Pioneers
Lupe Serrano
Recognized as one of the most prominent ballet dancers of the 20th century
Born to a Spanish father and a Franco-Mexican mother, Lupe Serrano emerged as a highly regarded outstanding ballet dancer and teacher, cultivating her career in Mexico and the United States, where she graced the stage as a member of the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. In addition to being one of the standout dancers in the company, Lupe shone as a teacher at prestigious universities and ballet schools, becoming a true icon of classical dance.
Guadalupe Martínez Desfassiaux was born in Santiago, Chile, on December 7, 1930. Her parents were the Spanish orchestra director Luis Martínez Serrano and the Franco-Mexican Luciana Desfassiaux. Due to her father’s profession, the family constantly travelled throughout South America. However, after Lupe’s birth, the family settled in Chile for a few years. During her formative years in Chile, Lupe had her first dance lesson and her passion for dance blossomed.
As a teenager, Lupe and her family relocated to Mexico, where she pursued her dance education under the mentorship of the esteemed French instructor Nelsy Dambré, renowned for nurturing the talents of the first generation of Mexican professional classical dancers. Under her teacher’s guidance, Lupe became a member of the Mexico City Ballet and simultaneously enrolled in the Academy of Mexican Dance. While at the academy, she received instruction from the distinguished dancer and choreographer José Limón, a modern dance pioneer. Later, at 18, she went on tour through Central and South America with the Cuban dancer Alicia Alonso.
In 1951, her journey led her from Mexico to New York, where she became part of the illustrious Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo, touring across North America and Venezuela. In 1953, she transitioned to the Ballet Theatre, now recognized as the American Ballet Theatre (AT), where she rose to prominence as a principal dancer and remained for an impressive 18-year tenure until her retirement in 1971.
During her career with ABT, from 1958 to 1959, she was the principal soloist at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Her repertoire included standout performances in classics such as “Giselle” and “Swan Lake,” as well as the ethereal “Les Sylphides.”
As for her role as a teacher, Lupe Serrano taught at prestigious institutes and universities in Illinois and Pennsylvania. She also held the position of artistic director for the Washington Ballet. In 2009, she received the “A Life for Dance” Award, presented annually at the International Ballet Festival of Miami. Lupe Serrano passed away on January 16, 2023, in Syosset, New York.
