Jean-Léon Destiné

Jean-Léon Destiné (March 26, 1918 – January 22, 2013)

Early life Destiné was born in Saint Marc, Haiti to middle-class parents. His father worked for the government and his mother was a seamstress. When Destine returned home to Haiti they assigned him to be a cultural ambassador for the Haitian government to educate people on Haitian art and dance to increase tourism in Haiti. He led his country's dance troupe known as La Troupe Folklorique Nationale and taught many people how to dance. He produced and choreographed some of the biggest Haitian dances in the United States. Destiné would go on to perform and choreograph at Jacob's Pillow until 1970. He later returned in 2004 to direct the Cultural Traditions Program. He choreographed and performed with his Haitian Dance Troupe and drummers Aphlonse Cimber and Eder Calvin on April 30, 1965, at the Frank Loomis Palmer Auditorium at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut.

In 2003, Destiné reviewer a program at Symphony Space and he also performed in it.

He also received awards for his role in Witch Doctor at the Venice and Edinburgh Film Festivals, which also received the first Omnibus. Martinique (1950) Fantasie D'amour (1950) Initiation of the Hounsi (1951) Village Festival (circa 1965) Creole Songs (circa 1965)