Octavio Martin, Assistant Ballet Master

A native of Havana, Cuba, Martin received his training at the Cuban National Ballet School, joining the National Ballet of Cuba in 1994, and in 2001 was promoted to Primer  Bailarin. In 2004 Martin was awarded the Alejo Carpentier medal, one of the highest honors an artist can receive in Cuba. For two years he was a Principal Guest Artist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada and in 2006 he joined The Sarasota Ballet, rising to Principal Dancer in 2008, where he danced leading roles in ballets by Ashton, Balanchine, de Valois, and Wheeldon. From 2012 to 2017 Martin served as Artistic Director of Brandon Ballet and returned to The Sarasota Ballet in 2017 as an Education faculty member. This Season Martin was promoted to Assistant Ballet Master with the Company.