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October 20, 1999

In our popular mythology, ballerinas are delicate sylphs or unattainable ideals. They are to be beautiful, polite, and have the gift to make the unbelievable possible. Iliana Lopez, the Miami City Ballet's leading dancer, is certainly lovely to look at, owns superb stage manners, and can exude technical prowess but she is no ice princess. She is definitely a real woman; regal but wonderfully warm.

Born in Valencia, Venezuela, Lopez has had stints at the Teresa Carreno National Ballet Company in Caracas, San Francisco Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Dusseldorf Ballet. But the 36-year-old Lopez found a home in Miami just one year after Edward Villela started the company in 1986.

Moderately tall with full legs, deep arches and sensitive arms, Lopez thrives in the Balanchine ballets that make up the core of Miami City Ballet's repertoire. The dark-haired ballerina is villainous as the siren in Prodigal Son, noble but loving in Diamonds, sultry in Rubies, and elegant in Concerto Barocco.

There to reveal new sides of the Lopez' essence is resident choreographer Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros, who has her jive dancing in The Big Band SUPERMEGATROID, seductive in Carmen, and classical in Concerto for La Donna.

At her side on stage and off is husband Franklin Gamero, whose attention towards his wife only underscores her femininity. Their joy in dancing and love for each other is a special reward given to an enraptured audience.-- Dale Brauner