Raul Cruz

Raul Cruz joined Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2022 and is an instructor in the Dance Division, specializing in commercial dance composition and performance, hip-hop history, and dance technique classes.

Commercially, Cruz has worked with pop artists Thea Austin, Rhythm Is a Dancer, Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas, and the boy band Frequency 5, whose concerts have aired on MTV in the United States and Asia. He has made two appearances on MADtv and was a dancer and choreographer for many Los Angeles and Orange County industry events. Cruz also was a principal dancer and dance captain for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. His interdisciplinary work was showcased in a self-choreographed, self-produced, and self-directed show entitled Moodswings.  

Cruz currently works and choreographs with the artist Hotel Lobby, a professional DJ/production duo whose work has been seen internationally. Cruz’s experience in the commercial field has fortified him with the tools to educate and train dancers whose goals are to work in the professional field of commercial dance. Within the scope of his teaching, he guides students through rehearsal etiquette, along with performance and audition techniques. Several of Cruz’s students have gone on to perform with Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez.

Cruz is an educator, dancer, choreographer, and mentor. He earned his Master of Fine Arts at California State University in Long Beach (CSULB) and his Bachelor of Arts at the University of California in Irvine (UCI). He has over 25 years of teaching experience in hip-hop and commercial hip-hop as well as classical and commercial jazz. He is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is influenced and inspired by both urban and codified techniques, giving students of all backgrounds an equal, full, and comprehensive dance experience.