Alicia Alonso Takes the Stage

by Rebel Girls

  Five days?

  Since she had moved back to New York City a month ago, the Ballet Theatre had welcomed her with open arms. She’d already performed in a few smaller ballets, and they’d figured out how to accommodate her vision issues. The stage crew would shine bright spotlights or flashlights to direct her movements and to keep her from accidentally dancing off the stage or falling into the orchestra pit. The other dancers would subtly touch her arm or back to guide her this way or that, or whisper instructions in her ear.

  As Mr. Dolin walked away, Alicia leaned against the stage door, her face flushed and her heart pounding like crazy. She was beyond excited—but also a little terrified. What had she just agreed to? She’d never danced Giselle before, other than with her fingertips during her long recovery in Havana. Fingertip-dancing wasn’t the same as real dancing on a real stage with real dancers. She’d have to compress five weeks of rehearsal into five days.

  You can do it, Alicia, she told herself. She’d overcome bigger obstacles before.

  And so she began working nonstop with Mr. Dolin to learn her steps and rehearse with him. She barely took breaks to sleep and eat.

  On the evening of the performance, the Metropolitan Opera House was filled to capacity. The audience, who’d expected to see the famous Alicia Markova as Giselle, was curious to see how the young substitute, Alicia Alonso, would fill the prima ballerina’s shoes. In her dressing room, Alicia tied the ribbons of her pointe shoes and checked and rechecked her makeup, hoping she wouldn’t disappoint anyone.

  And she didn’t. That night, Alicia became Giselle, just as she’d become Giselle in Havana while lying in bed with her eyes covered in bandages. Through her graceful movements, she conveyed the young peasant girl’s fragility and her love for Count Albrecht, drawing inspiration from her memories of first falling in love with Fernando. In act two, she radiated pain and anguish as Count Albrecht wept at her grave; for this, she drew inspiration from how she’d felt when the doctors had told her she would never be able to dance again.

  After the finale, the audience burst into applause. They clapped and cheered and called out Alicia’s name. They threw bouquets on the stage and shouted “Brava!” over and over again.

  Alicia’s eyes filled with happy tears as she curtsied once, twice, three times. She gazed out at the crowd, who were on their feet now. They looked like fuzzy, blurry shadows to her, but she didn’t care. She’d made it. She truly was unstoppable.

  CHAPTER TEN

  After Giselle, Alicia’s fame continued to grow. Dance critics gave her rave reviews. The Ballet Theatre choreographers offered her more and more parts.

  In 1944, she was photographed for Life, which was one of the most well-known and popular magazines of the time. Soon after that edition was published, she received a letter from her mother:

  Mijita,

  Papá and I saw you in the Cuban edition of Life magazine. We were so surprised! We knew you had been working hard to become a professional ballerina in America. But you didn’t tell us that you are so famous!

  I want you to know that Papá bought every copy he could find in Havana and gave them to all our friends and relatives.

  We are so proud of you.

  Con cariño,

  Mamá

  The letter made Alicia happier than all the applause and standing ovations and rave reviews combined. Papá had never approved of her becoming a dancer, but now he was bragging about it to his friends.

  Everything had turned out well after all.

  * * *

  “Plié…relevé…plié…relevé!” Alicia called out. “Straighten those legs! Hold in your stomachs! Necks up, shoulders down!”

  Alicia walked around the studio of her new dance school, Academia Nacional de Ballet Alicia Alonso, clapping to the music as her young students ran through their warm-ups. They wore leotards and tights and ballet slippers, and their hair was neatly tied or combed back. They watched Alicia carefully and even a little nervously as she inspected their movements. She knew they were eager to please their teacher, just like she’d always been eager to please her teachers. Alicia’s studio was just as strict as Señor Yavorsky’s had been.

  In 1950, Alicia and Fernando had fulfilled their longtime dream of opening a school for ballet in Havana. They wanted to give back to their community, to their country, by helping to nurture the next generation of ballet dancers.

  They based themselves in Havana, but they couldn’t give up touring and performing completely. They still made trips to New York City to dance with Ballet Theatre, which had been renamed American Ballet Theatre, and with other ballet companies, too. They also brought their dancer friends back to Havana with them to teach and perform.

  Fernando’s brother, Alberto, was part of the school, too. Over the years, Alberto had become one of the most important dancers, teachers, and choreographers in Cuba.

  In fact, Alicia and Fernando and Alberto had also created a professional Cuban ballet company together—Ballet Alicia Alonso. It was still a young organization with very little money or other resources. But it was growing. And Alicia’s school would help train future ballet dancers to join the company.

  An hour later, Alicia dismissed her class. The students scattered to collect their bags and other belongings. They waved goodbye to her as they headed for the door.

  “Don’t forget about Coppélia rehearsals tomorrow at ten!” she reminded them.

  “Yes, Señora Alonso!”

  “Mamá!”

  Laurita—now Laura, since she wasn’t such a little girl anymore—pranced up to Alicia with a big smile on her face. She wore a leotard, pink tights, and pink ballet shoes. With her long hair pulled back in a ponytail and her large brown eyes, she looked like a younger version of her mother.

  “What is it, mijita?” Alicia asked her.

  “Can you show me the brisé en avant again? I can’t seem to get it quite right.”

  “Yes, of course! Here, let’s start with the demi-plié in fifth position. Now brush your back leg forward through first position, then to the front…”

  Laura was one of Alicia’s best students. In class, Alicia tried not to give her daughter special treatment, but it was difficult; she wanted to cheer every time Laura soared through the air in a joyful grand jeté or spun around and around in a neat, precise pirouette.

  “Now spring forward!”

  And Laura sprang.

  “That was exactly right,” Alicia said, beaming. “Since I have you here all to myself, would you like me to teach you a brisé en arrière? Going backward, not forward?”

  “Yes, please!”

  Alicia demonstrated the step, and Laura followed. As they worked together, Alicia wondered if her lovely, talented daughter would become a professional dancer like herself and Fernando. She thought so. She hoped so. Laura and the other students at the Academia Nacional de Ballet Alicia Alonso were the future of dance in Cuba. Alicia had been there in the very beginning. She was proud and honored that she was here now to help see it through.

  AFTERWORD

  Alicia Alonso continued running her ballet company and school for many decades. She also continued performing, not only in Cuba and the United States but all over the world, and she choreographed dances, too. She did all this despite the fact that her eyesight grew even worse over the years. Further operations would help her for a time, but then her vision would deteriorate again. There were times she couldn’t see well enough to walk onto the stage.

  And still, she pushed forward with her hallmark work ethic and tenacity. She didn’t want her vision to be an issue for her audience. “I can accept my blindness. I don’t want my audience thinking that if I dance badly, it is because of my eyes. Or if I dance well, it is in spite of them. This is not how an artist should be,” she said in 1971.

  Audiences all over the world loved her—for her passion, dedication, incredible technique, and exquisite interpretations. They also loved her for her range; she was able to bring beauty and trut
h to a wide variety of roles: old and new, classical and modern, Cuban and non-Cuban, Western and non-Western. Her repertoire included everything from Giselle and Carmen and the Nutcracker to nonstory ballets like Theme and Variations, which George Balanchine created for her and her dance partner Igor Youskevitch in 1947.

  Cuba underwent great social and political upheaval in the second half of the twentieth century. As a result, the US and Cuba cut off diplomatic, trade, and other ties with each other for a long time. Many people were angry that Alicia returned to Cuba and seemed to align herself with Fidel Castro’s communist government. But through her performances, Alicia has also been credited with helping to ease tensions between the two countries in her own small way. She also managed to keep her dance company and school going through these difficult times. Today, Ballet Alicia Alonso—now called Ballet Nacional de Cuba—is one of the most important dance companies internationally, and its school is the largest ballet school in the world.

  Despite their artistic partnership, Alicia and Fernando had problems later on in their marriage, and so they divorced in the mid-1970s. Soon after, she married Pedro Simón, a dance critic. In 1995, at seventy-four years old, Alicia danced her last ballet performance: Farfalla, a butterfly-themed dance that she choreographed. She received many awards and honors before and after her retirement as a ballerina.

  Alicia passed away on October 17, 2019, at the age of ninety-eight. She remained involved in the world of ballet well into her nineties and left behind a legacy of stunning choreography, as well as a generation of dancers who continue to dazzle.

  Laura Alonso followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a prominent ballerina and teacher. After dancing with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba for twenty-five years, she went on to dance with other companies around the world. Today, she continues to work with London’s Royal Ballet School, the Danish Royal Ballet, and other renowned schools and companies.

  ACTIVITIES

  CLAIM YOUR SPACE

  Alicia was a powerful presence on stage, drawing the audience’s eyes to her as they followed her expressive and emotional performances. She loved how the fierce, confident rhythm of the music made her feel fierce and confident in turn (page 22). It gave her strength to take up space on the stage, which inspired her to take up space in the world. You can do this, too! Use your body to make a few simple shapes and see how strong it makes you feel.

  See how far you can you stretch your body.

  Try to take up as much space as possible without moving your feet.

  Try to take up as much space as possible using a movement that travels through space, such as skipping, running, crawling, etc.

  NOW LET’S PUT SOME EMOTION INTO IT!

  Make a full-body shape that makes you feel COMFORTABLE.

  Make a full-body shape that makes you feel SCARED.

  Make a full-body shape that makes you feel CONFIDENT.

  How did it make you feel to move through these emotions with your body? How do you think this activity can translate into your everyday life?

  COORDINATE YOUR MOVEMENTS

  Training your brain to multitask can be useful both in dance and in real life. When learning to play the castanets, Alicia had to move her hands and feet in different ways at the same time (page 23). You can combine hand gestures with foot movements, too. Improve your own coordination with the following steps.

  Create three movements with just your hands or arms. Shake your hands like you’re drying them out in front of you.

  Draw a rainbow with your arms above your head.

  Pretend you’re playing the castanets like Alicia: raise your arms in the air and tap your middle, ring, and pinky fingers against your palms.

  Try all three hand movements in a row.

  Now try performing your hand movements while walking forward, then walking backward.

  Try the same gestures while turning, walking on the low level (close to the ground) or high level (tiptoes or jumping).

  What was the most challenging part of this exercise? What was the most fun? What did you learn about your own coordination?

  MAKE BALLET YOUR OWN

  Alicia perfected the art of ballet through years of training and dedication. She understood that a dancer must know all the fundamentals before learning how to make the dance her own. Let’s learn some of Alicia’s signature ballet moves so you can make them your own, too. Remember that practice makes perfect, and as Alicia told herself on page 101, “You can do it”!

  Try out these three ballet technique positions:

  Plié

  Stand tall with straight legs and bring your heels together and toes apart to a first position. Start bending your knees while keeping your heels on the ground and posture straight. Then straighten your knees to your starting position.

  Arabesque

  Standing on your right leg, extend your left leg behind you while your torso bends forward slightly. The leg behind you is straight, and toes are pointed. Extend your left arm out to the side and right arm out in front of you for balance. Now try the other side.

  Pirouette

  “Pirouette” is a French word that means “to twirl.” Starting on two feet, start with a “plié” and try to make a full turn while balancing on your right leg. Your standing (right) leg is straight and your left toes touch your ankle or knee as you spin around.

  Once you’ve mastered these positions, you can create your own versions that are unique to you.

  Try these positions using different body parts.

  Now try them on the low level or the high level.

  Explore moving in and out of these positions.

  How did it make you feel to take ownership of these steps and create something all your own?

  Now that you’ve learned how to take up space, improve your coordination, and practice your technique, it’s time for you to choreograph your own dance! Using the movements you practiced, come up with a dance routine that is uniquely YOU. Share it with your friends and family the way Alicia did with hers.

  SMASHWORKS DANCE

  Smashworks Dance is a New York–based dance company founded and directed by choreographer Ashley McQueen. We dance to advocate for human rights issues and women’s empowerment through performing arts, educational programming, and community outreach. We make dance accessible and inspire audiences to take action through our performances both onstage and in site-specific environments. We view artistic expression as power—smashing stereotypes and promoting dance as a unifying and confidence-building practice for all.

  Visit Smashworks Dance at smashworksdance.com

  Facebook (Facebook.com/smashworksdance)

  Instagram (@smashworksdance)

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Nothing could stop Alicia Alonso from dancing. Her spirit reminds us to persevere in the face of adversity, to recognize the importance of working together in an ensemble, and to champion the global impact of women’s artistic achievements.

  Nancy Ohlin, you deserve a standing ovation for dazzling readers with such an enchanting narrative. Josefina Preumayr, thank you for your illustrations, which flow so gracefully on the page. Thank you, too, to Martha Cipolla and Marisa Finkelstein for copyediting and proofreading with such care and attention to detail.

  To Smashworks Dance, you’re absolute stars. This partnership and collaboration have been such a blast. Thank you, Ashley McQueen and Ana Lejava, for your creativity, commitment, and excitement around this project.

  And, finally, thank you to our Rebel Girls readers. Your perpetual curiosity keeps us on our toes! Have the courage to perfect your craft, and dance toward your dreams. The world is your stage.

  ABOUT REBEL GIRLS

  REBEL GIRLS is an award-winning cultural media engine founded in 2012, spanning over 70 countries. Rebel Girls is on a mission to empower a generation of inspired and confident girls through diverse stories that resonate with audiences of all ages, celebrating women’s accomplishments and pursuits across history, geography, and f
ield. This diverse and passionate group of rebels works in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Merida, London, and Milan.

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