Alfredo Corvino

Vocation

Uruguayan ballet dancer and ballet teacher. Corvino studied violin with his father who was a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Montevideo. He studied ballet as a scholarship student of Alberto Pouyanne at the National Academy of Ballet, now known as the Uruguay National Ballet School. He became a principal dancer, choreographer and assistant ballet-master with the Municipal Theater in Uruguay. Corvino first toured Latin America with the Ballets Jooss, directed by the German-born expressionist, Kurt Jooss. He toured the United States with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a soloist. He enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and later joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York. At the MET, Corvino performed and became ballet master of the ballet company, and a dedicated teacher for 20 years, plus teaching at The Juilliard School for more than 40 years. On May 23, 2003, The Juilliard School awarded Alfredo Corvino an honorary doctor of fine arts degree in recognition of his contributions to dance instruction, his career as a performer and choreographer, and his dedication and commitment to dance. He was also the recipient of the 2002 Martha Hill Award for Leadership in Dance and the Juilliard Centennial Medal (May 2005). Corvino died on 2 August 2005, survived by his wife, Marcella Rubin, a costume-designer, and his two daughters, both also active in the dance world. Link to Wikipedia biography