Prima Ballerina Assoluta and Director General of the Cuban National Ballet - is one of the most relevant personalities in ballet history and most outstanding dancer of classical ballet in Iberoamerica. She was born in Havana and started dance studies in 1931, at the Pro-Arte School of Ballet. Later, traveled to the United States to continue her formation as a ballerina with Enrico Zanfretta, Alexandra Fedorova and other famous professors from the American School of Ballet.
Her professional activity started back in 1938 in Broadway, where she made her debut in the musical comedies, Great Lady and Stars in Your Eyes. A year later, joined the American Ballet Caravan, now the New York City Ballet. She began with the New York Ballet Theater in 1940, the year of its foundation. From that moment on, started a brilliant career as supreme interpreter of great romantic and classical repertories. During this time, worked with Mijail Fokine, George Balanchine, Leonid Massine, Bronislav Nijinsky, Anthony Tudor, Jerome Robbins and Agnes de Mille, among other renowned choreographers of the twentieth century.
As principal performer of the American Ballet Theater, she danced in many European countries and in America as prima ballerina. In 1948, founded the Alicia Alonso Ballet, now the Cuban National Ballet. Since then, shared her activities between the American Ballet Theater and her own ensemble - she kept going with very little or none official funding, until 1959 that the Revolutionary Government gave it official support.
Her choreographic versions of the great classics are internationally famous and are danced by important companies as the Paris Opera Ballets (Giselle, Grand Pas de Quatre, The Sleeping Beauty); Vienna Opera and San Carlo of Naples (Giselle); Prague Opera (La Fille Mal Gardée) and alla Scala of Milan Theater (The Sleeping Beauty).
An outstanding personality herself in cultural life, Alicia Alonso has been awarded with the Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Havana, the Institute of Cuban Arts (Instituto Superior de Arte) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain.
In 1993, was awarded the Encomienda Order from Isabel the Catholic, presented by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I. That same year a Dance Professorship was created on her name at the Madrid Complutense University. Later, she created the Ballet Foundation with her name and the Alicia Alonso Ballet Institute adjunct to King Juan Carlos University. In 1996, the Scientific, Artistic and Literary Society in Madrid offered her a public homage. That same year, she was appointed Member of Honor at the Association of Stage Directors from Spain (ADE).
In 1998, was distinguished with a Gold Medal at the Belles Lettres Circle in Madrid. The French Republic honored her with the Order of Arts and Letters and title of Comendador; the State Council of the Republic of Cuba awarded her the title of National Heroine. In the year 2000, received the Benois Ballet Prize for her lifetime artistic contributions and was honored too with the José Martí Order - most outstanding medal given by the State Council of the Republic of Cuba. In January 2002, was appointed Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba by the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Most recently in Paris, was granted the title of Good Will Ambassador from UNESCO. As director and outstanding ballerina of the Cuban National Ballet, Alicia Alonso has been a guide and inspiration in forming new generations of Cuban dancers - with an own style that has conquered an outstanding place in international ballet.
