The National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (Inaem) will call a competition in the coming weeks to select the new management of the National Dance Company (CND). The current director of the company, Joaquín de Luz (Madrid, 48 years old), will not renew as head of the group, which he joined in September 2019, as reported by Inaem.
The appointment of the new direction will be carried out after a selection process that will adhere to the principles of equality, merit and capacity, after submitting the projects presented to the evaluation of the Artistic Council of Dance. De Luz has a contract until next August and the decision not to renew his contract came from Inaem, although it has been agreed with him to end his period as head of the CND. The reason for the change is due to the fact that, with the appointment last January of Paz Santa Cecilia Aristu as the new director of Inaem, “a new perspective that responds to this new stage” is being sought, according to sources from the organization.
Joaquín de Luz took office on September 1, 2019, replacing José Carlos Martínez after his contract expired after eight years in the position. He was chosen after a public selection process to which 13 other candidates opted, of which four finalists remained after a first screening.
Trained at Víctor Ullate’s school, De Luz left Spain in 1996 to forge an international career: he was a star of the New York City Ballet for almost 15 years and has danced with the most renowned ensembles in the world. In 2016 he was awarded the National Dance Prize in Spain in the category of choreography for his career “of refined technique of brilliance and great interpretive charisma.”
During her time at the head of the CND, De Luz has alternated between great repertoire titles, such as Giselle o La Sylphide, with contemporary dance classics and newly created pieces. “During Nacho Duato’s time, the CND dedicated itself only to contemporary dance and with José Carlos Martínez classical ballet was introduced. Now I want to unite these two worlds and this work is located right on the line that divides them: I want us to dance en pointe with the freedom of steps of the contemporary; and vice versa, that the contemporary flies with the tips,” he explained in an interview with EL PAÍS at the beginning of his mandate.