Compañía Nacional de Danza

Daniella Oropesa, a ballet dancer of Cuban origin, began her training at the Escuela Elemental de Ballet Alejo Carpentier. She continued with her training at the Escuela Nacional de Ballet in Havana and, in 2020, she joined Laura Alonso’s company. She has danced in different countries such as Australia and New Zeland, within the Ballet Revolución programme, as well as an invited guest dancer with Les Ballets de France in Paris. In 2017, she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, where she has performed in pieces such as The Nutcracker, Giselle, Concierto DSCH, Triple Bach and Arriaga, among others.

Milos began his ballet education at the age of ten at the Torrevieja Municipal Dance School with Concha Díez and Mª Dolores Morales. In 2007, he entered Madrid’s Mariemma Royal Professional Dance Conservatory, where he graduated in 2011. During the 2017/2018 season he danced punctually with the National Dance Company, in the production of Don Quijote, by José Carlos Martínez, and in September In 2018 he joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez.

Ana Ramos, originally from Malaga, moved very young to Madrid to train professionally in dance, which she completed in England at the English National Ballet School. In 2018 she joined the National Company of Portugal to, a year later, return to Spain to join the CND under the artistic direction of Joaquín de Luz.

Juan José Carazo began his studies at the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma. In 2011 he participated in the summer program of the School of American Ballet and a year later he began working at the American Ballet Theater II. In 2015 he joined the National Dance Company under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez.

Daan Vervoort is a dancer of Belgian origin who, after dancing in different countries, ended up in Spain in 2006 to join the junior version of the CND, the CND2, under the direction of Nacho Duato. He later joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza and, in 2013, was promoted to soloist category. In 2016, he danced in Johan Inger’s Carmen, with Emilia Gisladottir, in Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre and for which Inger, the choreographer, won the prestigious Benois de la Danse award. Daan has also danced Nacho Duato’s Kol Nidre y Gnawa, William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman, Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 and Mats Ek’s Casi-Casa, among other choreographies.

Shlomi is a creative dancer born in Israel whose career in dance began unexpectedly. After his education in L&L Goodman Bat-Door, Kamea Dance Company and Israel Ballet he took the risk to travel to Zurich and dance in the Junior Zurich Ballet of Switzerland without knowing the language. In 2018 he joined the CND, where he has danced various pieces such as Pulcinella, Carmen, Giselle, Remansos, In Paradisum and one of the newest, Arriaga, where he performs an extraordinary solo.

Toby was born in the UK. He started his ballet studies in the English National Ballet School. In 2005 he joined The Royal Ballet School, where he graduated two years later, joinin the main company. In 2008 he joined Corella Ballet, dance principal pieces from their repertoire. In December 2011 he joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez. In September 2014 he is promoted to the category of soloist.

Mario was born in Madrid. He started his dancing journey in a school of his neighbourhood, and in 2014 he made the jump to proffessional dancing training. After graduating, in 2019 he continued studying at San Francico Ballet School. Since 2021 he's part of the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the artistic direction of Joaquín De Luz.

Shani is an Israeli-born dancer. In 2006, she started her training in the Thelma-Yellin High School of the Arts. In 2010, she joined the Israel Ballet and, four years later, went on to join the Compañía Nacional de Danza (CND), under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez. In September 2019, she rose to soloist category under the artistic direction of Joaquín De Luz.

YaeGee Park, a Korean soloist dancer started dancing ballet when she was a kid among other art disciplines. She attended Korean National Ballet Academy and SunHwa Art School. Although she is more focused on the classical style, she has being recognized by Forsythe itself for her take in In the middle somewhat elevated. In 2012 she joined the CND; she has danced the role of Kitri, main female character in Don Quijote Suite by José Carlos Martínez, where she also shared the stage with the actual director of the Company Joaquín De Luz.  

José Becerra is a dancer of Cuban origin, who got into ballet after joining the Escuela Vocacional de Arte de Eva Olga Alonso and, later, the Escuela Nacional de Ballet. He has danced in the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and in the English National Ballet, not only as a corps de ballet dancer but also as soloist and principal dancer. He has also danced in the Fundación para la danza Compañía Víctor Ullate, where he worked for six years until its closure. He has worked with choreographers such as James Kelly, Alicia Alonso, Aurora Bosch and Jiří Kylián, among others. In the 2020 season, he joined the CND under the direction of Joaquín De Luz.  

Ana Calderón, one of our soloists, started out in the world of dance at a very young age, learning jumps and pirouettes at the Mariemma Conservatorio Profesional de Danza in Madrid. Throughout her career, she has passed through different European and American companies, such as Switzerland’s Zurich Ballet or the Houston Ballet, where she acquired great expressivity in her dance. Her path brought her to Spain, where she joined the dance company of Ángel Corella, with whom she would later work with again at the Pennsylvania Ballet. In 2019, her dancing speed and versatility brought her to join the Compañía Nacional de Danza under the artistic direction of Joaquín De Luz. 

Cuban dancer Yanier Gómez started his studies at the Alejo Carpentier Escuela Elemental de Ballet. He entered international contests in Havana, achieving Gold and Grand Prix for best partner at 17. In 2008, he joined the dance team at Ballet Nacional Cuba under the artistic direction of Alicia Alonso. He entered various Havana International Festivals, as well taking part in galas with stars from the American Ballet Theatre. In September 2016, he joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza as soloist.

Cultivate, replant, clean... Is our last chance. Stop the catastrophe, prevent, protect, repair. It is time. It is your moment.

Alessandro Audisio, a Roman dancer, is a veritable globetrotter. He has travelled half the world, including countries like England, Italy, France, Rumania, Hungary, USA and, now, Spain. He has has danced such iconic pieces as Romeo and Juliet, Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Don Quijote (and different versions of that last one). But, after passing through different schools and companies, he citsEn Sol (Jérôme Robbins) and Night Creatures(Alvin Ailey) as his favourite contemporary pieces.

This week we launched theMentoring Project, in which two main dancers from the Company have shared their day-to-day life and their professional experience with two students from the RCPD Mariemma (Mariemma Royal Proffesional Dance School) who are in their final years of training. We wanted to interview them so they could tell us how the experience was like. Lucas López, a 5th grade professional dance student, has had the opportunity to learn from Alessandro Riga, the leading figure of the Company. Julia Ibáñez, a classical ballet student in the 6th grade of professional dance training, has had the opportunity to learn with Cristina Casa, principal dancer of the Company.

Johan Inger visits our headquarters to begin the rehearsals for Carmen. An original creation for the Compañía Nacional de Danza (Spain) that premiered in 2015 and which is back to the stages in Úbeda and Seville. We made the most of his visit to get to know more about the creation of this ballet, the challenges he faced when remaking a classic, and how both the costume and set design complete a piece that was a turning point in the interpretation of a constantly changing myth.

Pauline Perraut, one of our corps de ballet dancers at the CND, began her studies in a private school where she trained under some of the best teachers from the Paris Opéra. Her love of travelling led her to train at different courses in cities throughout Europe. At 18, she joined the Ballet de l'Opéra de Bordeaux and, later, she started touring the most renowned theatres of Italy. She has been a part of the Compañía Nacional de Danza since 2016 where, in each piece, she reveals her versatility and her inherently natural dancing style.

Natalia Butragueño’s positive energy has been a contagious influence for all ever since she joined the CND as a corps de ballet dancer in September. She started out in the world of dance at the Escuela de África Guzmán, later moving to England to continue her training at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. In 2014, she took an opportunity that arose for her to dance in a number of productions with the English National Ballet. Subsequently, she joined the Ballet de l'Opéra de Bordeaux where she shared the stage with eminent professionals who helped her grow as a dancer. In 2020, she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza under the direction of Joaquín De Luz and where she displays her natural interpretational skills every day.

María Muñoz was born in the village of Cabezo de Torres, in Murcia province. Her love for the arts and for dance began at a very tender age. She began her training at Murcia’s Professional Conservatory and later joined the Victor Ullate dance school, where she trained for five years. She has danced such iconic pieces as Don Quijote, Swan Lake and a number of choreographies by Forsythe, such asArtifact and In The Middle. After spending time in England and Germany she joined the CND in 2014 as part of the corps de ballet.

In Paradisum, Antonio Ruz’s latest creation for the Compañía Nacional de Danza (Spain) is inspired by the Spanish painter El Greco’s colour palette for the costume design, lighting design and also on the dancer’s movements and figures. The composition’s verticality and height, along with the dark and ocre colour tones with strokes of red, white, blue and green are reflected in the choreography. Moreover, the piece also recalls other painters, mainly being from the Renaissance and Baroque period. We can appreciate Caravaggio’s characteristic chiaroscuro technique; the dynamic lines of the body’s posture, often resembling the descent of the cross in Raffaelo’s and Caracciolo’s works; the perspective Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Dalí, or even Bouguereau’s Nymphs and Satyr mythological creatures’ fluid movements. Next, a series of examples of paintings beside In Paradisum’s photographies by Alba Muriel.  

Barcelona-born Elisabet Biosca is a CND soloist dancer with an impressive track record performing key roles, such as Carmen, Lady Capuleto or Bathilde. She has danced numerous choreographic works, including pieces by Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, Jirí Kylián, William Forsythe and Alexander Ekman. She has also performed leading parts in short films combining dance and interpretation; most of them under the direction of María Salgado Gispert. She is currently studying for a higher degree in Choreography and Interpretation. She directed the piecesSN Serial Number (2014) with Antonio de Rosa, Home (2016) with Agnès López and Solitud (2017).

Alessandro Riga, lead principal dancer at the Compañía Nacional de Danza, has shared his passion for music with us since 2013. He has worked in different European companies, suchas as Germany’s Semperoper or the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, in Italia, his homeland. His talent has thrust him onto some of the most prestigious theatre stages of Italy, where he has danced a wide repertoire, from the most widely known classical pieces to the most relevant contemporary choreographers. In 2013, he joined the CND as principal dancer and later rose to lead principal. Since then, we have witnessed his versatility and capacity to thrill us on stage.

The triple programme composed by In Paradisum, by Antonio Ruz (recently premiered at Teatros del Canal, Madrid), along with Remansos and White Darkness by Nacho Duato, celebrates the International Dance Day 2021. Below, this year's message, written by the German ballet dancer Friedemann VOGEL.  

Irene is a dancer from Almuñécar and who, at just the age of two, started out in the world of dance at Almuñecar’s Aromar dance academy. At the age of eight she joined the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Reina Sofía, in Granada, with Alejandro Donaire as her teacher. In 2010, she moved to Madrid to continue her studies at the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma, where she graduated in 2013. Two years later she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez.

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Among our passionate roster of dancers, Cristina Casa has shared her thrilling style with the CND since 2015, when she first danced the role of Quinteria in . Don Quixotefor the Company. Her journey begins at the schools of María Larios and Africa Guzmán, later to move on to work in schools and companies abroad, such as the English National Ballet or the Royal Ballet of Flanders. Her track record, marked by her constancy, brings her the opportunity to join the CND, where, in 2017, she rises to the category of principal dancer. Ion Agirretxe, is a fighter; persevering and hard-working; characteristics that make him a great dancer. He starts out dancing the traditional dances of his homeland, the Basque Country, but later leaves to work in the Europa Dance company, in France. His career is forged at different companies at home and abroad, until joining the CND in 2016. His simplicity and capacity for work raise him to the category of solo dancer two years later. Together, this couple have imbued many a great stage with their complicity. Together, they have worked with and learned from the best choreographers. And together they have carried out projects jointly, guided by their love of dance and towards each other. Both humbly defend the need to pursue their dreams, a belief they transmit on a daily basis at the Compañía Nacional de Danza.

Clara Maroto is a young dancer from Tarragona who at just 12 years old opted for dance moving to Madrid. She continued his training at the Professional Dance Conservatory Mariemma and in 2013 she joined the CND. Only two years later she got the role of Mercedes in Don Quijote Suite. After many other important roles, in 2020, she debuted with the role of Myrtha in Giselle, under the direction of Joaquín De Luz. And on March 11th, 2021, coinciding with his birthday and with the publication of this interview, she will perform again as the Wilis Queen at the Campoamor Theater in Oviedo.

Haruhi Otani, a hard-working dancer and lover of Spanish culture and gastronomy, has brought the National Dance Company her joy since 2015. She began her professional ballet training in 2010 at the Sasaki Mika Ballet Academy in her country, Japan. Thanks to this, she participated in numerous international competitions that lead her to win great prizes; the most important, the opportunity to start working at the CND with José Carlos Martínez. Her ability to work daily and her way of enjoying herself on stage led her to be promoted in 2018 to the category of solo dancer, where she continues to this day giving us her energy and art.

Erez Ilan, a shy but passionate ballet dancer, has been a part of the Compañía Nacional de Danza’a (CND) dance team since 2008; an opportunity extended to him by Nacho Duato, then CND director. Starting at a very young age, Ilan trained at The School of Ice Skating and Ballet and at The Thelma-Yellin High School of Arts, both in his native Israel. At 18, he took the leap and crossed the Mediterranean to explore Europe and to work at the CND. His dedication and talent paid off, earning him a place as soloist in 2017, a role he holds to this day, marking both a personal triumph for himself and the CND directorship’s validation of his work.

Antonio Ruz, choreographer and former dancer from the Compañía Nacional de Danza, returns to the CND to create his piece, In Paradisum.

Tulle, fabris, lace and embrouderies invaded our headquarters. Each day, Joaquín De Luz's vision of a Spanish Giselle comes more to life.

Teatro de la Zarzuela 9th - 22nd December

The Compañía Nacional de Danza joins for another year the celebration of the World Ballet Day With livestreams of classes and rehearsals during Thrusday, 29th of October, 2020.

We launch a new season and we did not want to miss the chance to promote it on our social networks. We're back on Pinterest with the last performances. Don't miss a thing.

With the work of composer, and basque genius, Juan Crisístomo Arriaga as a parting point, we present Arriaga. A choreographic piece that features three voices, where our artistic director, Joaquín De Luz, was joined by Pino Alosa (associate artistic director) and company's dancer, Mar Aguiló, to create 30 minutes of magic.

Due to the importance of the medium -The New York Times- and the importance of the issue -coming back to the stage- we don't want to miss our chance of sharing with you today's article that feature us in one of the most influencial and emblematic papers in the world.

The Compañía Nacional de Danza (CND) premiered in Madrid a very special program, dedicated to the sanitary personnel, to open the  2020 edition of Veranos de la Villa this past 29th of July. The festival, organized by Madrid's City Hall, wanted to arise the value of the city as a cultural stage and meeting point for creator from all around the world. The CND, without a doubt, is one of those meeting spaces.

Compañía Nacional de Danza, directed by por Joaquín De Luz presents Dance Capsules, described here after, with the purpose of approaching dance to society and making more than ever CND a meeting point for choreographers, dancers, musicians, ballet masters, playwrights, costume designers and plastic artists among others.

The INAEM has summoned all artistic units to unite the in an online event for the European Music Day that, like every year, is celebrated on the 21st of June. The CND will join this initiative with "Loss", extract from Love Fear Loss, by Ricardo Amarante, with music by Charles Dumont; and with Afterlove, by Mar Aguiló, original music by Aire - Daniel Sánchez Rodríguez.

The lead principal dancer, Alessandro Riga, lets us rediscover him from a more personal perspective.

Ballets offered to be wachted online during four days, belong to CND's historical repertoire.