José Luis Zamorano

One of the most interesting personalities within the new generation of Cuban dancers. He completed his ballet studies at the National School of Art in Havana. Among his teachers were Alicia Alonso, Josefina Méndez, Joaquín Banegas and Ramona de Sáa.

After graduating, he became part of the cast of the National Ballet of Cuba, and has performed on various stages in Europe, Asia and America. As a guest artist, he has danced with the National Dance Company of Mexico; the Ballet of the Budapest Opera Theater in Hungary; the Ballet of the Teresa Carreño Foundation in Caracas, Venezuela; INCOLBALLET and the Ballet of Cali in Colombia.

After excelling in the interpretation of principal roles in the great romantic-classical tradition, as well as contemporary creations by Cuban and foreign choreographers, in recent years he has specialized with great success in character roles.

He was a particularly outstanding interpreter in classical-romantic works such as The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia and Les Sylphides, and achieved an extensive repertoire of contemporary works by both national and foreign choreographers, which includes, among others, El dúo de siempre, Paso a tres and El río y el bosque by Alberto Méndez, Elogio de la danza, La casa de Bernarda Alba and Leda y el cisne by Iván Tenorio, Cecilia Valdés by Gustavo Herrera, Canto vital by Azari Plisetski, Sonata by Roland Petit and Bodas de sangre by Antonio Gades.

The year 1976 marked a new stage in the technical and artistic development of this dancer. Still part of the corps de ballet, he was selected to be part of the Cuban delegation to the Japan World Ballet Competition, an event where he obtained, together with soloist Rosario Suárez, a medal and diploma for the couple. His serious and constant work, both in daily classes and in each of his stage performances, led to his promotion at the end of that same year to the rank of principal dancer.

He holds the Distinction for National Culture, awarded by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba, and La Giraldilla de La Habana, awarded by the Provincial Assembly of People's Power in Havana. Parallel to his work as a dancer, he has developed important pedagogical work.

José Zamorano also received praise from international critics during each of the tours abroad with the National Ballet and dance companies from other countries, such as the Ballet of the Theater of Fine Arts of Mexico and the Ballet of the Budapest Opera Theater in Hungary.

"In Leda y el cisne, Zamorano's vigorous male presence was perfect for achieving the idea of a swan, initially treated with subtlety as a domestic animal. A swan that could well seduce the mythological Leda." Anna Kisselgoff. The New York Times. New York. United States, 1979.

Since 1980 he was appointed principal dancer of the National Ballet of Cuba.

"[...] the veteran José Zamorano was phenomenal in the role of the evil Stepmother [in Cinderella]" Octavio Roca. San Francisco Chronicle, United States. 1998.

"In the ballet Giselle, José Zamorano as Hilarion, with an impressive presence, proved to be a worthy adversary of Albrecht." Victoria Looseleaf. La Opinión, United States. 1999.

Awards granted: 1999. "Alejo Carpentier" Medal

Master of the national ballet company of Mexico.