A native of Cuba, Bertha danced professionally in principal roles for over 14 years/
A native of Cuba, Bertha danced professionally in principal roles for over 14 years with the Ballet de Camagüey and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba under the direction of both Fernando Alonso and Alicia Alonso, before defecting to the United States in 1994. Since arriving in the US, her career has been focused on performance and instruction, primarily through the operation of her southern California studio, The Blankenship Ballet Company. She also performed in Miami under the direction of the late Fernando Bujones. She teaches dance as an art form that comes from the heart, based on Russian and Cuban ballet principles.