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I stand corrected, at least regarding Acosta and Carreno, who apparently do return to perform at the Havana Ballet Festival. Here is another link that confirms it – note the word “legally” and the fact that Acosta acknowledges that he got an education in Cuba he would have been unlikely to get elsewhere. ------ http://www.cubatravelusa.com/ballet_cuba.htm Stars like Acosta and Carreno, who earns up to $10,000 for a one-night gala appearance, recognize their debt to Cuba. Most left legally and maintain ties to the homeland, returning to perform at the Havana Ballet Festival every two years. “Classical training is very expensive in other countries. I come from a poor family and had the good fortune to go to ballet school in Cuba,” said Carreno. ----- [off topic remarks deleted]

Lorna, Lorena, Carreño and Acosta do not "straddle both worlds" and Alicia Alonso does not say who comes and goes. All Cubans who leave the country are free to come and go - those who accept free training and then leave the country in order to set up websites and sell baseball caps, as Acosta has done, cannot expect to be welcomed back to their Cuban jobs, and indeed I am unaware that any of these four have performed with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba since leaving. Please correct me if I am wrong. [snip] Indeed it will be a treat for Americans to see Sarabia since the U.S. harasses and threatens any American who dares to visit Cuba, and routinely denies visas to Cuban artists who wish to visit the U.S. But they should at least be aware that Cuba gave him an enormous gift, which he is now turning to his economic advantage. [snip] [Admin's note: Edited to remove political content that is in violation of Board policy and partially factual statutory content. Natalia has contested the info in the first paragraph in the post below.]