Viengsay Valdés will be part of the Benois Prize jury

April 19, 2023

Viengsay Valdés, prima ballerina and general director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, will be part of the jury for the Benois Prize for Dance in 2023.

This event is considered the Oscar of dance at the worldwide level, due to the high prestige and talent it has brought together since it was created by the International Dance Association in Moscow.

In an interview with Prensa Latina, Viengsay Valdés acknowledged that it is a great honor for her to be part of the jury for the prize category in question, because of the place where it is awarded (Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow) and because of the tradition in the history of performing arts in Russia.

"This is a very singular prize that distinguishes the careers of some artists from my country, including those of the founding fathers of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Alicia and Fernando Alonso, who received it in the category of For a lifetime of work," Viengsay expressed.

Furthermore, she stated that this will also be an opportunity to continue giving visibility in the world to Cuban ballet, greatly enriched by Russian ballet, as the respect held for its mark is evident.

"Cuban artists from different generations of the company today are dancers and teachers in various companies around the world, with meritorious work. And despite many difficulties, the ensemble continues to generate exceptional dancers and notable works today."

She also referred to the 28th edition of the International Meeting of Academies for Ballet Education in La Habana, which welcomes children and young dancers from different parts of the world. She described this event as a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences about ballet teaching methodology today.

"The reality of each country is different, for example, in several Latin American countries there are prejudices about the possibility of men studying ballet and many girls come to Cuba to have the opportunity to dance with a boy, to learn how to perform in the classical pas de deux, which is vital for any dancer with professional aspirations. And the Cuban school has a pool of male dancers that is a privilege," concluded Viengsay Valdés.