COMPAÑIA NACIONAL DE DANZA

JOSE CARLOS MARTINEZ, Artistic Director

José Carlos Martínez began his ballet studies in Cartagena, under Pilar Molina, continuing in 1984 at the Centre de Danse International Rosella Hightower in Cannes. In 1987, he won the “Lausanne Prize” and joined the Paris Opera Ballet School. In 1988, he was personally selected by Rudolf Nureyev to join the Ballet Company of the Paris Opera as a corps de ballet dancer. In 1992, he was promoted to Principal Dancer and won the Gold Medal in the International Competition of Varna. On 27th May 1997, he was appointed “Etoile” of Paris Opera Ballet, the highest category a dancer can rise to.

During his career José Carlos Martínez was awarded numerous prizes such as the "Prix de l ‘AROP", the "Prix Carpeaux", the "Premio Danza & Danza", the "Prix Léonide Massine-Positano", the "Spanish National Dance Prize", the "Gold Medal of the City of Cartagena", the "Prize “Elegance et Talent France/Chine”, Scenic Arts Prize for the best dancer (Valencia), “Benois de la Danse” for his choreography “Les Enfants du Paradis”, Prize “Dansa València”. He is Commandeur de l ́Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France). Jose Carlos Martinez ́s repertoire as a dancer is characterized by the famous choreographies of classical and neo-classical ballet. Apart from that he has worked with most of the important choreographers of the 20th Century such as Maurice Bejart, Pina Bausch, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, many of them creating on him. As a guest he has performed with many of the world ́s most prestigious ballet companies.

As a choreographer José Carlos Martínez created “Mi Favorita” (2002), “Delibes-Suite” (2003), “Scaramouche” (2005) for students of the Paris Opera Ballet School, “Paréntesis 1” (2005), “Soli-Ter” (2006), “El Olor de la Ausencia” (2007), “Les Enfants du Paradis” (2008) for Paris Opera Ballet, “Ouverture en Deux mouvements” and “Scarlatti pas de deux” (2009), “Marco Polo, the Last Mission” (2010) for Shanghai Ballet, “Sonatas” (2012), “Raymonda Divertimento” and “Giselle pas de deux” (2013) for Compañía Nacional de Danza de España. José Carlos Martínez has been the new Artistic Director of Spain's “Compañía Nacional de Danza” since September 2011.

Photo : The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude©Jesus Vallinas