National Dance Award and Benois Award, the Barcelona native living in Madrid has developed an extensive career from a ductile and contemporary style
“There is room for research and creation; we are in 2023 and we cannot ignore it”
“From Antonio the dancer there have been many teachers that they have worked for collective ballets and that a ballet is created from scratch is great news… It was about time it happened here too.” He is one of the dancers who attracts the most attention in recent times, and one of those who more superlatives attracts headlines. Jesus Carmona (Barcelona, 1985) is the name chosen to direct the new commitment of the Department of Culture of the Community of Madrid: the Spanish Flamenco Ballet of the Community of Madrid. To Carmona, who among other distinctions has the National Award for Dance 2020 in the Creation mode and the Benois de la Danse 2021 – considered the highest international award for a dancer – in the category of Best Male Performer – the news of the appointment catches him with some dates already committed to his company – he has the show on the bill Dance of beasts, released in 2021- and with the work The Gamein which he shares the bill with singer José Valencia and guitarist Juan Requena, in addition to being working on a new premiere for 2024.
“Everything is in process, creating a zero-ed company is a lot of work, but I assume it with a lot of happiness and responsibility.” Carmona attends to El Periódico de España, from Prensa Ibérica, while he continues with his daily chores: preparing the children for school, starting the day, while he confesses that he is already forming the team that will accompany him in the formation of this new public company of dance. Carmona’s first task will be to form the cast of the ballet, which he will have two headquarters, one in the Teatros del Canal and another in the Auditorium of San Lorenzo del Escorial. In the statement released by the Community of Madrid announcing his appointment, it is explained that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, through the Canal Choreographic Center, “will open a public call for auditions to select the first cast of the Ballet.” “We really want to see the reaction of all the dancers not only at the national level, but at the international level, we want it to be a leading company worldwide,” explains Carmona.
Contemporary and ductile creator
Outside the realm of fans, Carmona’s name became known, in addition to his creations, for his participation in the musical Malincheby Nacho Cano, in which he has worked for eight years (two of them after the premiere) playing the role of Pedro de Alvarado. But Jesús Carmona is above all known and recognized in the field of flamenco. As a dancer, he has a impeccable technique and a ductile style, in which perhaps his dance training weighs – he graduated in Spanish Dance and Flamenco from the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona – and a highly trained body whose physical limits he explores in his productions.
His is a trajectory similar to that of other dancers of his generation: first dancer of the National Ballet, He remained in the public company for three years and in 2011 created his own company. Since then he has shown a contemporary vision of flamenco both as a choreographer and as a performer. With his company, in addition to the two shows that he has on the bill, he is the author of the works The jump (2020), Amator (2018), Impetu’s (2015), 7 balconies (2013) and White and black crib (2012). In addition to the highest national and international awards, Carmona was recognized last May with the Silver Medal of the Community of Madrid.
This eclectic and contemporary character is in his intentions for the new ballet. “I have not received any guidelines, I have absolute freedom to do what I consider, also because I believe that that is my speech, and the most important thing is to create my own identifying seal for ballet, which has its own aesthetics and its own seal for when I’m not there as director,” he explains. In the information released about this new public company and Carmona’s appointment, it is announced that Carmona’s task at the head of the Ballet will involve both rescue the repertoire of the great masters -Antonio Gades, Antonio Ruiz Soler, José Antonio, etc. – as per himcreation of new choreographieswithout having given more details about the lines of the new company or explaining what material it will begin to work with.
“Within the project there will be recovery of pieces, we will also make new pieces that preserve the tradition and give visibility to those dances that are ours, but there is also room for research and creation, because we are in 2023 and we cannot ignore it,” he explains. “We have to value Spanish dance in all its aspects.” He confesses that he does not have any reference in mind: “one of the good things I have is that I tend to like everything, I try to look for the beauty in everything I see.”
The new public Spanish dance and flamenco company of the Community of Madrid will be the third dedicated to this modality that is created in the State, which is added to the National Ballet of Spain and the Andalusian Flamenco Ballet. Its premiere on stage is scheduled for the first half of 2024, without a date being specified. Carmona explains that now he himself is focused on ballet and is already working on the premiere, although he cannot announce dates.
Dance is one of the key axes of the Culture area in this new legislature of Isabel Diaz-Ayusoyesaccording to what was reported from this Ministry last September. The new Spanish Ballet is part of a Comprehensive Dance Plan that aims to promote talent, publicize the resources available to the sector, strengthen the cultural industry and promote it both in Spain and outside the State.