José Carlos Martínez

Who is José Carlos Martínez?

José Carlos Martínez is a Spanish dancer and choreographer, former Etoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and since December 2010 artistic director of the Spanish National Dance Company.

He is the only dancer to have received the Prix Benois de la Danse, the Gold medal of the Varna International Ballet Competition and the Prix de Lausanne, among the most prestigious dance competitions in the world. The Japanese review Shinshokan Dance Magazine has thus recognised him has one of the best dancers in the world.

He studied dance with Pilar Molina in Cartagena then at the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower. In 1987 he received the Prix de Lausanne and entered the same year the Paris Opera Ballet School, then the Paris Opera Ballet in 1988, where he was named principal dancer in 1997. In 1992, he was awarded the Gold medal of the Varna International Ballet Competition and in 1999 the Premio Nacional de Danza.