Alicia Alonso

Alonso, Alicia (Alicia Martinez)älēˈsyä älōnˈsō, märtēˈnās, 1921–, Cuban ballerina and choreographer, b. Havana. Alonso danced in Broadway musicals before becoming a soloist with several leading companies, including the American Ballet Theatre, in 1939. She had a huge repertoire and was best known for her work in Giselle and in Agnes de Mille's Fall River Legend. Her own works include La Tinaja, Ensayos Sinfonicos, and Lidia, all created for the company she and her husband founded in 1948, which after the 1959 revolution became the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Alonso suffered a detached retina at 19, built a stellar career in spite of her failing vision, and, although almost blind, continued to direct her company into the 21st cent.