My earliest memory is when I told my mum I wanted to be a dancer at the age of 4… I loved ballet when I was a kid. At fourteen I got a scholarship to the National Ballet School in Cuba, where I won several prizes, and subsequently joined the Cuban National Ballet. While I was working in Italy at La Scala and the Teatro Nuovo di Torino, I was spotted by the director of the English Ballet School, Jane Hucker, and invited to audition in the UK.
The most influential people in my life have been my family - especially my mum - and all the teachers I’ve had, as well as mentors like Vivienne Westwood.
The thing I most love about London is the freedom I have here. At the beginning it was difficult, not speaking English and having to overcome the death of my mother when I first arrived. But my love of dance has always carried me through, along with my self-belief and determination.
The British audience is very polite and generous. From the very beginning, I have felt a lot of love and care from the British people.
Colombians are a very happy and friendly people and like to dance salsa a lot. We are also very hardworking and passionate about what we do.
What makes me most happy is being able to deliver a good performance and go to bed knowing I have learned something new and positive.
What makes me unhappy and angry is prejudice of any kind. Being a black ballet dancer, I have felt prejudice at times in my career. You have to find the best ways of dealing with it.
I have been supported by some very special people through hard times and good times, and I feel very grateful to them. I’ll always try my best to make them proud of me.
I don’t idolize or admire any one person in particular because I think everybody has something which can be admired, and personally I’m always learning valuable things from different people.
If I could go back in time, I’d go to the time of El Dorado.
The song I’d like sung at my funeral is Handel’s Lascia ch’e io Pianga
Tell us a secret. A secret is a secret.
