Alicia Alonso (born Alicia Ernestina de la Caridad del Cobre Martínez del Hoyo; 21 December 1920 – 17 October 2019) was a Cuban

prima ballerina assoluta ''Prima ballerina assoluta'' is a title awarded to the most notable of female ballet dancers. To be recognised as a ''prima ballerina assoluta'' is a rare honour, traditionally reserved for the most exceptional dancers of their generation. Orig ...

and

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whose company became the Ballet Nacional de Cuba in 1955. She is best known for her portrayals of Giselle and the ballet version of ''Carmen''. From the age of nineteen, Alonso was afflicted with an eye condition and became partially blind. Her partners always had to be in the exact place she expected them to be, and she used lights in different parts of the stage to guide herself.

Early life

Alonso was born "on the outskirts" of

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Spanish descent on both sides. Alonso began dancing as a child. At the age of nine in 1929, the family moved to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

were Alonso stayed for a year and half, there she studied and learnt typical Spanish dances, such as the Jota, Malagueñas and

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among others. In June 1931 returning to Cuba she began studying ballet at Sociedad Pro-Arte Musical in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Nikolai Yavorsky. She performed publicly for the first time on 29 December 1931, aged 11. Her first serious debut was in

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

's ''

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'' at the Teatro Auditorium on 26 October 1932. Early in her career in Cuba, she danced under the name of Alicia Martínez. Progress in her lessons came to an abrupt halt in 1937 when Alonso fell in love with a fellow ballet student,

Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver who competes in Formula One for Aston Martin in Formula One, Aston Martin. Alonso has won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won in and with ...

, whom she married at age 16. The couple moved to New York City, hoping to begin their professional careers. There they found a home with relatives on the

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, near Riverside Drive. She gave birth to a daughter, Laura, in 1938, but continued her training at the

School of American Ballet The School of American Ballet (SAB) is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the age of six, with professional voc ...

. In 1938, she made her debut in the U.S., performing in the musical comedies '' Great Lady'' and '' Stars In Your Eyes''.
She arranged to travel to London to study with Vera Volkova.

Vision problems

After seeing the doctor for worsening vision problems, Alonso was diagnosed in 1941 with a detached

retina The retina (; or retinas) is the innermost, photosensitivity, light-sensitive layer of tissue (biology), tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some Mollusca, molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focus (optics), focused two-dimensional ...

and had surgery to correct the problem. Following the operation, she was ordered to have bed rest for 3 months so her eyes could completely heal. Unable to comply fully, Alonso practiced with her feet, pointing and stretching to "keep my feet alive", as she put it. When the bandages came off, she discovered the operation had not been completely successful. After a second surgery was performed, doctors concluded Alonso would never have peripheral vision. She consented to a third procedure in Havana but this time was ordered to have bed rest for an entire year. Her husband sat with her every day, using their fingers to teach her the great dancing roles of classical ballet. She recalled, "I danced in my mind. Blinded, motionless, flat on my back, I taught myself to dance ''Giselle''." Finally allowed to leave her bed, dancing could still not be considered. Against doctor's orders, she went to the ballet studio down the street every day to practice. Just as her hope was returning, Alonso was injured when a hurricane shattered a door in her home, spraying glass splinters onto her head and face. Amazingly, her eyes were not injured. When her doctor saw this, he cleared Alonso to begin dancing, figuring if she could survive an explosion of glass, dancing could do no harm.

Back to work

Alonso traveled back to

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in 1943 to begin rebuilding her skills. However, before she had barely settled, out of the blue she was asked to dance '' Giselle'' to replace the Ballet Theatre's injured ''prima'' ballerina Alicia Markova. Alonso accepted and gave such a performance that the critics immediately declared her a star. "Her vision difficulties helped inspire her interpretation of the role," wrote Barbara Steinberg in ''

Dance Magazine ''Dance Magazine'' is an American trade publication for dance. It was first published in June 1927 as ''The American Dancer''. ''Dance Magazine'' is currently part of Dance Media, led by longtime arts publisher Joanna Harp as president, and has mu ...

.'' Barbara is the daughter of Benjamin_Steinberg_(conductor), Music Director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba from 1959-1963. She was promoted to principal dancer of the company in 1946 and danced the role of Giselle until 1948, also performing in ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoje ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, links=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failu ...

'', Antony Tudor's ''Undertow'' (1943), Balanchine's ''Theme and Variations'' (1947), and in such world premieres as deMille's dramatic ballet '' Fall River Legend'' (1948), in which she starred as the Accused. By this time in her career, she had developed a reputation as an intensely dramatic dancer, as well as an ultra-pure technician and a supremely skilled interpreter of classical and romantic repertories. The Ballet Theatre's Igor Youskevitch, her other partners, and Benjamin_Steinberg_(conductor) quickly became expert at helping Alonso conceal her handicap. To compensate for only partial sight in one eye and no peripheral vision, the ballerina trained her partners to be exactly where she needed them without exception. She also had the set designers install strong spotlights in different colors to serve as guides for her movements. She knew, for instance, that if she stepped into the glow of the spotlights near the front of the stage, she was getting too close to the orchestra pit. There was also a thin wire stretched across the edge of the stage at waist height as another marker for her, but in general she danced within the encircling arms of her partners and was led by them from point to point. Audiences were reportedly never the wiser as they watched her dance.

Alicia Alonso Ballet Company

Alonso's desire to develop ballet in Cuba led her to return to Havana in 1948 to found her own company, the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company, supported largely through her fame and earnings. This company eventually became Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Fernando was general director of the company, which was at that time composed mainly of Ballet Theater dancers temporarily out of work due to a reorganization in the New York company. Fernando's brother Alberto, a choreographer, served as artistic director for the company The company debuted briefly in the capital and then departed for a tour of South America. While Alicia was happy with the success of the company, she wanted to showcase more Cuban dancers than non-Cuban dancers, leading her to open a ballet academy in Havana. Alonso ruled the company with an authoritarian hand. Into her 60s she limited careers of younger dancers whom she regarded as competition to her own dancing career. Combined with the lack of opportunities in Cuba, her behavior led many talented dancers to defect. Founder of the International Ballet Festival of Miami and Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Pedro Pablo Peña, had since arriving in Miami in 1980 as a Cuban exile himself, helped numerous defecting Cuban dancers. He said of Alonso's impact: Exalted in the ballet world broadly, Cuban exiles reviled her, seeing her as the "cultural equivalent" to

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...

. She commuted between Havana and New York to recruit the world's best teachers to train her new students. She remained a sought-after prima ballerina during this hectic time, dancing twice in Russia in 1952 and then producing and starring in '' Giselle'' for the

Paris Opéra Ballet The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded a ...

in 1953. From 1955 to 1959, she danced annually with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as guest star. She was the first dancer of the

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to perform in the Soviet Union, and the first American representative to dance with the Bolshoi and Kirov Theaters of Moscow and

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respectively in 1957 and 1958. During the decades to follow Alicia Alonso had cross-world tours through West and East European countries, Asia, North and South America, and she danced as guest star with the Opera de Paris, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Bolshoi and with other companies. She staged versions of '' Giselle'', '' Pas de Quatre'', and ''

'' for the Paris Opera. She staged ''Giselle'' at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is a historic opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by ...

and the San Carlo Theater of

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, as well as ''

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'' at the Prague State Opera, and ''Sleeping Beauty'' at

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Ballet Russe

Alonso worked with the Ballet Russe until 1959, during which time she performed in a 10-week tour of the Soviet Union, dancing in ''Giselle'', the Leningrad Opera Ballet's ''Path of Thunder'', and other pieces. Her performances earned her the coveted ''

'' Award in 1958.

Return to Cuba

When

took power from the Batista government on 1 January 1959, Castro vowed to increase funding to the nation's languishing cultural programs. Alonso returned to Cuba and in March 1959 received $200,000 in funding to form a new dance school, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, along with a guarantee of annual financial support. Alonso has since described receiving a message from Castro in 1958 sent from the Sierra Maestra inviting her to head the company upon the triumph of the July 26 Movement. Alonso officially founded the school in 1960, and within several years her dancers were winning international dance competitions. The Cuban government from the 1960s through the 1980s did not allow Cubans to perform in the United States, to some extent for fear of defectors, and monitored those with contacts outside Cuba via phone cables and letters. Her company continued to build its powers and achievements in both Eastern and Western Europe. In 1967 and 1971 she performed in Canada, where reviewers noted that Alonso was still the greatest ballerina of her time. Castro permitted Alonso to perform again in the United States in 1975 and 1976.

Legacy

Alonso danced solos in Europe and elsewhere well into her 70s. She continued to serve as the director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and is quoted as saying, she will remain "in charge of the ballet until after she is dead". As director and leading dancer of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, she taught many now notable dancers in Cuba and beyond. Some of her former students have danced or dance with the

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...

, the Boston Ballet, the

San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...

, the Washington Ballet, the Cincinnati Ballet and the Royal Ballet, among others. Numerous books have been written on the ballerina, including ''Alicia Alonso: At Home and Abroad'' (1970), ''Alicia Alonso: The Story of a Ballerina'' (1979), ''Alicia Alonso: A Passionate Life of Dance'' (1984) and ''Alicia Alonso: First Lady of the Ballet'' (1993). The 2015 documentary fil
''Horizontes''
features her life, as well as that of a middle-aged and a young dancer in Cuba.

Personal life and death

Alonso's sister, Blanca María "Cuca" Martínez del Hoyo, was born in 1918. Her brothers were named Elizardo and Antonio. She married Fernando Alonso in 1937, when she was 16. They had a daughter, Laura Alonso, who danced and taught with the National Ballet. Her first marriage ended in divorce in 1975, and Alonso married editor and dance critic Pedro Simón Martínez that same year. She died at Centro de Investigaciones Médico Quirúrgicas in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.health complication at the age of 98. She is survived by her second husband and her daughter, a grandson, Ivan Monreal-Alonso, who is a dancer and choreographer, and three great-granddaughters. Fernando Alonso died in 2013. Following Alonso's death, she was remembered as "dramatic, passionate and elegiac" in a tribute by Barbara Steinberg for ''

''. Her funerals were held at the Gran Teatro de La Habana named after her. Alicia Alonso was buried at Colón Cemetery in Havana.

Awards

* *1958 – Dance Magazine Annual Award *1966 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris for her role in the ballet, Giselle. *1966 – Anna Pavlova Award of the University of Dance, Paris, *1970 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris, together with her company *1974 – Order of Work of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam *1985 – Gold Medal of the Gran Teatro by Premio Gran Teatro de La Habana *1998 – National Prize for Dance from the Ministry of Culture of Cuba *1998 – Gold medal from the Circulo de Bellas Artes of Madrid *1999 – UNESCO Pablo Picasso Medal for her extraordinary contribution to dance *1999 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris *2000 –

Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...

for lifetime achievement

Honors and distinctions

*1973 – Honorary doctorate in art from the

University of Havana The University of Havana (UH; ) is a public university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of Cuba. Founded on 5 January 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas. Originall ...

*1980 – Received an international homage in Paris, organized by

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*1981 – Council of State of the Republic of Cuba gave her the Order Felix Varela *1987 – Honorary doctorate in dancing art from the Superior Institute of Arts of Cuba *1993 – Received the Commendation of Isabel Catholic Order, given by the

King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

Juan Carlos I Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until Abdication of Juan Carlos I, his abdic ...

*1996 – Public recognition was given in her honor at the Scientific, Artistic, and Literary Ateneo of

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for her valuable artistic and cultural creations *1997 – The Ballet Nacional de Cuba honored Alicia Alonso on the 50th anniversary of Theme & Variations, a ballet created by

George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...

for her and Igor Youskevitch *1998 – Honorary degree from the Technical University of Valencia (Universidad Politecnica of Valencia) *1998 – Art & Letters Order, Commander Degree, from the Ministry of Culture and Communication of France *2000 –

for lifetime achievement *2000 – Order of José Marti by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba *Received the highest official awards from the countries of Mexico, the

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, and

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: the

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(Order Aguila Azteca), the Order Duarte, Sanchez, and Mella, and the Order Vasco Nunez de Balboa, respectively *Named ''National Hero of Labor'' in Cuba *2011 – Honorary Citizen of Mérida (México) and Messenger of Peace *2017 – Honorary doctorate from the University of Costa Rica

Memberships

*Holds membership in the Advisory Council to the Ministry of Culture in the National Committee of Writers and Artists Union of Cuba *Holds membership in the Collaborating Council of the Governing Boards of the Federation of Cuban Women

References

Notes

Sources

*''Magazine Cuba in the Ballet'' (1970); *''Cuba Magazine in the Ballet'' . Cultural Publication specialized in the world of the Cuban ballet - includes critical, chronicle, and comments..., as well as a news section. *''National Ballet of Cuba: half a century of glory'' - collection of fifty years of the company. Written by Miguel Cabrera (Punta Bava, Havana, 1941), BNC historian, it summarizes the most outstanding aspects in five decades where generations of dancers, choreographers and specialized personnel have given the best. The book provides good information of the NBC, including tours, ballets throughout its history (published by Ediciones Cuba in the Ballet). *''University for All (Tabloid). History and Appreciation of the Ballet'' - a cultural publication with texts that support the telelectures delivered by specialists of the National Ballet of Cuba and other guest personalities. *''DIALOGUES WITH THE DANCE'' by Alicia Alonso - fourth edition of this title, in which the reader will be able to find memories of the initial moments of her career, brief impressions on some works of her repertoire, testimonies about famous personalities with whom she had worked, as well as points of view concerning the dancer's profession and the art of the dance in general (published by Política).

External links

Alicia Alonso entry
Concise Encyclopædia Britannica; accessed 5 May 2014.

ABT Original Carmen premiere, abt.org; accessed 5 May 2014.

abt.org; accessed 5 May 2014. *Video
Archive footage
Alonso and

Erik Bruhn Erik Belton Evers Bruhn (3 October 1928 – 1 April 1986) was a Danish ballet dancer, choreographer, artistic director, actor, and author. Early life Erik Bruhn was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the fourth child and first son of Ellen (née Eve ...

performing "Pas de Deux" from ''Giselle'', Act II (1955) at Jacob's Pillow *Video
''Witness: The First Lady of Cuban Ballet''
interview broadcast on 28 October 2015 from

BBC World Service The BBC World Service is a British Public broadcasting, public service broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach. It broadcas ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alonso, Alicia 1920 births 2019 deaths Cuban ballerinas Prix Benois de la Danse winners Prima ballerina assolutas Dancers from Havana Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Cuban National Ballet dancers UNESCO goodwill ambassadors 20th-century ballet dancers Cuban emigrants to the United States