Emerged at the end of 1972 at the Ángel Arturo Aballí pediatric hospital in the capital, at the initiative of the psychologist Georgina Fariñas García as a unique proposal that would integrate science and art to care for girls with aggressive behavior, psychoballet exceeded its initial purpose and today constitutes a procedure therapeutic applied in different conditions.
Just two months later, on February 21, 1973, and in that same health institution, our first ballerina overall Alicia Alonso and the first dancer Jorge Esquivel, offered the first demonstration class that marked the official beginning of this practice in Cuba.
Under the direction of the current master in Clinical Psychology and president of the National Psychoballet Group, Georgina Fariñas, and professor Laura Alonso, the project expanded its horizon and incorporated preventive and rehabilitation work.
Today there are around 25,000 people with special needs benefited in our country through this genuinely Cuban therapeutic procedure, where science and art come together to make them grow as human beings, integrate them into society and provide them with a higher quality of life.
Currently there are various branches and community projects that use psychoballet in working with blind or visually impaired children and young people, motor disabilities, autism spectrum syndrome, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, neurological and affective disorders.
Likewise, adults who may have the aforementioned problems or suffer from depressive states are treated.
Qualified in 2001 by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz as a contribution to the development of Cuban science and culture, through psychoballet people gain skill in body movements, release tensions, improve self-esteem and concentration, and achieve greater independence. to carry out their individual activities and insert themselves more favorably within the group, thus favoring their social interrelation.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of his birth in Cuba, during this week an International Psychoballet Meeting will be held in various settings in Old Havana, with the participation of invited groups and specialists from Mexico, Italy, Puerto Rico, Spain, along with to different Cuban projects.
Dedicated to teacher Laura Alonso, the scientific program of the event includes, among other activities, the holding of workshops on Music Therapy, Neuroaesthetics and Therapeutic Mothers, whose full incorporation into psychoballet groups has been key in improving the quality of life of their children.
