First, I have to tell you that it has been a great honor, because I studied history, and I had my first contact with the National Ballet of Cuba precisely in the year of its twentieth anniversary, in year 1968. As founder and director of the National Ballet of Cuba, Alonso personified the island’s arts program under Fidel Castro’s communist rule and she kept vise-like control over the troupe past her 90th birthday despite being nearly blind for decades. I know I have left very valuable books, but not because I wrote them, but for the greatness it carries what I have gathered. Alonso is Cuba’s most famous ballerina and has been director of the Cuban National Ballet since its formation in 1948. Alicia Alonso, legendary ballet dancer and co-founder of the National Ballet of Cuba, was the first dancer of the Western Hemisphere to perform in the Soviet Union, and the first American representative to dance with the Bolshoi and Kirov Theaters of Moscow and Leningrad. Unusually, considering the grand culture of the Cuban capital, the National Theatre of Havana is a reasonably recent construction having been built in 1979. Fernando was also a dancer, and a person who passed on his experiences. I am a very lucky person. What has it implied for you that responsibility? The following year, the National School of Ballet is created, like part of the National School of Art. It was like changing into a living thing, in something useful everything that had been kept in the files of Alicia Alonso, a patrimony zealously kept by a woman with huge influence in this history, named Angela Grau. “The appointing as historian could not be more honorable if the founder of the company, the key figure has decided so. Since then I started a systematic work with the company. She is responsible for the development of Cuban ballet under Fidel Castro, who afforded her considerable funding and patronage. A conversation with doctor Miguel Cabrera, historian of the National Ballet of Cuba, about his close relationship with a group where he has worked more than half of his life… If there’s anyone in doubt, or needs any data on the ballet in Cuba, there is a person who can be of great help: historian Miguel Cabrera. I have been the chronicler.". Of course, the classroom was filled mainly by Fernando, but one is not only a teacher when giving a chronology or a class, but when one sets the example. I had to do a very diverse work, but basically were the things related to the history. Prior to the … By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Half century of glory, in 1998: I belong to a very prestigious company, next to people who have been supreme, and I have always thought that the shows are made, the glory nights pass by, the applauses fade into silence, flowers wither, but that fact must stay. Famous for being an open and accessible man, prove of this is the affability he showed when he receives us and answers our questions. I gave my first lecture on September 25th, 1968 here. Cuba's national ballet has reported that … Both of these schools were annexed to the professional ballet company by 1956. I have always been presented like that: our historian. The National Ballet mourns the passing of a dear friend. I have received several distinctions in Cuba and abroad, but for me that detail of seeing my name in the show in the early 70’s (and still on air) it’s something that honors me". Founded by the Cuban prima ballerina assoluta , Alicia Alonso in 1948, it has become recognised as one of the world's leading ballet … Fernando Alonso The Father of Cuban Ballet is a fascinating book about the man who co-founded the first professional ballet company in Cuba and developed a pedagogy which has created star dancers for companies all over the world. Professionals from the Cuban National Ballet, the Superior Institute of Art and the Elementary School of Ballet divided into 35 teams to select the … And she replied: Alicia said to put it this way. I saw the jewels become acclaimed figures. The former music and dance critic for The Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle was also a professor of philosophy at Miami-Dade College. The hard part is publishing a book in Cuba that acknowledges the role of the man who was the brains of the Cuban School of Ballet and the National Ballet in its prime. I have seen those choreographers grow, those dancers. I faced a beautiful work, as are all the foundation works, I had to organize and establish the repertoire of the company, Alicia's career everything, and the career of the main figures of the company: like Fernando, Alberto, also the four jewels of Cuban ballet. With great passion, with almost a sickening passion for justness, to write down history as it was, without alterations. That they turn everything you have inside? / Jordana Daumec, Naoya Ebe, Jenna Savella and Siphesihle November. Well, many historians are very good, they are devoted to study the sugar industry, but have never walked into a sugar cane factory. But it was a multiple task. That has been my modest work. What can we say about Alicia? In 1955 it changed its name to Ballet of Cuba and after 1959 it was called The National Ballet of Cuba. Well, many historians are very good, they are devoted to study the sugar industry, but have never walked into a sugar cane factory. On year 1969 we created the radio show Ballet and in 1970, the magazine Cuba in Ballet. A conversation with doctor Miguel Cabrera, historian of the National Ballet of Cuba, about his close relationship with a group where he has worked more than half of his life…. I graduated from history, but when I came here my true university began, from Alicia's hand, Fernando and Alberto. “Can somebody say that Alberto Alonso, the director of the Ballet School of Pro Art, since 1941 until 1961 who has been teacher in the musical theater who trained Josefina Méndez and Loipa Araújo, was not also a great teacher? UNESCO…. Talking to Enrique Ubieta: The essence of the “Henry Reeve” Medical Brigade, Foreign Ministry issues declaration on the inclusion of Cuba on State Department’s list of States sponsors of terrorism, In Cuba, 100 % of maternity benefits were increased by salary, United States: New breakdown of the Republican Party, The CTC asks Cuban workers to support the implementation of Monetary Reform, Embedded video for Woman's severe reaction to Pfizer COVID vaccine prompts investigation. In this May 17, 1953 file photo, Cuban ballet dancer Alicia Alonso is shown in London, England. "I worked doing the records, ordering. Cuba for Lovers of Dance – Ballet Nacional de Cuba Schedule Posted in April 9, 2016 Update: click here for the National Ballet of Cuba 2018 performance schedule. Ballet Nacional de Cuba (Cuba's National Ballet) directed by Alicia Alonso. I struggle a lot, as outcome of my investigations, to bring together their roles in the history. Amiga fiel: perra espera a su dueño frente a un hospital en Turquía pic.twitter.com/gGLRPS9xPW, — Reuters Latam (@ReutersLatam) January 25, 2021, A BALLET, A NATION: The National Ballet was Created by the Cuban People. My task has been to be next to that. Cuba has a large number of foreigners from Russia who have settled in Havana and have introduced the art or classical ballet to this country. It is not true (only someone who doesn’t know history would say) that Alicia is just the great dancer that Fernando is only the great teacher, that Alberto is only the great choreographer… that is a limitation on the greatness of them three. Welcome to Authentic Cuba Travel® (authenticubatours.com) 2022 Havana Ballet Festival Cuba Tour! The Ballet Nacional de Cuba was founded in 1948 by Cuban ballerina Alicia Alonso, who also headed the National School of Ballet Alicia Alonso (founded 1950). This article incorporates information from the Spanish Wikipedia. "Alicia, Fernando and Alberto are the foundations of ballet in Cuba. Notes on the history of the National Ballet of Cuba. National Ballet of Cuba (BNC) dancers are known around the world for their exuberant flair and uniquely Cuban style. I know I have left very valuable books, but not because I wrote them, but for the greatness it carries what I have gathered. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. "When I published a more recent book, named Ballet in Cuba. But when I look at the Ballet of Cuba, I see its dancers, I see Alicia's career, that of Alberto, Fernando, and the four jewels, the three graces, the choreographers, when I see I was able to capture all that in books, I think that is a source. As you would expect though, the history and culture of the city is reflected by the decor inside the building, where many works by Cuban artists can be found on many of the walls. The following year, the National School of Ballet was creat… I thought I had seen it all, until I started taking classes at the Ballet Nacional de Cuba’s Catedra de Danza. In addition to serving as its director, she continued to dance, though tensions between Cuba and the United States prevented her from performing in the latter country for a number of years. Ballet in Cuba really took off after iconic ballerina Alicia Alonso set up the Ballet Nacional de Cuba in 1948, now one of the most prominent dance companies in the world. Imagine that those people give you the technical, aesthetic and ethical reasons that have ballet in Cuba…. I have always believed something I repeat to myself many times, I said it when my book National Ballet of Cuba was premiered. The Ballet of Camagüey, under the direction of Fernando Alonso, was established in 1971, and a second Havana company was founded in the mid-1980s. Despite only being founded in 1948, the Cuban National Ballet is now regarded a… So since that generation, I have seen them all enter. I have seen those choreographers grow, those dancers. That has always been my concern: everything with everyone. It provides a good model of how a western European tradition is taken up and reinterpreted to suit national and… My task has been to be next to that. It was founded on October 28, 1948 and was named as its first ballerina Alicia Alonso. As the name indicates, Don Quixote is inspired by an episode of the famous novel "Don Quixote de la Mancha" by Miguel Cervantes published in 1605 (Part I) and 1615 (Part II). And Alicia did that and even more, she did it when she made corrections to the other dancers, when she offered lessons on style…. They were created by the Cuban people". She subsequently pursued a career as a teacher, and many of her students have won international fame, among them Royal Ballet star Carlos Acosta. Photo by Kiran West. …Cuba’s foremost artistic figures is Alicia Alonso—a dancer of international acclaim, the prima ballerina and founder (1948) of the company that would become the National Ballet of Cuba, and the head of its school. Here my true university began, from Alicia 's hand, Fernando and Alberto dancer... Thought I had to do a very diverse work, but when I published a recent! With everyone heard it from Fernando Alonso grew up in Cuba my investigations to. 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