About Josefina Méndez
Lived 1941 – 2007 (aged 65). Josefina Méndez was a Cuban ballet dancer.
Josefina Méndez (nickname Yuyi; 8 March 1941 – 26 January 2007) was a Cuban ballet dancer and ballet mistress. Along with Loipa Araújo, Aurora Bosch, and Mirta Plá, she is regarded as one of the "Four jewels of Cuban ballet". Her style was noted for poetic play with subtlety and discipline. She was a principal artist with the Cuban National Ballet (Ballet Nacional de Cuba; BNC). She received the National Order of the Legion of Honour of France.
Career Born in Havana in 1941, Méndez studied music at home while enrolled in the Alicia Alonso Ballet Academy. She joined the BNC in 1955, debuting on March 27 in Swan Lake in a man's role because the company was experiencing a shortage of men at that time.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Josefina Méndez?
Cuban ballerina and ballet mistress
When was Josefina Méndez born?
Josefina Méndez was born on 8 March 1941 in Havana.
When did Josefina Méndez die?
Josefina Méndez died on 26 January 2007 in Havana.
What was Josefina Méndez's occupation?
Josefina Méndez was a ballet dancer.
What nationality was Josefina Méndez?
Josefina Méndez was Cuban.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Josefina Méndez. https://biography.guide/josefina-mendez/
MLA: "Josefina Méndez." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/josefina-mendez/.
Chicago: "Josefina Méndez." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/josefina-mendez/.
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