Julio Bocca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julio Bocca
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | March 6, 1967 Buenos Aires, Argentina
|
| Occupation | Artistic director |
| Years active | 1982-2007 |
| Former groups | Fundación Teresa Carreño Teatro Municipal of Río de Janeiro American Ballet Theatre Ballet Argentino |
Julio Adrián Lojo Bocca (born March 6, 1967) is a famous Argentine ballet dancer. He was a main dancer with the American Ballet Theatre for twenty years. From 2010 to 2018, he led the National Ballet of Uruguay. Many people consider Bocca one of the most popular Argentine dancers ever.
Contents
Julio Bocca's Early Life and Dance Career
Julio Bocca was born in Munro, a neighborhood near Buenos Aires. He started taking ballet lessons when he was just four years old. At age seven, he joined the National School of Dance. A year later, he moved to the Teatro Colón's Advanced Arts Institute. His mother was a dance teacher, and she encouraged him to study dance.
Becoming a Professional Dancer
In 1981, Bocca joined the Chamber Ballet Company at the Colón Theatre. The next year, he began performing as a soloist. He was part of a show directed by Flemming Flindt, a Danish choreographer.
In 1985, when he was 18, Bocca won a gold medal. This was at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. After his win, Mikhail Baryshnikov invited him to join the American Ballet Theatre. Bocca became the youngest main dancer ever hired there. Even though he was a principal dancer, he often performed as a guest artist with other dance companies. In 1987, the New York Times named him Dancer of the Year.
Performing Around the World
Julio Bocca performed with many famous companies as a guest artist. These included La Scala in Milan and the Paris Opera. He also danced with the Kirov in Saint Petersburg and the Royal Danish Ballet. Other companies he joined were the Cuban National Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet. A reviewer from Dance Magazine praised his "passion and gallantry" after a show with the Royal Ballet in London.
Bocca became very popular in his home country, Argentina. His performances often filled up large soccer stadiums.
Creating His Own Company
In 1990, Julio Bocca started his own ballet company called the Ballet Argentino. This company performs regularly in theaters all over the world. Bocca often danced with Argentine dancer Eleonora Cassano. From 1997 to 2001, Luciana Paris was his dance partner with Ballet Argentino.
In 2000, Julio Bocca took part in a special event called Millennium Day. He danced in Ushuaia, Argentina, with Cassano and the Ballet Argentino. This performance was broadcast around the world.
Mixing Ballet with Other Styles
Julio Bocca also combined ballet dancing with tango. This mix was very popular with audiences. In 1998, he appeared in the film Tango. This movie helped him reach a new audience. When he combined ballet with tango, he often worked with tango choreographer Ana Maria Stekelman. Bocca's Ballet Argentino also performs other dance styles. These include contemporary, jazz, ballroom, and modern dancing.
In 2000, he was in Fosse, a Broadway musical. This show featured the work of choreographer Bob Fosse.
Retirement and New Roles
Julio Bocca had his last performance with the American Ballet Theatre in June 2006. He danced with ballerina Alessandra Ferri in a show called Manon. He continued to perform with his Ballet Argentino until he retired from dancing at the end of 2007.
A book about his life, Julio Bocca, La Vida en Danza, was published in 2007. It was written by French journalist Angeline Montoya.
In March 2010, Uruguay's president José Mujica named Bocca director of the Ballet Nacional SODRE. Bocca also served as the president of the jury at the Prix de Lausanne ballet competition in 2016. In 2017, he was one of the judges at the Benois de la Danse.
Awards and Honors
Julio Bocca has received many awards for his dancing:
- 1985 - Golden Medal at the International Contest in Moscow.
- 1986 - Primus Inter Pares in Buenos Aires.
- 1987 - Dancer of the year by the New York Times in New York City.
- 1990 - Acquidanza in Acqui-Terme, Italy.
- 1990 - Gino Tani Award in Rome.
- 1990 - Best International Classic Dancer from the Iberoamerican Dancing Association in Barcelona.
- 1991 - Léonide Massine in Positano, Italy.
- 1992 - Prix Benois de la Danse from the International Choreographers Association at the Bolshoi Theatre.
- 1999 - Platinum Konex for Male Ballet Dancer from the Konex Foundation in Buenos Aires.
See also
In Spanish: Julio Bocca para niños
