PERIDANCE FACULTY
Current
Diego Funes
Theater, Stretch
BIOGRAPHY
Diego Funes is one of New York’s leading Contemporary Dance instructors and choreographers. His choreography has graced world stages. For over 15 years, he has created choreography inspired by his ballet, gymnastics and worldwide dancing career, featuring kinetic, exciting and unconventional solo and group pieces that challenge and inspire dancers and students.
He has taught and choreographed all over the world, including London, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Norway, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, and throughout the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, St. Louis, Kansas City, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. His credits as a dancer/choreographer include major works in dance theatre, musical theatre, film and television.
Diego’s choreography is highly athletic, with strong elements of classical dance and contemporary movement and expression that categorize both his work with students and with the de funes dance company, the corps he founded in 2006.
Diego trained in gymnastics from the age of four. As a teenager, he studied at the prestigious School of American Ballet, prior to dancing with Cincinnati Ballet, The New York City Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and Baletto del Sud.
He went on tour throughout Europe, later returning to the United States to break into musical theatre. His musical credits as a dancer include Cats, Hello, Dolly!, Riverdance, Anything Goes, A Chorus Line and The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. He choreographed acclaimed productions of Beauty and the Beast, Hello, Dolly!, And the World Goes Round, Zorba!, Leader of the Pack, the first New York revival of Subways Are for Sleeping and shows for Tokyo Disney.
He danced in numerous videos for MTV and with headlining music artists such as Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston and Will Smith.
In 2007, he choreographed the major motion picture, P.S. I Love You, directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Gerard Butler and Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank.
Diego lives in New York City, where he is the Youth Ensemble Director at Peridance Center. He also teaches at Ballet Arts at City Center and at Pace University
Check out Diego Funes webiste: https://www.defunesdance.com/about
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Class Description: Stretch
Join Diego Funes for a transformative stretching class that will increase your flexibility, improve your body alignment, and enhance your overall well-being. This unique and immersive class is designed to guide students through a series of interconnected exercises that target key areas, including:
Hip flexors: Release tension and improve range of motion in the hips and pelvis.
Spine: Enhance flexibility and alignment in the neck, thoracic, and lumbar regions.
Hamstrings: Lengthen and strengthen the muscles in the back of the legs.
Through a focus on breathing, relaxation, and mind-body connection, students will develop a deeper understanding of their body and its potential. Diego's expert instruction and guidance will help you:
Increase flexibility and mobility
Improve posture and body alignment
Reduce muscle tension and stress
Enhance athletic performance and overall physical awareness
Diego is fluent in multiple languages, allowing him to conduct the class in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Italian
*Stretch by Diego Funes is a copyrighted class, and any reproduction or adaptation without permission is prohibited.
Join Diego for a stretching experience like no other, and discover a deeper connection with your body and mind.
Class Description: Theater
Join Diego Funes’ dynamic Theater Dance class, where technique meets performance! This high-energy class is designed to refine your technical skills, enhance your physicality, and develop your artistic expression.
Class Structure:
Begin with a comprehensive warm-up, focusing on technical and physical preparation, including alignment, flexibility, and strength.
Progress to a series of across-the-floor exercises, emphasizing style, turns, and jumps, tailored to the demands of theater dance.
Culminate in a choreographed phrase, developed over two weeks, with a focus on performance quality.
Every third week, we'll film your performance, allowing you to refine your stage presence and musicality.
Class Goals:
Expand your technical proficiency in theater dance
Develop your unique style and artistry
Enhance your musicality and versatility
Cultivate interpretative skills and expression
Join Diego for a challenging and rewarding class that will take your theater dance skills to the next level!