For nearly three decades, performances by Cuba's Danza Voluminosa regularly filled prestigious venues like the 2,000-seat National Theater. Directed by Juan Miguel Mas, the troupe pioneered a new movement by working exclusively with larger-bodied dancers, a creative process that was captured in a Canadian documentary.

Today, the 60-year-old dancer and choreographer from Havana is far from the big stages where he once thrived and rehearsed alongside professional artists. Instead, he spends his days conducting dance workshops and classes for children and coordinating performances within his community.

Like many Cubans navigating one of the island's worst economic crises in decades, Mas' daily life has been upended by persistent blackouts, water outages, soaring costs and a lack of transportation.