Introduction

Evelyn Cisneros at the San Francisco Ballet

Credit: Charlotte Ballet

As a Mexican American female myself, seeing a Latina prima ballerina with a multitude of accomplishments was both inspiring and powerful. I knew that the artist I would focus on had to be Evelyn Cisneros, best known as the first Hispanic prima ballerina. Cisneros created a legacy for herself while simultaneously paving the way for Hispanics in the art of ballet. We can explore more about this legacy as we look into her personal growth, rapid development in the world of ballet, accomplishments, and her journey to becoming a pioneer for LatinX peoples across the world.