Meeting with Antonio Najarro. The gaze of Spanish dance

Najarro will begin by taking a look back at the evolution of his artistic career, his beginnings, development, and learning in the world of dance, the management and projection of his private company, Compañía Antonio Najarro (from its creation in 2001 to his appointment as Director of the BNE in 2011), the evolution of his choreographic creation in dance and figure skating (inspirations, artistic collaborations with set designers, composers, costume designers, playwrights, fashion designers, lighting designers, etc.), his personal vision of Spanish dance and his national and international communication strategy.

Once this first block is complete, the director of the Spanish National Ballet (BNE) will present his project carried out at the helm of the BNE (productions staged, media communication strategy to promote and raise the profile of the BNE, charitable activities carried out, guest teachers and choreographers, sponsorship and patronage, educational activities for children, etc.), his leadership strategy as head of the different departments of the BNE (dancers, teachers, rehearsal directors, technicians, press, production, administration, audiovisual departments, etc.) and the current situation of Spanish dance (showing his strategy to optimize current resources and the needs of the sector).

The conference will conclude with a discussion with attendees, questions, and clarifications.

(Madrid, 1975) Antonio Najarro, dancer and choreographer, trained by the most prestigious dance teachers in all styles and graduating with honors in Spanish Dance from the Royal Professional Conservatory of Dance in Madrid, was appointed director of the BNE in 2011. He began his professional career at the age of 15, joining some of the most renowned Spanish dance companies. He joined the Spanish National Ballet (BNE) in 1997 and three years later was promoted to principal dancer with Aída Gómez as the company's artistic director.

His creative vocation soon led him to choreography, participating in several editions of the Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Competition in Madrid and winning the first prize for best choreography in the eighth edition of the competition with Nereidas (1999), which was later included in the repertoire of the Spanish National Ballet. He created his own company, Antonio Najarro, in 2002, for which he has choreographed four productions. He also regularly creates pieces for leading figures in figure skating, the latest example being Malagueña, which he choreographed for Spain's Javier Fernández, gold medalist at the World Championships in Boston (2016).

He was recently awarded Indanza's Silver Shoe (2016) for his career and dedication to promoting Spanish dance, and the 2013 Culture Award from the Community of Madrid in the dance category. He also won the Max Award for Best Male Dance Performer in 2010 and the 2012 APDE Award, presented by the Association of Spanish, Classical, and Flamenco Dance Teachers, for his valuable contribution to the world of dance.