This historic visit of The Royal Ballet to Cuba is a cultural and diplomatic coup for two older women whose lives are devoted to, of all things, ballet. Sixty-eight year old Monica Mason of The Royal Ballet and 88 year old Alicia Alonso of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba have pulled off in a week of performances what presidents, dictators, military generals, and Harvard and Yale educated diplomats have not even come close to doing: literally improving relations and understanding between the peoples of two very different, sometimes less than friendly countries by finding a common substance of their souls – ballet. Most diplomats just improve relations between other diplomats.
While Monica Mason and Alicia Alonso are spreading the love and opening doors, one door is closing seemingly too soon. Alexandra Ansanelli, a Principal of The Royal Ballet and a beloved former Principal at the New York City Ballet danced her final performance Thursday evening in Havana. Jeff Franks of The U.S. Daily reports that at the conclusion of the performance Alicia Alonso presented Alexandra with a bouquet on stage - not Cuban to American but legendary ballerina to contemporary ballerina. The art and artists were what mattered here, not the politics.
Alexandra is leaving ballet to embark on a quest for a fuller, more balanced life. She told Franks that she hopes to go off to Columbia University or NYU soon. She seems to have a plan. Good for her. But her electric performances will be missed.
Here's Franks' story.