Viengsay Valdés Receives Artistic Merit Recognition at Instituto Superior de Arte

September 4, 2019

The prima ballerina and artistic subdirector of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Viengsay Valdés, received last night, at the Act marking the beginning of the 2019-2020 academic year at the Universidad de las Artes (ISA), the Distinction of Artistic Merit from the hands of the rector of the prestigious educational institution, Alexis Seijo.

The event also served to honor the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cultural Heritage of the Nation, and its general director Alicia Alonso.

Present at the event were Rector Alexis Seijo García; Sara Blanco Pérez, official of the Central Committee of the Party; Yosvani Acosta Abrantes, member of the National Bureau of the UJC; Nereida López Labrada, General Secretary of the Union of Workers of Culture; José Ángel Fernández Castañeda, National President of the FEU, as well as vice-rectors, deans and other members of the university council; directors of the Centro Nacional de Escuelas de Arte, members of the university's scientific council, leaders of political and student organizations, alumni and distinguished professors.

National dance award recipients Miguel Iglesias and Alberto Méndez were invited to the event.

The Ébano woodwind quartet was responsible for the artistic portion, performing a carefully selected national and international repertoire.

The central remarks were delivered by the historian of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Miguel Cabrera, who thanked the institution of higher learning for the training of countless generations of dancers, as well as prestigious artists who represent the best of national culture.

As a finale to the evening, the moving video-art tribute to prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, ParAlicia, was presented, with direction by Alejandro Pérez, choreography by Tania Vergara, music by Frank Fernández, and performance by Viengsay Valdés.