Eugene Ballet Company Dancer Wins Cuban Lottery

Eugene, OR, March 20, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Born in Cuba, Leoannis Pupo-Guillen can truly thank his family’s luck of the draw for his opportunity to become one of the prestigious dancers of the internationally renowned group, Eugene Ballet Company. It was his family’s fortunate fate of winning a special lottery system in Cuba, which grants American Citizenship, that allowed Pupo-Guillen to leave the socialist country several years ago and move to America.

With President Obama moving toward a more open relationship with Cuba, families in Cuba are hoping for more freedom. Since 1994, the United States has set a quota of issuing only 20,000 immigrant visas annually for Cubans, which includes around 5,000 Cubans who have won this special lottery system. American officials administer this lottery system in Havana to grant Cubans permanent US residency.

Pupo-Guillen worked hard to develop his ability as a dancer in his native country. He graduated from the Camaguey Professional Ballet Academy in Cuba in 2001, and then competed in the International Havana Ballet Competition He then joined the Camaguey Ballet Company becoming a principal dancer in 2003.

Upon moving to the US, Pupo-Guillen worked for Roxey Ballet and danced with Northeast Youth Ballet and Ballet Ambassadors. He joined the Eugene Ballet Company last season after impressing its Artistic Director, Toni Pimble. “I saw from the first rehearsal that Leo could not only handle the partnering and technique but he has that rare combination of fearless passion and an intelligent sense of how to play the character. Added to that the energy that he brings to a rehearsal and you have a dancer who is a joy to work with in the studio and a performer of outstanding dramatic abilities,” she said.

Since joining the Eugene Ballet Company, Pupo-Guillen has wowed audiences in performances that include his role as Don Jose in Toni Pimble’s Carmen, and as a title role in the Nutcracker. Pupo-Guillen will once again light up the stage at the Hult Center on April 18th and 19th with the Eugene Ballet Company’s presentation of “Peter Pan”.

First performed in 2005, the Eugene Ballet Company is presenting its adventure-filled version of this children’s ballet for the second time this spring. This beautiful production that warms hearts of all ages features stunning sets and costumes, and the great flying by Foy.

For additional information and media interviews with Leoannis Pupo-Guillen, please contact Jackie LaRue Jaclyn@eugeneballet.org

About Eugene Ballet Company: As the only professional ballet company between Portland and San Francisco, the Eugene Ballet Company relocated its 21 dancers to Eugene from Boise, Idaho in September. This is the first time in the company’s 30 year history that the dancers have lived in Eugene. The professional dancers at the internationally renowned company stay busy performing at the Hult Center of the Performing Arts in Eugene, OR and touring shows along the West Coast and in Alaska. The Eugene Ballet Company also offers dance instruction at the Eugene Ballet Academy, formerly the Eugene School of Ballet, at its headquarters in the Midtown Arts Center.

###