Fernando Alonso: The Father of Cuban Ballet

Chronology

223 Chronology December 27, 1914 Fernando Alonso is born in Havana, Cuba June 1936 Began ballet lessons with Cuca Martínez at Society Pro-Arte Musical 1937 Began studying at Spring Hill College Preparatory School 1937 Left for New York to study ballet 1937 Married Alicia Martínez 1938 Joined Mordkin Ballet 1939 Joined Ballet Caravan 1940–48 Danced with Ballet Theatre, where he achieved rank of soloist 1941 Guest artist with Ballet Russe (Col. de Basil) 1948 With Alicia Alonso and Alberto Alonso, founded Ballet Alicia Alonso, later renamed Ballet de Cuba, today called Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Served as general director of those companies from 1948 to 1975 1948–56 Campaigned for company recognition and support of the companies, promoting them as pillars of indigenous Cuban culture 1949 Directed, taught, and danced in extensive tours of Latin America, beginning at the Mexican Palace of Fine Arts, during which time he began to teach company class on a regular basis 1950 Founder of Alicia Alonso Academy of Ballet, where he anchored and established his lifelong career as a ballet pedagogue and master teacher 1959 The Cuban Revolution opened the road to ballet through government financial support on a grand scale 224 1959 Founder of the National School of the Arts at Cubanacán, and director of the School of Ballet (1962–68) while continuing as general director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba until 1975 1964 Ballet Nacional de Cuba, under the general directorship of Fernando Alonso, was awarded Order of Work, First Class, by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam 1965 Ballet Nacional de Cuba, under the general directorship of Fernando Alonso, was awarded the Order of the People of Mongolia 1968 Fernando Alonso was awarded the Order of Thirty Years of Dedication to the Arts by the National Union of Theatre Arts, Cuba 1968 Fernando Alonso received the Bolshoi Theatre Bicentennial Commemorative Medal in Moscow 1968 Ballet Nacional de Cuba, under the general directorship of Fernando Alonso, was awarded First Prize at the Berlin Theatre Annual Festival and the Silver Medal at the Mexico City Cultural Olympiad 1970 Ballet Nacional de Cuba, under the general directorship of Fernando Alonso, was awarded the Paris Grand Prix at the Paris International Festival of Dance 1972 Ballet National de Cuba, under the directorship of Fernando Alonso, was recognized in the Resolution of the Second Congress of the Union of Young Communists of Cuba 1974 The Ballet Nacional de Cuba was recognized at the Sixth Biennial Ballet Festival at Lubliana, Yugoslavia 1975–92 Director of Ballet de Camagüey 1981 Order of Felix Varela First Rank, Counsel of State, Cuba 1984 Honorary Doctor of Advancement of the Arts, conferred by the Higher Institute of the Arts, Cuba 1986 Designation as member of the UNESCO International Counsel of the Dance 1986 Opina magazine poll Crystal Sunflower Prize, Havana Chronology 225 1987 Annual Revolutionary Armed Forces Prize (replica of the machete of Cuban national hero Máximo Gómez) 1988 Designaton as member of the UNESCO International Counsel of the Dance 1988 Vice-president of jury at International Moscow Competition, and served on similar juries in Varna, Bulgaria; Vignale, Italy; New York; and Trujillo, Perú 1989 Municipality of Nicea, Greece, Medal 1992–94 Director of the National Dance Company of Mexico 1995 Director of the National Ballet of Monterrey 2000 Municipality of Ionia, Greece, Medal 2000 Socialist Emulation Medal Prize, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 2000 Order of the First Class of Workers of the United Soviet Socialist Republics 2007 Homage and Recognition Award at the First International Festival Iberica Contemporánea in Querétaro, Mexico. Chronology This page intentionally left blank ...