Renowned Latin dancer teaching at Wheeling High School this week

A renowned Cuban dancer will teach at Wheeling High School this week as part of an Illinois Arts Council grant the school's dance program received.

Victor Alexander begins his five-day residency Tuesday and will teach three daily master classes to dance and Orchesis students. He will also conduct an after-school workshop with dancers and members of Wheeling's Latino Club.

Alexander, a native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, is the resident director of the Ruth Page School of Dance and trained at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) in Havana. He was a principal dancer for the prominent Contemporánea de Cuba from 1992 to 2002, when he relocated to Chicago. He has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Luna Negra Dance Theater. He was included in Dance Magazine's prestigious "25 to Watch in 2013."

His residency culminates with a 7:30 p.m. demonstration on Thursday, Feb. 26, also the opening night of Wheeling Orchesis's main concert: Cirque De Dance. The concert will also be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28.

In addition to a range of student-choreographed works, dancers worked with five guest artists this season, including Marc Marcaranas of Lucky Plush, international ballroom dancer Tommye Giacchino, Leah Fiore of Inaside Dance, Corey Lozier former Jump Rhythm Jazz member and Wheeling Orchesis alumna Tanya Steinberg.

The Feb. 26 concert includes guest dancers from the Illinois Arts Council Residency. The Feb. 27 concert includes dancers participating in the Apprentice Project and the Feb. 28 show brings Wheeling Orchesis alumna Rachael Fromkin to the stage. Tickets are $8 at the door. The school is at 900 S. Elmhurst Road.

On Sunday, March 8, at 5 p.m., Wheeling hosts the 21st Dance for Life's Next Generation, featuring nine youth dance companies. The benefit has raised more than $187,000 for charities Dance for Life and The Children's Place Association.