Fernando Alonso

Who was Fernando Alonso?

Fernando Alonso was a Cuban ballet dancer and co-founder of the Cuban National Ballet.

Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1914, Alonso began his career in 1935. In 1937, he traveled with his brother and wife Alicia to the United States. In 1940, he and Alicia joined the American Ballet Theatre, where they remained until 1948. They returned to Havana and were part of a group called the Ballet Alicia Alonso. It later became the National Ballet. In 1975, after divorcing Alicia, he took control of the ballet in the city of Camagüey. In 2000, he was awarded Cuba's National Dance Prize for lifetime achievement.

On 27 July 2013, State TV announced his death at the age of 98. No cause of death was specified.