Born in Havana in 1973, Carlos trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba with many of its most influential teachers, including Ramona de Sáa. From 1989 to 1991 Carlos performed throughout the world, guesting with several companies including the Compagnia Teatro Nuovo di Torino in Italy, where he danced alongside Luciana Savignano.

In 1990 he won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne, the Grand Prix at the 4th biennial Concours International de Danse de Paris, Vignale Danza Prize in Italy and Frédéric Chopin Prize, awarded by the Polish Artistic Corporation.

Upon the invitation of Ivan Nagy, Carlos was invited to dance as a principal with the English National Ballet in London during their 1991/92 season. He made his debut in the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor and also appeared in Cinderella (partnering Eva Evdokimova and Ludmila Semenyaka), Le Spectre de la Rose, Les Sylphides, and also as the Prince in Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker.

In 1991 he won the Prize for Merit in the Young Talent Competition, Positano, in Italy, the Italian Osimodanza Prize and the Grand Prix at Cuba's prestigious Union of Writers and Artists (UNEAC) competition.

Carlos danced with the National Ballet of Cuba for six months during 1992/93 under Alicia Alonso. In October 1993 and September 1994 he toured with the company to Madrid, Spain, where he danced various roles including Albrecht in Giselle, Basilio in Don Quixote and Siegfried in Swan Lake.