Viengsay Valdés: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Biography |
{{Infobox Biography |
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| subject_name = Viengsay Valdes |
| subject_name = Viengsay Valdes |
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| image_name = [[Image:Viengsay Valdes.jpg]] |
| image_name = [[Image:Viengsay Valdes.jpg]] |
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| image_size = 250px |
| image_size = 250px |
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| image_caption = |
| image_caption = Viengsay Valdes in Madrid 2007 |
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| place_of_birth = Havana |
| place_of_birth = Havana |
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| occupation = Ballet dancer |
| occupation = Ballet dancer |
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Ms. Valdes' performances have received outstanding reviews from several of the world’s leading dance critics, including Anna Kisselgoff and Jennifer Dunning of the [[New York Times]], and Lewis Segal of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' and others.[http://www.danceviewtimes.com/dvny/reviews/2003/cuba1.htm] |
Ms. Valdes' performances have received outstanding reviews from several of the world’s leading dance critics, including Anna Kisselgoff and Jennifer Dunning of the [[New York Times]], and Lewis Segal of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' and others.[http://www.danceviewtimes.com/dvny/reviews/2003/cuba1.htm] |
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Mary Ellen Hunt wrote in Dance Magazine: "Cuban ballerina Viengsay Valdes could be justly famous for her rock-solid eternal balances, thrilling multiple turns, and bravura technique. But in an age of superlative technicians, it's the passion and heart that Valdes brings to her dancing that has captivated audiences from Havana to Paris. Whether playing an effervescent Swanhilda in Coppelia or a biting Black Swan, Valdes' every move emerges as a natural expression of her zest for dancing. One of the youngest of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's primeras ballerinas, Valdes made an auspicious debut as Kitri in Don Quixote at the age of 19, under the demanding tuta ledge of Alicia Alonso. Since then, she's polished all international reputation, partnering with such danseurs as Carlos Acosta, lose Manuel Carreno, and Giuseppe Picone, and winning enthusiastic critical praise."[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-112212763.html] |
Mary Ellen Hunt wrote in Dance Magazine: "Cuban ballerina Viengsay Valdes could be justly famous for her rock-solid eternal balances, thrilling multiple turns, and bravura technique. But in an age of superlative technicians, it's the passion and heart that Valdes brings to her dancing that has captivated audiences from Havana to Paris. Whether playing an effervescent Swanhilda in Coppelia or a biting Black Swan, Valdes' every move emerges as a natural expression of her zest for dancing. One of the youngest of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's primeras ballerinas, Valdes made an auspicious debut as Kitri in Don Quixote at the age of 19, under the demanding tuta ledge of Alicia Alonso. Since then, she's polished all international reputation, partnering with such danseurs as Carlos Acosta, lose Manuel Carreno, and Giuseppe Picone, and winning enthusiastic critical praise." [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-112212763.html] |
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The Stage wrote: "In Don Quixote the ballerina role of Kitri was outstandingly danced by Viengsay Valdés with thrilling balances." |
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[http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/9282] |
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===Awards=== |
===Awards=== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub3yUMwbKo8 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub3yUMwbKo8 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K15twr9IWPM |
Revision as of 17:30, 28 May 2007
Viengsay Valdés | |
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Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Parent | Clara |
Viengsay Valdes (born Havana; is a Cuban ballerina.
Training
Viengsay Valdés began her ballet studies at the Alejo Carpentier Provincial Ballet School, and finished them at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) , both located in Havana. Ramona de Sáa was her main ballet professor. While she was still a student she won numerous prizes and distinctions, including being named a Principal Dancer of Ballet Nacional de Cuba.[1]
In July of 1994 Ms. Valdes graduated from the National School of Art (ENA) with a degree in Dance and Choreography, and gold honors.
Professional Ballet Career
Upon graduating, Ms. Valdes immediately joined Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
In July of 2001, Ms Valdes was promoted to the category of premiere Dancer in the Company, and she appeared as a premiere dancer in important theatres in Spain and the United States. Ms. Valdes is best known for her interpretations of the female lead roles in the ballets Carmen, Giselle, Swan Lake, Blood Wedding, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee, and the Nutcracker, among others, also in important pas de deux from the Corsair, Diana and Acteon, Silvia,,Black Swan and etc.
Every year since 1994, Ms. Valdes has been a participant in the presigious International Ballet Festival in Havana.
Ms. Valdes performed at the World Stars Ballet Gala in Budapest, September 14 the 2002.
She was named the most outstanding dancer in the XVIII International Festival of Ballet of Havana (October 20-28, 2002), This was thanks to her starring performances in Giselle, and her performance as Kitri in Don Quixote. Her partner in Don Quixote was premier dancer Carlos Acosta.
In February of 2003, Ms Valdes was a guest for the Closing Gala of the Dessau Ballet-Festival in Germany. She was invited to dance in the Real Place of San Lorenzo of The Escorial for second time in 2003 and 2005 during her tour of Spain.
In September of 2003, Ms Valdes participated as a guest in the World Gala, “Les Étoiles du XXIe Siècle,” which took place on the Champs Elysées in Paris. Ms. Valdes first partner for the Gala was the Italian ballet star Giusseppe Picone and also her next partner was the Russian star Alexei Tyukov.
In October of 2002, Ms. Valdes was invited to guest star as Kitri for a performance of Don Quixote with La Scala in Milán, but she could not participate because she had a prior commitment to tour in the USA, with Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
In January of 2004, she participated in the 1st Festival of Ballet of Beijing with Swan Lake.
She was invited for a second time to participate in the World Stars of Ballet Gala in Budapest, in September of 2004. The dancers, managers, personalities and other distinguished personages, voted to choose Ms Valdés, as their favorite dancer of this World Gala, and she was subsequently awarded the Prize for Popularity.
In the summer of 2005, Ms. Valdes danced throughout Spain. She was invited on July 23, 2005 to appear in Cannes at the Etoiles du Ballet 2000 Festival, an association of the world’s most important dance critics. In August 2005 she was star in four-day run of Giselle at the Sadler’s Welles Theatre in London and she received outstanding reviews from several dance critics.
In the summer of 2006 Ms.Valdes participated in the World Ballet Festival in Tokyo, as well as she was star again but like Kitri at the Sadler`sWelles Theatre in London , receiving outstanding reviews from several critics.
She participated in the Prague Ballet Gala and in the International Danze Gala in Lisbon in 2007..
She has performed leading roles in the major theatres of Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America; she has toured in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, Czech Republic Hungary, Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, China, Laos, Venezuela, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama , Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Tunez , Egypt , Japan and other countries.
Critical Reviews
Ms. Valdes' performances have received outstanding reviews from several of the world’s leading dance critics, including Anna Kisselgoff and Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times, and Lewis Segal of the Los Angeles Times and others.[2]
Mary Ellen Hunt wrote in Dance Magazine: "Cuban ballerina Viengsay Valdes could be justly famous for her rock-solid eternal balances, thrilling multiple turns, and bravura technique. But in an age of superlative technicians, it's the passion and heart that Valdes brings to her dancing that has captivated audiences from Havana to Paris. Whether playing an effervescent Swanhilda in Coppelia or a biting Black Swan, Valdes' every move emerges as a natural expression of her zest for dancing. One of the youngest of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's primeras ballerinas, Valdes made an auspicious debut as Kitri in Don Quixote at the age of 19, under the demanding tuta ledge of Alicia Alonso. Since then, she's polished all international reputation, partnering with such danseurs as Carlos Acosta, lose Manuel Carreno, and Giuseppe Picone, and winning enthusiastic critical praise." [3]
The Stage wrote: "In Don Quixote the ballerina role of Kitri was outstandingly danced by Viengsay Valdés with thrilling balances." [4]
Awards
1993 - First Prize in the National Competition of Dance for the Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba (UNEAC). 1993 – Gold Medal in the Vignale Festival of Dance, Italy. 1994 – Grand Prize in Ballet for the National Competition of Dance, Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba (UNEAC). 1999 – National Medal of Culture from Cuba 2003 – Ms. Valdes was awarded the Medal "Alejo Carpentier" by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba. 2005 - 23 July, Ms.Valdes was awarded the Les Ètoiles de Ballet 2000 prize at the in Palais des Festivals, Cannes.
Personal life
References