Mirta Plá

Mirta Esteny Plá Cabal (1940 – September 23, 2003) was a Cuban dancer, teacher of ballet, and ballet master. Along with Loipa Araújo, Aurora Bosch, and Josefina Méndez, she is regarded as one of the "four jewels of Cuban ballet".^[1] She was a principal artist with the Cuban National Ballet (Ballet Nacional de Cuba; BNC).

Early years

Born in Havana, Plá began her studies at the Conservatorio Municipal de la Habana. She continued her training under Fernando Alonso, Leon Fokine, Alexandra Fedorova, José Parés and Mary Skeaping.^[2] She joined the Alicia Alonso Ballet Academy where Bosch remembered Plá as being very skinny with a very long neck.^[3] The Romanian ballerina, Mijaela Tesleoanu, recalled that Plá was never hurt nor did she ever complain about discomfort in the ankles, knees or arms.^[3]

Career

She debuted professionally in 1953, at the age of 13.^[3] She was trained at the Ballet Academy run by Alicia Alonso and she became known as one of the "four jewels" with Loipa Araújo, Aurora Bosch, and Josefina Méndez. Alonso's school became the Cuban Ballet School. In 1956 the school lost its funding from the state, but in 1959 the new revolutionary government made ballet into a "national art form".^[5] The same year, Plá was promoted to soloist, acquiring the status of principal dancer in 1962.^[3]

While still in her youth, Plá was a guest artist in

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