Cuban National Ballet is giving a short season of performances at the Grand Palais in Paris showing Giselle and Don Quixote. The official opening night was 17th July but when we arrived we discovered a preview performance being advertised for the 16th and we were able to get tickets.

The Grand Palais (about 200 yards from the Champs-Elysees-Clenenceau metro station) was built as an exhibition hall in 1900. It has got a very grand classical-style exterior and a magnificent glass roof. A makeshift auditorium has been set up in the main body of the hall. The seating has a good rake and is stadium style plastic seating; we did see cushions for hire. A Cuban-style bar has been set up on the left hand side of the auditorium, and there is an exhibition (from Cuba) of decorated refrigerators (similar in concept to the Cow Parade) on the right. It is well worth arriving early to have a look at the fridges. The performances start at 21:00.

Our only minor disappointment was that the performances were to recorded music.

As we only got tickets on the day on the 16th we were right at the back/top of the auditorium, which gave a good overall view. On the 17th we were on the 2nd row. The front row seemed to have been reserved for VIPs and we were privileged to be sitting behind Alicia Alonso. Height-wise, the second row gave a good view, the front row looked as thought it would be a bit too low. The set was very simple with a screen at the back that had a projection of trees for Act 1 and darker trees for Act 2. It was surprisingly effective. The cottage frontages at the sides of the stage were as we would normally expect.

We saw the same cast on both evenings: Anette Delgado (Giselle); Joel Carreno (Albrecht); Javier Torres (Hilarion); Sadaise Arencibia (Myrtha).

This production is very traditional, with really clear and vivid mime. The performances were absolutely fantastic. Anette Delgado was a fragile Giselle from the start. Her beautifully judged characterisation made it clear that she had health problems and that she was a very sweet-natured girl who fell totally in love with Albrecht. Her technique is just awesome, leaving me stunned that she could look so fragile while dancing so strongly. Joel Carreno is a very romantic Albrecht; he is not toying with Giselle, he really does love her and is devastated by the consequences of his actions. Again, he is a superb dancer. On what looked like a very hard stage, we never heard him land once. They were sheer magic together.

I enjoyed Javier Torres’ performance as Hilarion; his acting made it very clear that he loved Giselle but didn’t know how to tell her.

The corps of the company is absolutely splendid. In Act 1 there is a pas de huit plus 2 (4 men and 6 women) set to the peasant pdd. In itself, it was a good piece of ensemble work but when you see the unison and bravura with which the four men danced it is absolutely spectacular. In Act 2 all the Wilis en arabesque were absolutely in unison, with their legs at exactly the same height and angle. It was frighteningly spooky as well as spectacular.

The company earned a great ovation at the end of both the performances we saw, and they really deserved it. Alicia Alonso came on stage for the final ovation at both performances we saw and the audience just raised the roof. This tiny near-nonagenarian can fill an auditorium with her presence just by walking on stage and her company is a wonderful testament to her dedication and commitment to dance.

A true prima ballerina has but to stop on a stage - or into a room - and she possesses it whether she is dancing, standing still or sitting in a wheelchair.

She is also blind - and has been most of her life. Watching her take class, rehearse and perform with what one would think was a career ending disability - was a lesson of grace and fortitude and a triumph of the human spirit.

As I detailed for this board a couple of years ago - I was allowed to stay as she took a private class (given to her and Jorge Esquival by her daughter) when she came to perform Giselle with San Diego Ballet in the late 1970's. I attended an interview she gave. I also attended her rehearsal of Giselle and then two performances of Giselle and one of La Peri.

Her company has the benefit of being coached by one of the greatest Giselles - ever.

They are cranking out world class dancers at an astonishing clip.