Ballerina transforming lives at 100 - 29th June 2026

Living testament to its transformative power, Evelyn Cordero's still teaching and dancing ballet at 100 - albeit wearing cushioned soles rather than unforgiving pointes. Evelyn's unrelenting mission to instil in others this passion for ballet and movement lies behind the dance academy bearing her name in Santiago, Chile.

Having started aged 4, it's little surprise she's still dancing in her dreams.

Evelyn Cordero: "I even think I've got out of bed in my sleep and started dancing. And I dream that I'm dancing. I do these beautiful leaps, touching the ceiling, I don't know, I lift off the ground. Then the turns, I do a ton of turns."

Whilst no longer pirouetting across the floor, Evelyn's weekly, 90-minute ballet lessons for women aged 50 to 80 demonstrate its benefits for movement and health, no matter your age.

Evelyn Cordero: "And I also think about people's health. Because ballet is also good for your health since it works all the muscles, and your whole mind as well. It's a very complete form of exercise."

With Chile facing the public health crisis of an ageing demographic and rising cases of late-onset depression, Evelyn's efforts to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing have seen her named one of the country's 100 Senior Leaders.

Mother to 5 children, grandmother to 14, and great-grandmother to 17, Evelyn's also cultivated a love of dance across four generations of her own family, with two daughters directly following in her footsteps.

As professional dancers, her daughters are sharing the load of running her dance academy. And yet, while her advancing years have left Evelyn with limited hearing and slower movement, she shows no sign of stepping back and leaving the school entirely in their hands.