The Compañía Nacional de Danza was founded in 1979 under the name of Ballet Nacional de España Clásico, and its first Director was Víctor Ullate.
In 1983 the Direction of the Ballets Nacionales -Español y Clásico- was put under the charge of María de Avila, who systemized the internal work of the Ballet and placed special emphasis on opening its doors to choreographies, such as those of George Balanchine and Anthony Tudor.
María de Avila put Ray Barra, a former Northamerican dancer and choreographer living in Spain, in charge of a number of choreographies, and later offered him the post of Assistant Director, which he held until 1990.
In December 1987, Maya Plisetskaya, the extraordinary Russian dancer, was appointed the ballet's Artistic Director.
In June 1990, Nacho Duato was appointed as Artistic Director of Compañía Nacional de Danza, job that he held for twenty years, till July 2010.
In August 2010 Hervé Palito succeeds him as Artistic Director.