Dominican Cultural Commission Will Honor Dominican Folklorist and Dancer Josefina Miniño

New York, June 27, 2019 – As a way to honor the successful career of Dominican dancer Josefina Miniño, also known as “The Professor,” a special team headed by Rosa Guray will honor her trajectory during a special event planned for June 28, 2019, at 6:00 p.m., at the Ministry of Culture’s Dominican Cultural Commission in the United States.

The event will take place at the Center’s Rafael Villalona Theater, situated at 541 West 145th Street, in Manhattan, New York.

Josefina Miniño has dedicated most of her life to Dominican folklore: “her Temple,” as she calls it. “Sharing my experiences with today’s generation, as well as future generations, is my commitment to my country,” explained Miniño.
“This is why we want to invite the general public to join us so that together we may honor this symbol of our national culture, who has taught us about our origins for more than 60 years,” explained Rosa Guray through a press release. “We can’t miss this opportunity of seeing a marvelous program dedicated to one of the most important symbols of our artistic history.”

The Dominican Cultural Commission would like to clarify that this event is not organized by the Commission but rather by Rosa Guray and a team of independent admirers. However, the Commission highlights that it supports this and any other event that honors Josefina Miniño because she is considered to be one of the country’s most important artists.

“The Professor” has represented the country in national and international festivals, specifically in Madrid, Berlin, Taiwan, China and Japan, where she had the opportunity to present her work and her talent.

The special presentation to honor Miniño is dedicated to all those who wish to witness a top-quality event that is unique and different. It will be an exceptional evening, dedicated to an exceptional woman.

Josefina Miniño is the first dancer and choreographer to bring her folkloric program to Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, both in New York City.
Professor Miniño is planning to write her memoirs, where she will include her travels through the cultural history of the Dominican Republic. At the same time, the book hopes to highlight the country’s historic patrimony and will be a reference guide for future generations.

“In the book I will not only speak about myself, but will also speak of Casandra Damirón and Fradique Lizardo, the creators of the National Folklore Ballet, as well as other personalities of Dominican culture,” explained Professor Miniño.

During the event, Councilperson Ydanis Rodríguez will present “The Professor” with a special proclamation to honor her lifelong career.

Josefina Miniño (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, b. 1942) is a profesional dancer and professor who has dedicated her career to Dominican folklore, classical ballet, top jazz, Spanish dances, acrobatic dances and Dominican Afro-Jazz culture.
She is one of the Dominican Republic’s top cultural figures and founder of the folkloric movement in the Greater Caribbean region. She is also a precursor of women artists in Dominican television programming. She was first ballerina and Director of the Popular Dance School of the State-run television station.
She is the first Dominican woman to present a Dominican folklore program in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and the first to take the country’s National Ballet to Japan.
Miniño also contributed to the promotion and visibility of Dominican women artists.