Ruth Leon recommends… Solea de Aida – Irene Rodríguez 

Solea de Aida – Irene Rodríguez 

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Born in Havana, Irene Rodríguez graduated in 1999 as a professional performer of Spanish dances and joined the Ballet Espanol de Cuba. After becoming Prima Ballerina of the company in 2007, she also worked extensively with Alicia Alonso   and the National Ballet of Cuba. Rodríguez founded her own company in 2012, and made her Jacob’s Pillow debut five years later with a program in the Doris Duke Theatre including the world premiere of Pena Negra.

In 2019, not only did Rodríguez return as Director of the Flamenco & Spanish Dance Program in The School at Jacob’s Pillow, but she also led her company in a program that concluded with the dynamic solo seen here.

In 2022, she premiered My Roots as part of the 90th Anniversary Gala. The soloist and choreographer is Irene Rodríguez herself. The music comes from Noel Gutiérrez based on “Soleá de Aida” by Juan Parrilla.

Here too is an irresistible clip of Alicia Alonso, founder of the National Ballet of Cuba, talking about her time as a prima ballerina with the company that became the American Ballet Theatre, having joined it when it was Lincoln Kirstein’s Ballet Caravan.  She is  98 in  this clip, and almost completely blind,  and talks about her signature role as Giselle which she debuted with Ballet Theatre in 1943.

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