Over 90 years old, the legendary Alicia Alonso, considered one of the great dancers, still shines in Cuba, where she founded the National Ballet to help her country. Viengsay Valdès, one of the four lead dancers of this prestigious company located in Havana, works daily to improve her technique and push the limits of her body. Amanda, 14, dreams of becoming a dancer and trains every day to meet her goal. In the crumbling rehearsal halls of the Gran Teatro de La Habana, this film follows the lives of these three women who are united by their passion.

Picture gallery

Horizons was inspired by Alicia Alonso, the “prima ballerina assoluta”, who began losing her sight at 19 but still managed a great career. The camera of Eileen Hofer, a former journalist, records not only the dancers’ pain, sweat, tears as their bodies are bent by work and perseverance – bodies that have becomes tools – but also their hopes, dreams, and courage. And even their politics: in the wake of Alicia Alonso, Viengsay Valdès has a strong desire to remain in Cuba instead of seeking international recognition. Within this austere environment, Horizons captures the grace and emotion of the women, alternating between archival footage and scenes of their daily lives, offering a beautiful perspective of a mysterious universe in which the dream moves from one dancer to the next.