October 17, 2008

Dear Dance Studio Proprietor and Dance Studio Members:

The Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble has the honour of inviting you to attend the annual production of The Nutcracker.  It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome back The National Ballet of Cuba as our guest artist dancers.  

Alicia Alonso, artistic director, is a legend; a famous Cuban dancer, universal ballet star and one of the world’s best known and admired ballerinas, choreographers and teachers. 

Alicia was born on December 21, 1921. She grew up in Havana, which had no local ballet company or professional dance school, yet she managed to become a prima ballerina and was dancing to international audiences from the time she was 17. In 1939, Alicia Alonso was a soloist with the Ballet Caravan, the antecedent of the current New York City Ballet, and later a soloist with the American Ballet Theater.

Alicia created Cuba’s first professional ballet company in 1948 – the Alicia Alonso Ballet – called Ballet de Cuba in 1955, and now known as the Cuban National Ballet Company. She was a determining force in the creation of the Cuban School of Ballet. This school has earned admiration for the quality of its teaching and has dramatically elevated the art of ballet in Cuba and world-wide.

Her approach to dance is rooted in deeply enjoying and exhibiting the true love of dance movement. Alicia’s choreographies are famous the world over. Alicia has said,

“Technique has progressed so much today, there’s a temptation to dance everything the same unless the dancer understands and masters the meaning of style. Each gesture should say something about the character they are interpreting; otherwise it becomes a matter of pure gymnastics.”

For studios who would like to purchase a block of 20 seats or more, you will be entitled to a 20% discount.  Please contact the CBYE office at 905-512-1453 or by e-mail to info@cbye.ca to place your order.  Prices and dates of The Nutcracker performance can be found on www.cbye.ca by selecting  the Upcoming Performances tab. We look forward to seeing you at The Nutcracker.

Sincerely, Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble