Cuban ballet dancers defect in Puerto Rico

UPDATE: 6/10/14 – 10 a.m.

Miami’s “El Nuevo Herald“published the names of the dancers who deserted. They are: Mónica Gómez, Ignacio Galíndez, Raisel Cruz, who arrived in Miami Saturday, and Jorge Oscar Sánchez, Ariel Soto and Lisset Santander, who made it to Miami late Monday. lo hicieron en horas de la noche del lunes. –

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The six deserters from the Cuban National Ballet fled the dance troupe while visiting Puerto Rico already have the pledged support of Pedro Pablo Mena, who heads up the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami.

The six dancers deserted while on tour Sunday; Peña told the Associated Press that he planned on supporting them and was going to offer them an artistic space while they determined what to do next. He says he already spoke to four of those dancers.

It’s common for dancers to defect, whether looking to escape the Castro dictatorship, or simply looking for better economic conditions. Despite the ballet’s prestige the practice of defecting has happened for decades. According to the AP, the first dancers from the Cuban National Ballet (Ballet Nacional Cubano) occurred in 1966 when the dance company was in Paris, citing political reasons.

Cuban ballet dancers tend to earn an average of $30 a month.

Peña himself is a Cuban exiled dancer, helping out several dancers from Cuba.

“Their careers are stifled in the island, when they see they have not possibilities (that most artists have abroad),” Peña told Spanish news agency EFE.

He also confirmed the most recent group to desert is comprised of two women and four men. However, their names haven’t been made public.

SEE ALSO: Alicia Alonso still heads up the Cuban National Ballet

Peña reaffirmed that the group of six is doing well, even though they did express some nervousness after daring to escape to a foreign land.