Born in Long Beach, California, Evelyn began studying ballet at 8-years-old. Cisneros later received full summer scholarships to the San Francisco Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. Upon graduation from high school she joined the San Francisco Ballet and soon began dancing principal roles from classical, to new choreography and the most contemporary ballets.

Cisneros has been featured on the covers of Dance Magazine, Ballet News, Hispanic Magazine, and received numerous awards for her community activism and artistic achievements. Awards include two honorary doctorate degrees. She has taught in summer intensive programs for the Kansas City Ballet and The Boston Ballet School and enjoys coaching dancers for ballet competitions. She has staged ballets for Val Caniparoli and Michael Smuin for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, State Theatre Ballet in South Africa, Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds England, Ballet Florida, Kansas City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

Cisneros served as Academy and Artistic Director for Ballet Pacifica. She has also co-authored “Ballet for Dummies” with conductor Scott Speck. In 2010, Cisneros became the Principal of Boston Ballet School’s Marblehead Location. Cisneros is married to Dr. Stephen Legate and is currently The Hiland Artistic Director for National Dance Institute of New Mexico in Albuquerque where she passes on the love of dance to the next generation.