María Clara Pancha Alonso (born 2 February 1990), known professionally as Clara Alonso, is an Argentine actress, singer, and television hostess. She debuted as an actress in the 2007 Argentine remake of High School Musical. Since 2007, she has acted in various Disney Channel programs in Latin America. Alonso is best known for her lead role as "Angie Carrara" in the Disney Channel Latin America Series, Violetta.
María Clara Alonso was born on 2 February 1990 in Rosario, Argentina. Her mother is a pediatrician and pulmonary specialist, and her father is an engineer. She is the oldest child and has two younger brothers named Agustín and Ignacio. At age 2, she and her family moved to Capitán Bermúdez, a smaller city located outside of Rosario. The family later moved to Castelar, a small city near the outskirts of Buenos Aires when she was eight years old. As a child, she practiced gymnastics, swimming, and dance. Alonso played field hockey and volleyball. She attended primary school at Cayetano Errico in Capitán Bermúdez and later graduated high school from Instituto Inmaculada de Castelar in Buenos Aires. At 8, she quit field hockey and asked her parents to enroll her in musical comedy classes at "Broadway Street", an acting school in Haedo, Buenos Aires. She received lessons in tap, acting, and clown while attending. In addition, she participated in several plays such as Alice in Wonderland at the Astral theater.