In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

204 Append]x C Address to the Assemblée Internationale, Toronto Fernando Alonso delivered the following address to the National Ballet School of Canada–hosted Assemblée Internationale, Toronto, Canada, November 22, 2009. Translation by Maiensy Sánchez. Edited by Maiensy Sánchez and Michael Mahoney. Dear Friends: In my few years of existence, I have seen heard about, learned and questioned a few universal premises both in theory and practice. Out of the many aspects of such premises I could share with you today, I have chosen the one that, perhaps, to this day, continues to make the most sense to me. It is also one that has proven to be a decisive point of reference in the art of teaching. I am referring to the marriage of art and science; the notion that higher art must rely on the benefits of scientific inquiry at its base, just as much as a building must require some foundational support. How my personal journey into such understanding began, and how it developed, is a little story I would like to share with you. Although my ballet studies did not begin as early as most, my interest in physical preparation, and the importance of discipline and cultivating the spirit and the body, started at a very young age. I became an athlete during my years at Spring Hill High School in Mobile, Alabama, and later on, while studying at Blanton Business College in Asheville, North Carolina. I was able to practice, on a regular basis, sports such as gymnastics, American football, swimming and weightlifting. I remember how the exposure to each specialty was coupled with the discovery of new techniques of muscular development. For instance, in order to acquire speed and strength, we had to tow a boat while swimming. We were using its weight as a catalyst. My background in weightlifting became instrumental years later, as I was faced with the need to calculate, measure and distribute my muscular efforts as a ballet partenaire. The gymnasium practice prepared me to carry balleri204 205 nas in a controlled manner. Moreover, since the ballet classes were mostly developing my lower limbs, I kept lifting weights in an effort to maintain a balanced figure. As a result, my overall physical condition was constantly improving. At that point in time, as we all know, ballet was not a socially respected discipline. In addition, there were many prejudices involving the concept of a male dancer. There was very little appreciation from any perspective. Going to the gym on a regular basis and becoming close friends with other young men who were invested in rigorous training was essential. Eventually, we managed to involve some of them in projects by Pro-Arte Musical. This cultural society led by women, brought to the Cuban stage the finest and most internationally acclaimed artists of the time. By 1931, Pro-Arte Musical was offering ballet classes in Havana. It was through this collaboration that we began to foster a more dedicated audience. This, eventually gained acceptance, and the growing prestige of male dancers, were the impetus for a new generation of passionate Cuban ballet dancers and ballet aficionados. My curious eyes, always ready to learn something new, detected a difference in the muscular work between the practice of weightlifting and ballet training. Evidently, in both cases it was necessary to use muscles in order to fulfill the physical requirements. However, while weightlifters were using all of what was available, ballet dancers had to be much more selective for the movement to carry an artistic sense, an aesthetic meaning. I was studying the human body from the perspective of kinesiology. I was invested in creating an awareness of human movement: what it entails and why; what meaning or meanings can we attach to it . . . I was seeking a higher ground of bodily consciousness in which to explain, from a structural perspective, which muscles were necessary for each movement, and when it was unnecessary to add support to such movement from other complementary muscles. For example, upon raising the arms, do not use the elevators of the shoulders. Instead, use the grand dorsal and the external and internal oblique muscles to keep the shoulders low, and thus maintain a better posture. During the period of time in which I was analyzing how to improve the methodology of the Cuban School of Ballet, we concluded that the most favorable way to begin a class would be with demi-plié exercises. They are best for...

Share