Stars of the Festival
Ricardo Castro
He began his artistic life in his native Granada, where he studied dance with his mother Rosario Romero. The strong personality of his mother and teacher gave him a strong character that is distinguished throughout his career.
Very young he moved to Madrid, where he joined the company of Antonio Gades. At this time he intervened as a dancer in the film "El Amor Brujo", by the director Carlos Saura.
His total dedication to dance leads him to study with Carmen Romero all the richness of Spanish dance, what allows him to become the first dancer of bolero school, stylized dance and flamenco in the company of the prestigious choreographer Mariemma.
His extensive training in all facets of classical dance and Spanish dance, lead him to the audition at the Royal Theatre (Teatro Real) after which he was selected to form part of the National Ballet of Spain, and he visits the great theatres and festivals of the world together with prestigious dancers, teachers and choreographers. During this important stage of his artistic career he interprets the choreographies "Ritmos", "Danza y tronío", "Medea", "El sombrero de tres picos", "Don Juan Tenorio", etc.
To diversify and investigate his own path, Ricardo decides to leave the National Ballet of Spain, thus starting a new stage in his artistic career as choreographer, director and solo dancer invited by other companies and international dance galas.
In his career as a guest solo dancer, he performs with his own choreographies in international galas together with the first figures of the Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Mikhailovsky Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Opera de Paris, Opera de Bordeaux, Royal Ballet, ... among others.
Together with Rosario Castro, he directs and choreographs different dance performances, shows of the first Spanish theme park that was inaugurated in Japan in 1994.
For more than ten years he is the main attraction in 'El Corral de la Morería', considered worldwide as the most prestigious flamenco tablao. During this period, he combines his activity in this tablao flamenco with a successful artistic career with his own company, and as a guest soloist in galas all over the world.
Since 1994 he has been a director and choreographer of the company Suite Española, where he acts as the first dancer performing at the theatres (Opera de Harkov, Philarmonica de Odessa, National Palace of Ukraine, Rossija Auditorium of Moscow, ...) and festivals of music and dance around the world (Cervantino Festival of Mexico, Khamoro Festival, Amalá Festival of Kiev, San Luis de Potosí Festival, Naucalpán Festival, Nájera Festival ...)
Also with his company he represents Spain in the Cultural Days organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain in Sydney, Australia and in Bangkok, Thailand, Cote d'Ivoire, Casablanca among others.
In 1997 he is invited to the United States tour with the "Homenaje", representing the great dancers of the history of Spanish dance and flamenco.
In 2005, on request of Farukh Ruzimatov, star dancer of the Kirov Ballet, he creates the choreography "Eterno", in which both Ricardo and Faruhk share the stage. This work premieres at the Shinjuku Bunka Centre in Tokyo. After the success obtained with this choreography, he is invited to represent it with Faruhk in the VI International Ballet Festival Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, where the critics said:
"... when closing the curtain, never so many shouts, applauses and bravos filled the hall of the Mariinsky theatre. The audience demanded an encore, followed by another great ovation ..."Catherine Pawlick - Dance Magazine
In 2007 he premiered in Tokyo his choreography "Bolero" in which he dances again with Farukh Ruzimatov and Rosario Castro. On this occasion the cast was completed with dancers from Ricardo's company. With the choreography "Bolero" he is invited, among others, to the Mikkeli Festival in Finland and the Rimsky Korsakov Theatre in St. Pertersburg.
In 2008 he presents his choreography "Carmen", in which he fuses classical, contemporary and flamenco dance. To this objective, he has gathered as guest artists Farukh Ruzimatov, Yulia Makhalina, Viktoria Kutepova (Kirov ballet), Vera Arvuzoba ... (Mikhailovsky Ballet), Emmanule Broncín, Yolanda Martín, José Carlos Blanco, Jesús Pastor (Nacho Duato Company). The premiere was in Tokyo and subsequently taken to the 175th anniversary of the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Ricardo has been invited to more theatres and festivals, this work is currently on tour.
Among the awards he has received are Mention of the best show at the Khamoro Festival in Prague in 2000 and the National Dance Award "Cultura Viva" 2008.
In his career as a solo dancer invited to dance festivals, he has shared the stage with dancers of international prestige among which include:
Mariinsky Theatre:
Natalia Makarova - Farukh Ruzimatov - Yulia Makhalina - Igor Zelensky - Leonid Safaranov - Igor Kolb - Andrian Fadeyev – Andrei Merkuriev - Viktoria Terioshkina - Ulyana Lopatkina - Diana Vishneva - Viktoria Kutepova - Olesya Novikova - Daria Pavlenko
Bolshoi Ballet:
Nikolai Tsiskaridze - Svetlana Zakharova -Denis Matviyenko - Anastasia Matviyenko
American Ballet Theatre:
Maxim Beloserkovsky - Irina Dvorovenko
Opera Nacional De Paris:
Mathieu Ganio - Agnes Letestu - José Martínez - Dorothée Gilbert - Karl Paquette
Royal Ballet:
Johan Kobborg - Alina Cojocaru
Bayerisches Staatsballett:
Lucia Lacarra - Cyril Pierre
Bordeaux Opera:
Charles Jude - Roman Mikhalev - Oksana Kutcheruk - Viviana Franciosi - Stephanie Roublot
The Leningrad State Ballet:
Mikkhail Siranov - Irina Perren - Elena Evseeva - Alena Videnina - Artem Pykhachov
Ballet Imperial Ruso