No Time to Say Goodbye

Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso as the title character in Giselle, c1947. Photo: Granger Historical Picture Archive/Alamy.

Ever After

Havana, Cuba, 1949: prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso had already suffered a retinal detachment eight years earlier. Photo: AP.

Crown of Midnight

Ballerina Alicia Alonso executing a deep plié (bend) in fifth position, with arms au couronne (crownlike). Photo: Gjon Mili/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images.

A Life In Dance

Just a few days ago, a new book was released, entitled “Alicia Alonso. Una mirada a su vida a través del lente” (“Alicia Alonso. A look at her life through the lens”), published by the Editorial Ocean Sur (Ocean Press) and edited by José Ramón Neyra (prose) and Yailín Alfaro (graphics). The book, featuring many unpublished photos of Cuba’s legendary prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, in fact, officially opens the rehearsals for the celebrations of her 100th birthday, which will fall on December 21, 2020. The Editorial Ocean Sur (Ocean Press) President David Deutschmann personally handed it to her on July 3, 2019 in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Prensa Latina.

The Keys to the Lake

On Tuesday, January 22, 2019 the Ballet Nacional de Cuba named its prima ballerina Viengsay Valdés, 42, deputy artistic director of the company, thus formalising a symbolic handover of the keys to the lake of Alicia Alonso, 98, Cuba’s legendary prima ballerina assoluta, who will retain the honourary direction, so as not to further burden her very frail health state. Universally praised by critics for her virtuosity, Valdés is expected by her supporters to open a new era in communication between the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and the rest of the world.

Alicia Alonso and Viengsay Valdés. Photo: Nancy Reyes.

A Butterfly on the Apple

The National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, 99 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States is currently hosting, among others, the exhibition “Alicia Alonso’s Giselle”, in celebration of the 75th anniversary since Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso first performed Giselle, the Romantic ballet which she staged on companies around the world, including her own Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Photo © The National Museum of Dance.

“Silence is argument carried out by other means”

Art beyond Borders

Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso speaking with border guards before her performance near the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in 1964. Photo: Sputnik/Alamy Stock Photo.

Pas de Bourrée

New York, United States, 1944: Stroboscopic multiple exposure of American Ballet Theatre ballerina Alicia Alonso executing a pas de bourrée. Photo: Gjon Mili/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images.

World lake vision

Los Lagos de Alicia

• Pedro de la Hoz, Los lagos de Alicia | Alicia Lake, Por Esto!, January 4, 2019

On the first day of the year, we shared with Alicia Alonso one of her dreams. The Gran Teatro de La Habana named after her, as a gift of its new cycle, staged Swan Lake, in the most faithful version of her choreographic style. [Read more].

Alicia Alonso in the dressing room of an unspecified theatre, most likely in the United States, c. 1945. Photo © PALM/RSCH/Redferns/Getty Images.

White

Alicia Alonso as Odette in Swan Lake (American Ballet Theatre, 1953). Photo credit: Walter E. Owen.

Blue and White Pottery

The company of Ballet Nacional de Cuba in the second act of Swan Lake at the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso on January 1, 2019 in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Yuris Nórido.

Coming Home

• Alicia Alonso reaparece en el escenario de su propio teatro | Alicia Alonso reappears on the stage of her own theatre, Prensa Latina, January 2, 2019

Havana, January 1 (Prensa Latina) — Alicia Alonso’s appearance in public unleashed an apotheosis today at the Gran Teatro de La Habana named after the legendary ballet étoile. Health problems have kept Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta out of the public scene for months. Admirers from all countries regretted that, for the first time in history, the artist could not parade ahead of her own company, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, at the 26th International Ballet Festival of Havana, which took place from October 28 to November 6, nor participate directly in any of the sideline events. Alicia was not in her theatre, where ritually hundreds of admirers applaud and praise her even in the corridors, and where a bronze statue of herself, young and gleaming in the role of Giselle, has impressed visitors since its installation a year ago. Although she appeared seated in a chair on the stage of the García Lorca Auditorium, for greater ecstasy of her admirers Alonso performed a port de bras, a movement of arms which she executed in different positions, and inevitably the audience erupted in applause and cheers. Not in vain, sometimes many have the impression that she still dances. [Read more].

Alicia Alonso back to the Gran Teatro de La Habana on January 1, 2019, on the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution. Photo: Prensa Latina.

Duo cum faciunt idem, non est idem

The Ballet Nacional de Cuba celebrated on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution with a gala show performing Swan Lake, which was staged at the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso featuring the first dancers Grettel Morejón and Dani Hernández.

Alicia Alonso, Cuba’s legendary prima ballerina assoluta, performing the ballet “La Avanzada” for the frontier guards near the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in 1964. Photo credit: La Raza Cómica.

Meet the Swan at the Bakery

Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso — pictured above (with dark glasses) — celebrated her 98th birthday on Friday, December 21, 2018 with a giant, ballet-inspired ponqué (pound cake) made and offered by Cafeccino cafe-bakery in Santa Marta, Varadero, Cuba. Photos: Cafeccino Varadero Cuba.

“I have lived magnificent days”

How To Get A Date With A Star

Cuban ballerina Alicia Alonso in the dressing room of the Philharmonic Auditorium on Friday night, February 8, 1957 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo: USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images.

The sidereal stage

• Cuban Ballerina Alicia Alonso Appointed “Star of the Century”, Prensa Latina, December 27, 2018

Havana, December 27 (Prensa Latina) — The Instituto Latino de la Música appointed Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso, “Star of the Century” for her work heading the Cuban ballet school. Alicia Alonso has been a true promoter of “the Latin cadence” since classical dance, communicated the cultural institution with headquarters in Mexico. The world’s most renowned Cuban artist will receive the award in February 2019. [Read more].

Alicia Alonso in 1958. Credit: Centro Cultural Tina Modotti Caracas.

One Hundred Years On Stage

• 华心怡 (Huá Xīnyí), 一舞百年 黑暗中的传奇舞者古巴大师艾丽西亚·阿隆索 | One hundred years of dance in the dark: Cuba’s legendary prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, 新民晚报 (Xīnmín Evening News), November 23, 2018

Cuba has three treasures: sugar, cigars, and Alonso. Indeed, Cuba means “fertile land”, and there, as a most precious gift of nature, shines also a ballet dancer named Alicia Alonso. At the age of 97 [Translator’s Note: By now 98], she is the living legend of a century. With all the ups and downs, the sunshine and fragilities of her own personal and artistic life. But she, like in Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Red Shoes”, just spinning, rising and falling, dancing from her heart, never surrendered to time. Last night, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, founded by her, performed at 上海大剧院 (Shànghǎi Grand Theatre). The classical ballet Don Quixote was a grand finale worth the 20th 中国上海国际艺术节画上 (China Shànghǎi International Arts Festival. One hundred years of beauty in one night, and the Dancer in the Dark conquered the world. [Read more].

Alicia Alonso in her prime. Photo courtesy of 新民晚报 (Xīnmín Evening News).