Mendez, Josefina

▪ 2008

      Cuban ballerina

born March 8, 1941 , Havana, Cuba

died Jan. 26, 2007 , Havana

was regarded as one of the “four jewels” of the National Ballet of Cuba, together with Loipa Araújo, Aurora Bosch, and Mirta Plá, and was a master stylist whose technique and interpretive skills were showcased during a 35-year career as a dancer and later as the company's ballet mistress. Méndez, who studied under Alicia Alonso, trained such dancers as Carlos Acosta and her son, Víctor Gilí, with whom she performed Intimidad, a piece that was especially created for her official retirement in 1996.

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