Maryland Youth Ballet’s beloved Founder, Hortensia Fonseca, recently passed away at the age of 103 years. She was an amazing woman who created this enduring institution that enriched the lives of thousands of students, young and “mature”.

Obituary

Hortensia V. Fonseca, 103, of Wheaton, Maryland passed away on August 9, 2025, at home of natural causes. Mrs. Fonseca leaves an enduring legacy as the Founder and Artistic Director of the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet (MYB) which today, after more than 50 years, continues to carry on her heritage of excellence in training students for careers in classical ballet. Today, MYB annually enrolls over 1,500 children and adults.

Fonseca was born in Costa Rica and came to the United States in 1945 to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ballerina in New York City where she studied at American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Although she was eventually offered the opportunity to join the company, she had already met and decided to marry the love of her life, Jaime M. Fonseca. They moved to Washington, DC where she continued her ballet studies with Mary Day at The Washington Ballet. Soon, Fonseca began teaching and sharing her love of ballet to young children in the basement of their small home in Wheaton Silver Spring, Maryland but quickly outgrew that space and moved to a studio in Bethesda, Maryland.

In 1971, her school was incorporated as a charitable non-profit and the rest is ballet training history. Over the next several decades, much like the flowers in her lovingly-tended garden, Mrs. Fonseca was instrumental in cultivating the professional careers of many successful dancers including Susan Jaffe, Julie Kent, and MYB’s current artistic director, Deidre Byrne. Fonseca was awarded the 2003 Pola Nirenska Award for Lifetime Achievement, named Teacher of the Year in 2004 by Dance Teacher Magazine, and received the 2005 Montgomery County Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Education Award. However, it was the deep affection and appreciation of the thousands of students who knew her simply as “Tensia” that she cherished. Her genuine love for all her students, her warm smile, the way she held your hand and looked into your eyes, and the incredible inspiration she was to us all, will be sorely missed.

Fonseca is survived by three of her five sons: Julio, James, and John; Paul and Peter passed away as young adults. She leaves 10 grandchildren, Phil, Melanie, Christine, Andrew, Matthew, Thomas, Alicia, Nick, Brandon, and Rose as well as nine great-grandchildren, James, Lilli, Asa, Hank, Emma, Charlie, Caelyn, Frankie, and Percey.

Celebration of Life

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate Hortensia Fonseca’s life with us. It was a truly beautiful tribute. We are deeply grateful for the MYB community’s support, kind words, and for helping us honor a life so well-lived.

Thank you to our speakers pictured from the left:
Elisa Clark (Rehearsal Director, Mark Morris Dance Group, MYB Alum), Judy Hansen (MYB Costume Designer/Wardrobe Director & Special Events Coordinator), Julie Kent (Artistic Director of Houston Ballet, MYB Alum), Michelle Lees (MYB Artistic Director & Principal Emeritus), Susan Jaffe (Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, MYB Alum), Deidre Byrne (MYB Artistic Director & Principal, MYB Alum), Sandra Kagen (MYB Board Member).

Memorial Donations

Memorial donations may be made to Maryland Youth Ballet’s Fonseca Scholarship Fund. Please click HERE or mail to: