Two new stars in the horizon

Believe me, they are Cubans. The brilliance in these stars are already shining in yonder skies. Yolanda Correa and Yoel Carreno have been partners from their teens, dancing together always and fiercely faithful to their country and her dance.

They danced with dedication until they reached the top and became the principal dancers of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. For them the world is still very young and a successful career lying ahead to break into the international dance scene.

Ballet Nacional de Cuba has lost many of its great dancers who leave it for greener pastures. And when they depart, Cuba is not very happy because seldom does a talented dancer return home.

They secure more lucrative contracts and the opportunity to dance in more diverse repertoires in the West. Their departure while hurting their dance, delights new audiences and they derive a feeling of greatness that comes with satisfaction. But Yolanda and Yoel are different from the rest. They secured a leave of absence just for eight months for the London season. They vouch they will return back to their company.

They were officially released to dance with Ballet Victor Ullate in Madrid. This opportunity arose when Ullate visited Havana and saw them in a class and later in the theatre to watch Yolanda dance in Sleeping Beauty. When Ullate learned that Yeol was her partner, he signed up both.

To them Ullate was God send and their experience with him, sky rocketed their young career. They will return to Ballet Nacional de Cuba later in October and dance with them until they have another opportunity to go out and conquer the world ballet scene. With their brief appearances, Yolanda and Yoel did Cuba proud.

They revealed what their country is doing for arts and culture, for their dancing, music and sculpture. During their stay, they had to work eight hours but back in Havana, it used to be three to four hours a day because they had the same repertoire. Here, everything was new because Ullate created new choreography for them.

Since their company was small compared their present one in Madrid where work and style was different, it was a challenge to Yolanda and Yoel at the beginning but their determination was so high in spirit, they were able to sink in and practised and practised until they were good enough.

Both dancers did gymnastics from the age of five to six in preparation to studying ballet that helped them in training as dancers.

Their bodies were supple and flexible. He and some of his colleagues took gymnastic courses before auditioning for the National Ballet School. Yeol had been with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba for twelve years and Yolanda for ten years.

Yoel comes from a dancing family two of his uncles were leading dancers in his country while his cousin, Alihaydee is currently dancing in the Dominican Republic. His brother is the famous Jose Manuel who is with the ABT since 1995. Yolanda is the first dancer in her family.

Yolanda and Yoel have just appeared in the premier Ullate’s wonderland which was a success because it was different kind of ballet where techniques were all important. They have had very little time to see other companies or dance with them because of their tight schedules and to return to Cuba on time.

Every premier had been memorable to Yoel not because of work but for the experience and to have danced with many wonderful ballerinas like Tamara Rojo and Alicia Amatriain who had worked in the Stuttgart Ballet.

Yoel debuted as Prince Siegfried and had to dance the ‘pas de Deux’ as well as the ‘pas de trois’. Of all the roles he has danced, he simply loves that of Albrecht in Giselle. It is the best ballet of the big classics, the music, the choreography, the story, the technique and above all, the dancing. Giselle was immortalized by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.

Following more performances, Yoel and Yolanda plan to return to Havana after dancing in wonderland and two guest appearances in Swan Lake in Prague.

They will be invited over and over again because of their exceptional talent that would be an asset to any major company.

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