YuliisthenicknamegiventoCarlosAcostabyhisfather,Pedro,whoconsidershimthesonofOgun,anAfricangodandafighter.AsachildYuliavoidsdisciplineandeducation,learningfromthestreetsofanimpoverishedandabandonedHavana.Hisfather,however,hasotherideas,andknowingthathissonhasanaturaltalentfordance,sendshimtotheNationalBalletSchoolofCuba.Despitehisrepeatedescapesandinitialpoorbehaviour,theboyisinevitablydrawntotheworldofdance,andbeginstoshapehislegendarycareerfromayoungage,becomingthefirstblackdancertobecastinsomeofthemostprestigiousballetroles,originallywrittenforwhitedancers,incompaniessuchastheHoustonBalletortheRoyalBalletinLondon.