Cuba Attractions - Alicia Alonso's Ballet Company

The National Ballet of Cuba is one of the mostdays. The tireless efforts of Alicia Alonso and the
prestigious dancing companies in the world. It waspermanent support from the cultural institutions have
founded in 1948 under Alicia Alonso, its main creatormade it possible that today the National Ballet of
and the first figure of the company. In 1950, theCuba shows with pride its very talented dancers
Alicia Alonso National School of Ballet was added tocapable of assuming an impressive repertoire that
the professional company. From the very beginning,combines the most famous classical performances
the artistic line followed was based on the respectwith the new trends.
for the romantic and classical traditions, stimulating atFor Cubans, ballet is part of their culture and it
the same time the creative works of choreographersbecomes harder and harder to get tickets for the
that wanted to look for the national andperformances of the company with time. The
contemporary creation in their dances.personality of Alicia Alonso is always remembered
With the Revolution of 1959, the company wasbecause her hands and orientations are ever present.
reorganized and became the National Ballet of Cuba,She has created almost all the classical and
and Alicia Alonso became the leading figure and maincontemporary choreographies of the National Ballet
promoter of dancing in Cuba. Already in 1964, otherand also the most popular adaptations of The Swan
ballet dancers began to stand out, especially a groupLake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Carmen, just to
that with time was known as "the four jewels ofmention a few. The National Ballet has also had world
Cuban Ballet" (Loipa Araujo, Aurora Bosh, Josefinapremieres of performances like Don Quixote
Méndez, and Mirta Plá) who participated in thechoreographed by Alicia herself.
Varna International Ballet Contest in Bulgaria. FromIf you are travelling to Havana City, stop for a
that moment on, the international critics began to talkminute at the baroque Great Theater of Havana,
about "the Cuban ballet school". Towards 1971, ancheck out the publicity board, and enter to one of
important group of male dancers emerged, withthe performances of the NBC; performances that
Jorge Esquivel its leading figure; which, with thealmost all the time are crowded, always virtuous and
passing of time, has allowed the consolidation of aunforgettable. It is almost impossible not to be
company and a school that has proven to be one ofmoved by the love drama of the country girl Giselle;
the few schools able to compete with the Russian,or by the presence of the personified kindness which
French, and English schools.is harboured in Odette, the enchanted princess
Each year, during the fall, the National Ballet of Cubaturned into a swan. How can a person not be
organizes the International Ballet Festival of Havanaimpressed with the demonic character of Odile? How
(with performances in different parts of the island)can a person not enjoy with the childish mischiefs of
where ballet dancers, choreographers and companiesSuanilda or the gracefulness of Kitri and Basil? All
from all over the globe participate, turning Havanathese happen because the magic of the "Alicia's
City into the mecca of classical dancing for a fewBallet" exerts an inevitable attraction.