Exclusive lunch time Ballet UpClose with Cuban dance legend Laura Alonso See the company rehearse March 2, 2018 before leaving for Cuba Join Verb Ballets for an exclusive lunch time rehearsal viewing with Cuban dance legend Laura Alonso. The daughter of legendary ballet royalty Alicia Alonso, Laura Alonso is herself an award-winning ballet teacher with a 25-year career performing with Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Witness the artistic process as she sets the ballet Yarini- which has never been seen in America! Verb Ballets will travel to Havana, Cuba the next day for nearly three weeks to join ProDanza. Together the two ballet companies will join forces in an international collaboration to form the Cleveland Havana Ballet to present the Cuban ballet, Yarini. Yarini is based on an historical hero who reached mythical proportions within popular Cuban culture and imagination. The ballet centers around Alberto Yarini, known as the Prince of Old Havana, Louis Lotot, Yarini’s notorious rival, and the women they loved. The ballet is set in Havana during the Cuban War of Independence against Spain; during Yarini’s rise to power that led to his inevitable tragic death in 1910. The battle highlights passion, power and struggles for freedoms that are the essence of the Cuban spirit. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to see rehearsal before the company leaves for Cuba! Ballet UpClose Luncheon is on Friday, March 2, 2018 at 12:00pm at the Verb Ballets studio located at 3445 Warrensville Center Rd. Shaker Hts, OH 44122. Tickets are $17 and includes a light lunch. Tickets available online at verbballets.org or calling 216-397-3757. For more information visit www.verbballets.org<http://www.verbballets.org/>. Laura Alonso Laura Alonso, daughter of world famous ballerina Alicia Alonso and renowned teacher and coach Fernando Alonso, is herself known as a teacher, coach and an expert at staging the well-known classics. For seven years she served as the personal coach and teacher for international prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso. Dance Theatre of Harlem artistic director, former prima ballerina and former editor of Pointe magazine, Virginia Johnson, calls her an, “international master teacher extrordinare.” Ms. Alonso’s 25 year performing career with Ballet National de Cuba included soloist work in all of the traditional classics. Today she travels around the world teaching and staging the classics for pre-professional as well as professional companies such as London’s Royal Ballet School and The Royal Danish Ballet. Although born in the United States, Alonso is a resident of Havana where she has an international dance school, Centro Pro Danza, which welcomes 1,500 students, and a professional performing company, The Ballet Classic of Havana. A teacher of world-class experience, Ms. Alonso has taught Ms. Alonso has taught for professional ballet companies all over the world including Cuban National Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Tokyo Ballet, the Toronto Ballet, the Alberta Ballet. She was a member of the faculty at the Regional Dance America's National Festival in 1997 as well as at the RDA/NE Festival 1998 and the RDA/SE 1999. For seven years, she served as the personal coach for international ballerina Alicia Alonso. Ms. Alonso was honored with an award as the best coach at the Jackson International Ballet Competition in 1990. Her student, Jose Manuel Carreno, won the Grand Prix de Ville, the highest award possible. Ms. Alonso has served as coach, jury member and teacher at the Jackson IBC and as jury member of the Concours International de Dance de Paris, France, the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Competition and other competitions around the world. Along with her expertise in working with professionals and aspiring professionals, Ms. Alonso is extremely gifted at working with young dancers of all ages and experiences. She is willing to instruct anyone who wants to learn and has transformed students in just a few classes. Alonso's mission is to bring the highest quality dance to students everywhere.