-up circuits that build somatic awareness and improvisation, progressing from guided instruction to grounded movement and freeform exploration. Phrase work will articulate our focus on weight shifting, breath, and mixing power with nuance and clarity. It is an energetic workshop aimed at individual exploration.
Abdiel Figueroa Reyes (He/They) was born and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, before moving to the United States in 2011. He graduated from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts with a Dance Major in 2016, after beginning his professional dance training as a studio company member at The Rock Center for Dance. He then joined Contemporary West Dance Theater as an apprentice and later entered Hubbard Street’s Professional Program, where he refined his skills under esteemed mentors. In 2019, he became a company member of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where he continued to develop his artistry until 2024. Figueroa's achievements include being named one of the "Top 25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2020 and one of four Latinx dancers breaking boundaries that same year. He was awarded the Princess Grace Award in 2022, recognizing his exceptional talent and contributions to the field. Recently, he was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Local Chicago 2023 for his commitment to innovative dance and has plans to pursue a Master’s degree. He is also embarking on a choreography journey, creating works for various collectives, such as BOYKIN TWO and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Inside/Out, commissioned from the University of Chicago TAPS 2025. Figueroa is an adjudicator with the Youth America Grand Prix foundation and is a recipient of the Marcella Hymowitz Choreographic Fellowship Award 2025. He aims to highlight his queer Latin American experience through innovative narrative choreography, aspiring to challenge the boundaries of traditional concert dance.