Carlos Acosta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Acosta
|
|
|---|---|
Acosta in 2019
|
|
| Born | 2 June 1973 Havana, Cuba
|
| Citizenship | Cuban (by birthplace), British |
| Education | Cuban National Ballet School |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Current group | The Royal Ballet, Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet |
| Former groups | English National Ballet National Ballet of Cuba Houston Ballet |
Carlos Yunior Acosta Quesada CBE (born 2 June 1973) is a famous Cuban-British ballet director and former dancer. He is currently the director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Carlos danced with many top companies around the world. These included the English National Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Houston Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre.
He was a main dancer with The Royal Ballet in London from 1998 to 2015. In 2003, he became a principal guest artist. This meant he could dance less with the Royal Ballet and do more shows internationally. Carlos said goodbye to The Royal Ballet in November 2015. His last show was Carmen, a ballet he both created and starred in.
In January 2020, Carlos Acosta became the director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. He took over from David Bintley. In February, he shared his plans for his first season. These included a special "Curated by Carlos" festival. He also planned performances with the famous dancer Alessandra Ferri.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Carlos Acosta was born in Havana, Cuba, on 2 June 1973. He was the youngest of 11 children in a family that didn't have much money. His father, Pedro Acosta, was a truck driver. His mother, Dulce Maria Quesada, was often sick. Carlos grew up without toys and sometimes didn't even have shoes. He didn't get a birthday cake until he was 23 years old.
The streets of his neighborhood were his playground. He loved playing football, break-dancing, and finding mangoes with his friends. Carlos was a very energetic child. His father worried he might get into trouble. So, his father decided that ballet training would be good for him. It would teach him discipline and give him a free lunch every day.
Carlos studied ballet at the Cuban National Ballet School. He learned from many great teachers, including Ramona de Sáa. In June 1991, he finished his studies with top grades and a gold medal.
Amazing Career as a Dancer
Carlos Acosta, who has both Spanish and African family roots, became very well known in the early 1990s. He was still a teenager then. Dance companies in North America and Europe soon started asking him to dance lead roles. After about five years dancing in Houston, Carlos joined London's Royal Ballet in 1998.
People often compare his amazing grace and athletic moves to dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. A writer for London's Independent newspaper described Carlos as a dancer who moves "faster than anyone else." They said his shapes were "so clear and sharp they seem to throw off sparks."
In 2019, Carlos was the head of the judges at the Prix de Lausanne ballet competition.
Awards and Honors
Carlos Acosta has won many important awards for his dancing:
- 1990: Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne
- 1990: Grand Prix at the 4th International Dance Competition in Paris
- 1990: Vignale Danza Prize in Italy
- 1990: Frédéric Chopin Prize from the Polish Artistic Corporation
- 1991: Prize for Merit in the Young Talent Competition, Positano, Italy
- 1991: Osimodanza Prize, Italy
- 1991: Grand Prix at Cuba's Union of Writers and Artists (UNEAC) competition
- 1995: Dance Fellowship from the Princess Grace Foundation, United States
- 2004: Nominated for an Olivier Award
- 2008: Prix Benois de la Danse
- 2014: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to ballet
- 2023: Prix de Lausanne Lifetime Achievement Award
Dancing with Companies
From 1989 to 1991, Carlos Acosta danced all over the world. He performed with many companies, including the Compagnia Teatro Nuovo di Torino in Italy. He also danced with the Teatro Teresa Carreño in Venezuela.
English National Ballet
In 1991 and 1992, Carlos danced with the English National Ballet in London. He was invited by Ivan Nagy. He first danced in the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. He also appeared in Cinderella and The Nutcracker.
National Ballet of Cuba
From 1992 to 1994, Carlos was a member of the National Ballet of Cuba. He became a principal dancer there. He toured with the company to Madrid. He danced roles like Albrecht in Giselle and Basilio in Don Quixote.
Houston Ballet
In November 1993, Ben Stevenson asked Carlos to join the Houston Ballet. Carlos became a principal dancer there. His first performance in America was as the Prince in The Nutcracker. He also danced lead roles in Swan Lake, La Bayadère, and Don Quixote.
The Royal Ballet
In 1998, Carlos joined The Royal Ballet in London. This was under the direction of Anthony Dowell. He danced many important roles with the company. These included Raymonda Act III, La fille mal gardée, and Swan Lake. He also performed in Giselle and Le Corsaire.
In later seasons, he danced in The Nutcracker, Coppélia, and Manon. He also performed the main role in Apollo. Carlos was given the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2014. This was for his great contributions to ballet.
Guest Artist Around the World
Carlos Acosta also became a guest artist. This meant he could perform with many different ballet companies. In 2002, he danced with the American Ballet Theatre in New York. He performed in Sleeping Beauty and The Dream. He also danced with the Paris Opera Ballet.
He has performed in the US, Russia, the Netherlands, Japan, and many other countries. In 2008, he danced with the Australian Ballet for the first time.
Birmingham Royal Ballet Director
In January 2020, Carlos Acosta became the Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. He announced his plans for the 2020-2021 season. This included a "Curated by Carlos" summer festival. It also featured a new duet for him and Alessandra Ferri.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet was set to perform Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote. However, this was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Carlos and the BRB released their first digital film. It was called "Empty Stage" and was praised as "dazzling."
Television and Film
In 1997, CBS News filmed Carlos for their show 60 Minutes. They showed him dancing with the Houston Ballet and relaxing in Cuba. He also appeared in two live BBC broadcasts from The Royal Opera House.
Carlos was featured in a BBC program called "The Reluctant Ballet Dancer" in 2003. In 2004, a film called Dance Cuba: Dreams of Flight came out. It featured Carlos and other Cuban dancers. Carlos also appeared in the film New York, I Love You. His life story was told in the 2018 film Yuli: The Carlos Acosta Story. He even played himself as an adult in the movie.
Tocororo - A Cuban Tale
Tocororo is a ballet that Carlos Acosta created himself. It has been performed in theaters all over the world and has received great reviews.
Tocororo tells the story of a young Cuban boy. He leaves his family and home in the countryside to find a new life in the city. This story is based on parts of Carlos's own life. The ballet has original music by Miguel Nuñez. This music mixes popular Cuban styles with classical music. Five Cuban musicians play the music live on stage.
Carlos chose 17 dancers for the company. They came from different Cuban dance groups. His younger nephew, Yonah Acosta, played the "young protagonist."
Film Appearances
- 2009: New York, I Love You
- 2013: Day of the Flowers
- 2016: Our Kind of Traitor
- 2018: Yuli: The Carlos Acosta Story
Personal Life
Carlos Acosta is married to Charlotte Holland, an English writer and former model. They have three children together. His nephew, Yonah Acosta, is also a dancer and actor.
Images for kids
-
Acosta after dancing Tzigane, Royal Opera House, March 2008
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Acosta para niños
