Alicia Alonso was a Cuban dancer and choreographer born in Havana on December 21, 1920, and passed away in the same city on October 17, 2019, at the age of 98. Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the National Ballet of Cuba, she is regarded as a legend in the dance world, famous for her performances as Giselle and Carmen, among many others.
Alonso was born in Havana and was one of the two daughters of an army officer and his wife. The family enjoyed a comfortable and well-off lifestyle, living in one of the best areas of the capital. Alonso revealed an affinity for music and dance from a very young age—her mother could entertain her for long periods with just a phonograph, a scarf, and some records.
She began dancing at the age of seven.
In June 1931, she began studying ballet at the Sociedad Pro-Arte Musical in Havana with Nikolai Yavorsk and made her first public performance on December 29, 1931, at the age of 10. Her first serious debut was in Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty at the Teatro Auditorio on October 26, 1932. She originally danced in Cuba under the name Alicia Martínez.
In 1937, the dancer fell in love with a fellow ballet student, Fernando Alonso, whom she married. After their marriage, she adopted the surname Alonso, by which she would be known internationally. The newlyweds moved to New York City, hoping to launch their professional careers. There, they found housing with some relatives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, near Riverside Drive. She gave birth to a daughter, Laura, but managed to continue her training at the American Ballet School and took private lessons. She traveled to London to study with Vera Volkova. Meanwhile, her husband joined the new Mordkin Ballet Company in New York.
After experiencing several vision problems, she was diagnosed in 1941 with issues in her retina, which required her to undergo surgery three times, causing a loss of part of her peripheral vision. Despite this, she continued her career and returned to New York in 1943 to further improve her style.
Alonso worked with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo from 1955 to 1959, a period during which he performed in a 10-week tour of the Soviet Union, dancing in Giselle. His performances earned him the Dance Magazine award in 1958.
Due to Alonso's affiliation with the new regime established in Havana, the audience in the United States largely turned its back on her. The Cuban government from the 1960s to the 1980s did not allow Cubans to engage in relations with the United States, partly due to fears of defections. Nevertheless, Alonso's company continued to achieve success in both Eastern and Western Europe. In 1967 and 1971, she performed in Canada, where collaborators noted that Alonso remained the greatest dancer of her time.
In 1998, the University of Valencia (Spain) awarded her the title of Honorary Professor.
In 2010, the Ministry of Culture declared 2010 as "The Year of Alicia Alonso," in celebration of the 90th anniversary of her birth. Both in Cuba and in various parts of the world, she received heartfelt tributes and important distinctions from cultural, social, and political organizations.
Some of her national and international recognitions include the National Order of Merit Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and the title of "Lady." Republic of Cuba, 1947; "Palma de Revolución" awarded to the most outstanding artist. Periódico Revolución, 1961; plaque "Outstanding Woman in Art." Federation of Cuban Women, 1963-67; Diploma of Recognition. National Committee of the Union of Young Communists, 1966; Order "30 Years of Dedication to Art." National Union of Arts and Entertainment, 1968; Honor Medal. Greek Theatre of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, 1957; Grand Prize of the City of Paris. IV International Dance Festival, Paris, France, 1966; Gold Medal. Gran Teatro Liceo de Barcelona, Spain, 1971.
