José Carlos Martínez (dancer)

Spanish ballet dancer and choreographer José Carlos Martínez (born 29 April 1969 in Cartagena) is a Spanish dancer and choreographer. He was a danseur étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and artistic director of the Spanish National Dance Company. He became the director of dance at Paris Opera Ballet in December 2022. Throughout his career, he has won numerous ballet awards and competitions, such as the Prix Benois de la Danse, the Gold medal of the Varna International Ballet Competition, and a scholarship of Prix de Lausanne, among the most prestigious dance competitions in the world. The Japanese Shinshokan Dance Magazine recognized him as one of the best dancers of his era. Martínez studied dance with Pilar Molina in Cartagena, before attending the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower. In 1987, he won a scholarship from Prix de Lausanne and entered the Paris Opera Ballet School. He joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1988 and was named Danseur Étoile in 1997. In 1992, he was awarded the Gold medal of the Varna International Ballet Competition and in 1999, he received the Premio Nacional de Danza. He danced the major classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle,