It is with great sorrow that we share news of the passing of one of our most beloved Teaching Artists, dancer and choreographer Alejandro Bahia.
With over 20 years of dance training and experience, Alejandro Bahia was one of Arts for Learning (A4L)’s most requested teaching artists. In addition to his specialization in Latin Dance and Ballroom technique, Alejandro was trained and performed in contemporary, ballet, salsa, and breakdancing. He was an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College and a dancer, manager and program director with Miami Contemporary Dance. He was featured on Good Morning America’s “Dancing on the Seas” production and on Sun Sports TV, where he taught basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal to dance salsa. He toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Central and South America.
For more than 10 years, A4L staff, teachers, interns and students had the honor of interacting with and learning from Alejandro. He brought lessons in history, science and language arts to life through dance, working with teachers and students in classroom and afterschool settings. Alejandro was an integral part of A4L’s ArtWorks internship program, spending four consecutive summer terms teaching dance and choreography to high school interns who came to him with an interest in dance, and left his studio with an understanding of the power of the art form as a vehicle for self-expression.
Alejandro was diagnosed with amyloidosis in June of 2016. He died on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at his home in Little Havana. He leaves a legacy of humility, kindness, passion and a pure love of dance in everyone he knew, especially his students.
Though our hearts are heavy, we are grateful to have many memories to cherish with one of Miami’s most vibrant artists.
