Cheers to Courageous Cuban Dancers

The defecting dancers expressed gratitude for the rigorous training they had received. But they said that to fulfill their personal and artistic aspirations, they needed to get away from a system that seemed frozen in time and subject to political favoritism.

But my thinking was that I need to grow on my own, to learn to be independent and self-sufficient. There’s not just one way to dance or move your body, there are millions, and now I can learn them.

They also do a lot of bravura ballet: how high can you jump?” he said. “Here it is something different, more subtle.

For her part, Ms. Martin said: To have the chance to excel, that’s why we’re here. Learning this new Balanchine style, it’s tough, but it gives me a sense of freedom. I feel like we can do anything now.

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