María Elena Llorente Duarte, principal dancer and maître of the National Ballet of Cuba (BNC) and one of the prominent figures in Cuban dance, passed away this Monday at the age of 80 in Havana.
The artist passed away at 9:10 AM in the Intensive Care Unit of the "Hermanos Ameijeiras" Hospital, where she had been admitted for several days, as confirmed by the BNC on its social media.
The cause of death was heart failure exacerbated by kidney failure that did not respond to medical treatment.
One day earlier, the former solo dancer and maître María del Carmen Hechavarría, friend and colleague of Llorente for 56 years at the BNC, reported that his condition was "extremely critical" due to his renal system not responding and experiencing cardiovascular and respiratory complications.
After the news of the passing was announced, Hechavarría shared an emotional farewell: “Just because it was expected doesn’t mean the news hurts any less. A great sorrow overwhelms me, as I lose a friend and a colleague of 56 years in the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and the Cuban culture—a figure of excellence.”
Born in Havana on May 20, 1946, Llorente began her training at the School of the Pro-Arte Musical Society and later studied at the National Ballet Academy "Alicia Alonso," where her teachers included Alicia Alonso, Fernando Alonso, and José Parés.
She joined the ballet company of the BNC in 1962, advanced to soloist in 1967, and achieved the rank of prima ballerina in 1976.
Throughout her extensive career, she performed some of the great roles in the classical repertoire, including Giselle, Odette-Odile in "Swan Lake," Kitri in "Don Quixote," and Lisette in "La fille mal gardée," one of the roles most associated with her career.
She was also a pioneer in incorporating pieces such as the "Grand pas classique," the pas de deux from "La Bayadère," the "Tchaikovsky pas de deux," and the renowned pas de deux from "Le Corsaire" into the BNC's repertoire, which she performed alongside the Spanish dancer Víctor Ullate during the 1976 International Ballet Festival of Havana.
In May 1977, she performed as a guest artist with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in New York, an event that actor Harry Belafonte described at the time as "a significant historical event."
Beyond the stages, Llorente developed an extensive career as a choreographer and educator. She trained generations of dancers at the BNC, the National Ballet School, and the "Alicia Alonso" Dance Institute in Spain. In 2015, she received the National Dance Award, which recognized her career and teachings both within and outside of Cuba.
However, her last years at the institution were marked by a growing distance from the company to which she had devoted much of her life. According to a report by 14ymedio, Llorente and her husband, the set designer Salvador Fernández, who passed away in December 2024, were gradually sidelined from their roles following Viengsay Valdés's appointment as the director of the BNC in 2020, until they were left with no work responsibilities.
The remains of the dancer will be interred this Monday at 2:00 PM in the family vault at the Colón Cemetery, in accordance with her wishes.
The BNC bid her farewell, highlighting her place in the history of national dance: "The death of María Elena Llorente deeply moves and saddens us. Her company joins in the grief of family, admirers, and friends of one who is, without a doubt, a significant figure in Cuban dance."
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