Alicia Alonso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alicia Alonso
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Alicia Alonso in 1955
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| Born |
Alicia Ernestina de la Caridad del Cobre Martínez del Hoyo
21 December 1920 |
| Died | 17 October 2019 (aged 98) Havana, Cuba
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| Nationality | Cuban |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
Alicia Alonso (born Alicia Ernestina de la Caridad del Cobre Martínez del Hoyo; 21 December 1920 – 17 October 2019) was a famous Cuban prima ballerina assoluta and choreographer. A prima ballerina assoluta is the highest title a ballerina can receive. Her dance company later became the Ballet Nacional de Cuba in 1955. She was especially known for her amazing performances in ballets like Giselle and the ballet version of Carmen.
From the age of 19, Alicia had problems with her eyes. She became partially blind. Because of this, her dance partners always had to be in the exact right spot. She also used special lights on stage to help her know where she was.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Dance
Alicia Alonso was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1920. She was the fourth child in her family. Her father, Antonio Martínez Arredondo, was a veterinarian. Her mother, Ernestina del Hoyo y Lugo, was a dressmaker.
Alicia started dancing when she was very young. In June 1931, she began studying ballet at a school in Havana. Her first public performance was on December 29, 1931, when she was just 11 years old. She made her first big debut in Sleeping Beauty in October 1932. Early in her career, she danced under the name Alicia Martínez.
In 1937, when she was 16, Alicia married Fernando Alonso, who was also a ballet student. They moved to New York City to start their professional dance careers. Their daughter, Laura, was born in 1938. Alicia continued her ballet training at the School of American Ballet. In 1938, she performed in musical comedies in the U.S.
How Vision Problems Affected Her Dancing
In 1941, Alicia was diagnosed with a serious eye condition. She had several surgeries to fix it. After one operation, doctors told her to stay in bed for three months. She couldn't dance, but she secretly practiced her foot movements. She wanted to "keep my feet alive," as she said.
When the bandages came off, she found the surgery hadn't fully worked. After a second surgery, doctors said she would never have full side vision. She had a third procedure in Havana and was told to stay in bed for a whole year. During this time, her husband helped her learn ballet roles by using his fingers. She later said, "I danced in my mind. Blinded, motionless, flat on my back, I taught myself to dance Giselle."
When she was finally allowed out of bed, doctors still didn't want her to dance. But Alicia went to the ballet studio every day to practice. One day, a hurricane broke a door in her home, sending glass everywhere. Amazingly, her eyes were not hurt. Her doctor was so surprised that he finally let her dance again. He thought if she could survive that, dancing couldn't harm her.
Becoming a Star Ballerina
Alicia returned to New York City in 1943 to get back into shape. Soon after, she was asked to dance Giselle for the American Ballet Theatre. Their main ballerina, Alicia Markova, was injured. Alicia Alonso took the stage and gave such an amazing performance that critics immediately called her a star. Her vision problems even helped her understand the role better, according to Dance Magazine.
She became a principal dancer in 1946. She performed in many famous ballets like Swan Lake and Fall River Legend. By this time, she was known as a very dramatic dancer. She was also praised for her perfect technique and her ability to bring classical ballet roles to life.
Her dance partners, like Igor Youskevitch, learned to help her hide her vision problems. They knew exactly where to be on stage so she could always find them. Set designers also put strong, colored spotlights on the stage. These lights acted as guides for her movements. For example, if she stepped into a certain light, she knew she was too close to the orchestra pit. There was even a thin wire across the stage edge as another marker. Audiences usually had no idea she had any vision difficulties.
Founding the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company
Alicia wanted to help ballet grow in Cuba. So, in 1948, she went back to Havana and started her own company. It was called the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company. Her fame and earnings helped support it. This company later became the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Her husband, Fernando, was the general director. Her brother, Alberto, was the artistic director. The company performed in Havana and then toured South America. Alicia wanted to feature more Cuban dancers, so she also opened a ballet academy in Havana.
She worked hard to bring the best teachers to Cuba to train her students. Even with all this work, she remained a highly sought-after ballerina. She performed in Russia in 1952. In 1953, she produced and starred in Giselle for the Paris Opera Ballet.
From 1955 to 1959, she was a guest star with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She was the first dancer from the Western world to perform in the Soviet Union. She also danced with the famous Bolshoi and Kirov Theaters. Over the next decades, Alicia Alonso toured all over the world. She performed as a guest star with many major companies.
She also staged her own versions of ballets like Giselle, Pas de Quatre, and Sleeping Beauty for the Paris Opera. She also staged ballets for other famous opera houses around the world.
Returning to Cuba and Building a National Ballet
When the Cuban government changed in 1959, the new leaders promised more support for arts and culture. Alicia Alonso returned to Cuba. In March 1959, she received money to create a new dance school, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. She also got a promise of yearly financial support.
Alicia officially founded the school in 1960. Within a few years, her dancers were winning international dance competitions. Her company grew stronger and achieved great things in both Eastern and Western Europe. In the 1960s and 1970s, she was still considered one of the greatest ballerinas.
Alicia Alonso's Lasting Impact
Alicia Alonso continued to dance solo performances in Europe even into her 70s. She remained the director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba for many years. She once said she would stay "in charge of the ballet until after she is dead." As a director and leading dancer, she taught many dancers who became famous. Some of her former students have danced with major ballet companies around the world.
Many books have been written about Alicia Alonso's life and career. A 2015 documentary film called Horizontes also featured her life story.
Personal Life and Passing
Alicia Alonso married Fernando Alonso in 1937 when she was 16. They had one daughter, Laura Alonso, who also became a dancer and teacher. Her first marriage ended in 1975. That same year, Alicia married Pedro Simón Martínez, an editor and dance critic.
Alicia Alonso passed away in Havana, Cuba, on October 17, 2019, at the age of 98. She was remembered as a "dramatic, passionate and elegiac" dancer. Her funeral was held at the Gran Teatro de La Habana, which is named after her. Alicia Alonso was buried in Colón Cemetery in Havana.
Awards and Honors
Alicia Alonso received many awards and honors throughout her long career.
- 1934 – Dance Magazine Annual Award
- 1958 – Dance Magazine Annual Award
- 1966 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris for her role in Giselle.
- 1966 – Anna Pavlova Award of the University of Dance, Paris.
- 1970 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris, with her company.
- 1974 – Order of Work of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
- 1985 – Gold Medal of the 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 amazing contribution to dance.
- 1999 – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris.
- 2000 – Prix Benois de la Danse.
- 1973 – Honorary doctorate in art from the University of Havana.
- 1980 – Received an international tribute in Paris, organized by UNESCO.
- 1981 – Received the Order Felix Varela from the Council of State of Cuba.
- 1987 – Honorary doctorate in dancing art from the Superior Institute of Arts of Cuba.
- 1993 – Received the Commendation of Isabel Catholic Order from the King of Spain Juan Carlos I.
- 1998 – Honorary degree from the Technical University of Valencia.
- 1998 – Art & Letters Order, Commander Degree, from the Ministry of Culture and Communication of France.
- 2000 – Prix Benois de la Danse for lifetime achievement.
- 2000 – Order of José Marti by the Council of State of Cuba.
- She also received high awards from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Panama.
- She was 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.
See Also
- List of Cubans
