Who is Antonio Najarro

Early career

Antonio Najarro began his professional career at 15, as part of some of the most renowned Spanish dance companies, such as Ballet Antología, the Ballet of La Zarzuela Lyric Theatre, the Antonio Márquez Company, José Antonio y los Ballets Españoles, and Aída Gómez’s Company, performing as Principal Dancer in choreographies by Mariemma, José Granero, Alberto Lorca, José Antonio, Antonio Gades, among others.

“A Spanish dance dancer is unique in the world, because Spanish dance has an enormous diversity of styles”

In 1996, he was a guest soloist in La Gitana, choreographed by José Antonio Ruiz and Paul Chalmer, with the Ballet d’Arena di Verona under the direction of Carla Fracci. He joined the Spanish National Ballet (BNE) in 1997, under the direction of Aurora Pons, Nana Lorca, and Victoria Eugenia, and three years later he was promoted to Principal Dancer with Aída Gómez as the company’s artistic director.

First steps in Spanish Dance

In 1996, he was a guest soloist in La Gitana, choreographed by José Antonio Ruiz and Paul Chalmer, with the Ballet d’ ́Arena di Verona under the direction of Carla Fracci. He joined the Spanish National Ballet (BNE) in 1997, under the direction of Aurora Pons, Nana Lorca, and Victoria Eugenia, and three years later he was promoted to Principal Dancer with Aída Gómez as the company’s artistic director.

His creative vocation soon led him to choreograph, taking part in several editions of the Madrid Choreographic Competition for Spanish Dance and Flamenco with Suspiro del Moro (1995), Movimientos Reversos (1996), and Nereidas (1999), winning First Prize for Best Choreography at the 8th edition of the same competition and later being included in the BNE repertoire.

Own company

He founded his own Compañía Antonio Najarro in 2002, for which he has choreographed four productions: Tango Flamenco (2002), Flamencoriental (2006), Jazzing Flamenco (2008), and Suite Sevilla (2011). He is also a regular creator of pieces for leading ice figure skaters, winning a Gold Medal at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics (2002) with Flamenco for the French pair Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat; and with Poeta and Otoño Porteño (2006–2008) for the Swiss World Champion Stéphane Lambiel; and Gold Medals at the World Championships in Boston (2016) and the European Championships (2017 and 2019) for Spain’s Javier Fernández with the choreography Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona.

Since taking over as artistic director of the Spanish National Ballet, he has kept its already vast repertoire alive.

“Nothing is achieved overnight. If you want to endure and stay in the complex world of dance, you have to evolve step by step, with perseverance, discipline, and rigor”

Najarro has worked with and benefited from the invaluable contributions of choreographers Rocío Molina, Olga Pericet, Rubén Olmo, Mar López, Arantxa Carmona, Miguel Fuente, Francisco Guerrero, and Carmen Cubillo, as well as other outstanding creators who, in addition to premiering their pieces, have taught classes to the team, such as Rafaela Carrasco, Javier Latorre, Manuel Liñán, Blanca del Rey, Mercedes Ruíz, La Lupi, Pilar Azorín, Marco Flores, Franco Dragone, Antonio Ruz, and, as teachers only, Carlos Vilán, Jon Maya, and Merche Esmeralda, among others.

In July 2020, he premiered the show “Alento” with his own company.

In October and November 2021, Antonio Najarro presented and successfully directed the program “Un País en Danza” for RTVE’s La 2.

In 2022 Najarro premiered a new show for his dance company, “Querencia”, a large-scale production created for 16 dancers.