Guadalajara ballet dancer Isaac Hernandez, a principal with the English National Ballet in London, has been honored with the Medalla Bellas Artes, Mexico’s highest award for contributions to the arts.
Hernandez received the medal from President Enrique Peña Nieto at a ceremony in the National Palace August 21.
The 28-year-old began his career at the age of seven, learning from his father, a former dancer, in the yard of their modest Guadalajara home. He won multiple prizes throughout his teens and danced with the San Francisco and Dutch National Ballets before joining the English National.
Earlier this year, Hernandez received the “Benois de la Danse,” ballet’s most prestigious prize, awarded annually by the International Dance Association.