Spanish dancers

The situation of dance in Spain is far from idyllic; dancer Sergio Bernal describes it as “critical”. Among his reasons, he made the case for a lack of institutional support. The flamenco dancer Jesús Carmona also stressed this point, although he was hopeful: “More grants, more spaces, more audiences and above all, more dance training at schools will always be necessary, but we’re in a good place right now”. “In this country, dance is rarely included in programmes and young people have nowhere to showcase their work,” dancer Rafaela Carrasco also complained. In Spain, there is more talent than opportunities, which is why many of our best dancers have developed most of their careers abroad. One of the keys to improving this situation is to promote knowledge about dance and its stars. For this reason, at Talento a bordo —coinciding with the upcoming edition of the Talía Awards, which recognise the best in performing arts each year and are sponsored by Iberia— we want to go over the names of some of these Spanish dancers who set the pace both nationally and internationally.

Rafaela Carrasco

Rafaela Carrasco’s professional career spans more than three decades and has a single purpose, to reinvent the discipline of her live, flamenco, while combining classicism and modernity. A student of Matilde Coral and Mario Maya, she has become a role model and inspires young flamenco dancers today. In 2023, she received the Spanish National Dance Award for conveying “her particular style to upcoming generations,” as well as for the “singularity of her creations.” At the head of her own company since 2002, Creaviva is the title of her latest project.

Igor Yebra

The elegance, fluidity, and subtleness of Igor Yebra’s movements have travelled to stages on all five continents, receiving unanimous applause. Perhaps for this reason, in 2009 he became part of the UNESCO International Dance Council. Before launching his successful international career, which won him the prestigious Positano Award in 2003, he studied at the dance school of one of the greatest Spanish dancers, Víctor Ullate. Following in his teacher’s footsteps, in 2006 he founded his own classical ballet dance school in Bilbao.

Dancer Tamara Rojo becomes a force of nature onstage. © Laurent Liotardo

Tamara Rojo

When talking about Tamara Rojo, where do we begin? Winner of the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts in 2002, Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Artes in 2005—shared with the iconic Maya Plisétskaya—, Prix Benois de la Danse in 2008, artistic director and principal dancer of the English National Ballet between 2012 and 2022… She currently directs the San Francisco Ballet. Despite living abroad for more than half her life, she has always defended her roots and is the best ambassador of Spanish dance. Capable of pushing the limits of her body, her energy and passion on stage are dazzling.

Rubén Olmo

Of humble origins—Rubén Olmo grew up in the neighbourhood of Las Tres Mil Viviendas in Seville—, his career is an example of perseverance. In his city, he learnt from the best—Manolete, Teresa Nieto, or Antonio Canales, among others—before moving to Madrid to join the Ballet Nacional de Danza—an institution which he has been heading since 2019 after taking over from Antonio Najarro—. He then collaborated with top dancers like Eva Yerbabuena or Rafael Amargo. In 2006, he founded his own company, which made its debut with the acclaimed Belmonte, and in 2015 won the Spanish National Dance Award.

Blanca Li

Speaking with Blanca Li from Granada means talking to a complete artist: a dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and also a filmmaker. At the tender age of 17, after quitting artistic gymnastics, she moved to New York to attend the Martha Graham School. There, she discovered hip-hop, a major influence in her subsequent career. She then moved to France, a country that worships her; proof of this is the French Legion of Honour she was awarded in 2014. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with major brands (Jean-Paul Gaultier, Prada, Kenzo) and artists (Pedro Almodóvar, Beyoncé, Coldplay).

Sergio Bernal, a dancer from Madrid, received the Young Talent Talía Award in 2023. © Alfredo Arias

Sergio Bernal

Sergio Bernal’s versatility, capable of bringing together flamenco dance and classical ballet, is just one of his many virtues. His refined technique and magnetism onstage have turned him into one of the greatest dancers of his generation. In 2012, at just 22 years of age, he received the Positano Award. In 2019, despite being the principal dancer of the Ballet Nacional de España, he decided to quit and found his own company alongside choreographer Ricardo Sue. With performances like SER, he continues to dazzle dance lovers. In 2023, he received the Young Talent Talía Award.

Rocío Molina

Rocío Molina’s language is based on a flamenco that is respectful of its essence, but that does not shy away from modernity. This is how she has built a career that stands out for its freedom, transgression, virtuosity, innovation, and risk. After graduating with First Class Honours from the Conservatory of Dance María de Ávila in Madrid in 2002, less than a decade later, in 2010, she was awarded the Spanish National Dance Award. In 2022, she received the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts and, in 2023, the Talía Award for Best Female Dance Performer for Vuelta a uno.

Israel Galván

The son of flamenco dancers, Israel Galván started dancing from a very early age. With the best teachers at home, it was a matter of time before he started to shine. He did so with another master, Mario Maya. In 2005, he received the Spanish National Dance Award and, in 2012, the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts. After dedicating his life to rejuvenating his great passion, flamenco, he has collaborated with leaders in this field like Enrique Morente, Vicente Amigo, Niño de Elche, or Pedro G. Romero. In 2023, he won the Talía Award for Best Male Dance Performer for Seises.

It would not be fair to end this overview without mentioning legends such as Víctor Ullate or Nacho Duato, flamenco icons like Sara Baras, Joaquín Cortés, María Juncal, or Antonio Canales, and role models like Antonio Najarro, Lucía Lacarra, or Ángel Corella. Without forgetting about the brilliant present represented by, for example, the latest winners of the Spanish National Dance Award: Lorena Nogal and Luz Arcas. Bet on dance and let yourself be swept away by the talent of our dancers.