At 100, Chilean ballerina still dancing and teaching dreams

Chilean ballet teacher Evelyn Cordero continues inspiring dancers at the age of 100

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Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

Dubai: Leaning on a cane or the barre in her Santiago dance studio, 100-year-old Evelyn Cordero continues to teach ballet with grace and dedication. “Even in my dreams, I dance,” says the veteran instructor, whose passion for ballet has lasted nearly a century.

Cordero began dancing at the age of four and later opened her own dance school in 1994 in the Chilean capital. Despite reaching the milestone age of 100, she still guides students through lessons, gently correcting posture and encouraging young dancers.

Her commitment to ballet has inspired generations of students and drawn admiration across Chile. Cordero says dance remains an essential part of her life and identity, and she has no plans to retire from the studio or give up the art form she loves.

Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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