A doctoral investigation, 'Entre dos aguas: Historia de la danza española en Puerto Rico (1900–1960)', recently defended by dancer and researcher Jeanne d’Arc Simone Casas Panouze at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, aims to recover the forgotten history of Puerto Rican pioneers of Spanish dance. The study reconstructs the trajectories of eight Puerto Rican dancers who professionalized Spanish dance during the first half of the 20th century and analyzes how the discipline became institutionalized in Puerto Rico amidst colonialism, migration, and cultural diplomacy.
The research highlights the contributions of dancers such as Gilda Navarra, Milagros Vicente, Dorita Ortiz, and Gloria Belmonte, whose work was fundamental to the development of Spanish dance in Puerto Rico. Casas’ study reveals aspects of Puerto Rican identity, cultural relations with Spain and the US, and the role of cultural institutions in the mid-20th century.
The investigation shows that Spanish dance continued to thrive in Puerto Rico after the US invasion of 1898, with institutions like the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña and Ballets de San Juan promoting the art form.