OUR FACULTY
LUANA HIDALGO
BALLET MISTRESS
Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Luana Hidalgo started studying dance at the Institute of Art at an early age and graduated from Madame Irene Levandoski's Ballet School. She became a soloist with Ballet of Maracaibo before she became a principal dancer for Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas. Hidalgo had the honor of learning from some of the world’s best choreographers: Vicente Nebrada, Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Margot Sappington, Hans van Manen, John Butler and Ulysses Dove, among others. Ulysses Dove created a work especially for Hidalgo called “Urban Songs of the Moon”. In 1995 she was awarded “Best Classical Dancer - Casa del Artista” in Venezuela. In 2001, Hidalgo received the honor of the “City of Avignon” in France.
She joined the Cleveland Ballet in 1992 and performed principal roles in ballets choreographed by Michael Smuin, Flemming Flindt, Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath and Donald McKayle. Hidalgo has performed classical repertoire from Petipa to Fokine and Balanchine, as well as, modern works.
When she retired as a dancer, she became a dance teacher for the Cleveland San Jose Ballet School, The Nevada Ballet Theatre and Ballet San Jose. She also taught for thirteen years alongside the faculty of the Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet and as a Ballet Mistress for their ballet company, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. After years of teaching for various prestigious schools, she has moved to Tampa to challenge herself as she works with America’s Ballet School’s artistic director, Paula Nuñez.
She has joined Nuñez in a new project called “On Your Feet” and as a ballet mistress of Tampa City Ballet. Hidalgo is excited to bring this unique project to life. She was drawn to this brand-new experience where, through the art of dance, she is able to bring life-changing opportunities to today’s youth.
