Nacho Duato
Spanish choreographer and one of the pillars of European neoclassicism. He trained at the Rambert School in London and Maurice Béjart's school in Brussels, was a principal dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), where his choreographic career also began.
From 1990 to 2010, Duato served as Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Spain, radically renewing its repertoire. Today, his ballets are performed by leading companies worldwide, including the Mikhailovsky Theatre (St. Petersburg), the Royal Swedish Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and many others.
Duato’s style is a sensuous form of neoclassical modern dance. He masterfully combines academic purity of line with sculptural physicality and unmistakable Spanish passion. His works are profoundly musical — ranging from Bach to ethnic percussion — and often explore themes of memory, land, and human connection. For his contribution to the art of dance, Duato has been awarded the Spanish National Dance Award and the international Benois de la Danse Prize.
The ballet Gnawa (2005), which DANCE OPEN audiences will see, is a classic of his repertoire. Created for the Royal Ballet of Flanders, this production explores the mystical rituals of the Gnawa people. For the National Dance Company of Mexico, having this ballet in its repertoire is a mark of belonging to the highest league of contemporary ballet.
From 1990 to 2010, Duato served as Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Spain, radically renewing its repertoire. Today, his ballets are performed by leading companies worldwide, including the Mikhailovsky Theatre (St. Petersburg), the Royal Swedish Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and many others.
Duato’s style is a sensuous form of neoclassical modern dance. He masterfully combines academic purity of line with sculptural physicality and unmistakable Spanish passion. His works are profoundly musical — ranging from Bach to ethnic percussion — and often explore themes of memory, land, and human connection. For his contribution to the art of dance, Duato has been awarded the Spanish National Dance Award and the international Benois de la Danse Prize.
The ballet Gnawa (2005), which DANCE OPEN audiences will see, is a classic of his repertoire. Created for the Royal Ballet of Flanders, this production explores the mystical rituals of the Gnawa people. For the National Dance Company of Mexico, having this ballet in its repertoire is a mark of belonging to the highest league of contemporary ballet.
"It is impossible to say exactly where classical dance ends and where neoclassicism or modern dance begins. There are three stages — and you are free to do whatever you wish."
"My choreography is my intimate physical thinking, which I share with others. Trust is essential. The dancers and I must understand each other without speaking too much. I create movement very quickly and speak very little, because I feel that when I talk about movement, it becomes wrong."
In his own words:
Dance Open 2026:
Gnawa
Gnawa
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