Elisa Carrillo Cabrera becomes the first Mexicana, first Latina to receive the ‘Prix Benois de la Danse’ the highest honor in the world of professional ballet, equal to a Nobel Prize of Dance.
“Dedico este premio a las mexicanas y a los mexicanos. Nunca dejemos de luchar y trabajar para alcanzar nuestros sueños” – Elisa Carrillo
[translation: “I dedicate this prize to the Mexican people,” she said. “We’ll never stop fighting and working to achieve our dreams.”]
This is not the first time Elisa has broken the ceiling, last year she also became the first Mexican female ballet dancer to have received Russia’s highest honor of dance, the “Alma de la Danza” award.
When not dancing, Elisa has been working hard on building a pipeline of talent in the arts in México. She has launched a scholarship program through her namesake foundation, and recently she also created a national dance festival “Danzatlan” to promote Mexican art and culture, which is in its second year.
In 2018 she was named in Forbes as one of the 100 most powerful women of Mexico.
In her words: “I believe that a child who holds a violin or a paintbrush will never hold a weapon,” she said. “That’s why promoting dance and culture is one of the missions of my organisation, and I hope that over time, my beloved Mexico can achieve peace and tranquillity.” — [Elisa Carrillo Interview w/ Al Jazeera]
Carrillo is a Principal Ballet Dancer with Staatsballet Berlin
NOBLEZA MAGAZINE 