Anna Lobe
A native of Havana, Cuba, Ms. Lobe studied ballet at the National School of Ballet, where she graduated in 1982 as Ballerina-Professor. Immediately she joined the National Ballet of Cuba, under the direction of Alicia Alonso, where she danced classical and contemporary repertoire. Consequently, she toured internationally with the company and participated in all International Ballet Festivals in Havana from 1982 to 1990.
Ms. Lobe was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer in 1988. In the same year, she won Certificate as finalist in the International Ballet Competition of Varna, Bulgaria and in the 1990 International Ballet Competition of Jackson, Mississippi. As a result, she was invited to dance with the English National Ballet in London by director Ivan Nagy. Ms. Lobe danced with the company during the 1990-1991 season and participated in galas for Alicia Markova and the late Princess Diana.
During her career, Ms. Lobe has been partnered among others by Jose Manuel Carreno, Olivier Munoz, Ramon Thielen and Fernando Bujones, director of Ballet Mississippi during the season 1993-1994, while she was a member of the company.
Since 1994 she has been Principal Dancer with Cleveland San Jose Ballet, under the direction of Dennis Nahat, dancing all the lead roles in the company’s classical and diverse repertoire. In addition, Ms. Lobe has participated in the PBS videotapes of the International Ballet Competition in 1990 and Blue Suede Shoes in 1996. During the 1999-2000 season she performed the title role in Roland Petit’s masterpiece, Carmen.
The critics have acclaimed Ms. Lobe for her technique, musicality, presence and acting abilities — in Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Carmen, Coppelia, and Romeo and Juliet, to mention just a few of her roles.
She continues performing as a guest artist nationally and internationally. Ms. Lobe teaches master classes and workshops throughout the country, where she exposes the diversity of schools and knowledge that have been fundamental in her career. Her training in Cuba with Laura and Alicia Alonso, Loipa Araujo, and Karemia Moreno among others, Ivan Nagy in England, plus Luk de Lairres, Bujones and Dennis Nahat — all have helped to build and enrich her dancing career.
She is currently on staff at Sharron School of Dance, Royal School of Ballet and Dance Institute of the University of Akron, where she teaches ballet, stages classical repertoire, and provides new choreography for her students. In addition, Dance Institute presented the 2003 Outstanding Teacher Award in recognition of her excellence in dance education. Ms. Lobe is married, has two children, and has her residence in Medina, Ohio.