Víctor Ullate facts for kids
Víctor Ullate is a famous Spanish dancer, choreographer, and ballet teacher. He was born in Zaragoza, Spain, on May 9, 1947. He has dedicated his life to dance, inspiring many young artists.
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Early Life and Dance Training
Víctor Ullate started learning dance at a young age. He studied with María de Avila and at the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower. When he was just 15, in 1962, he began his professional career. He joined the dance company of the well-known Spanish dancer Antonio Ruiz Soler.
His Amazing Career
As a Dancer
Just three years later, in 1965, a famous choreographer named Maurice Béjart invited him to join his company, the Ballet du XXième Siècle. Víctor Ullate became a Principal Dancer, which is a very important role. For 14 years, Béjart created many special dance parts just for him. Some of these included Ni fleurs, ni couronnes (1967) and Nijinsky, Clown de Dieu (1971). In 1978, he even played the role of Maurice Béjart himself in a ballet called Gaîté parisienne.
Leading and Creating Ballets
In 1979, the Spanish government asked Víctor Ullate to start Spain's very first classical ballet company. This company is now known as the Compañia Nacional de Danza. He was its artistic director for four years.
In 1983, he opened his own dance school, the Centro de Danza Víctor Ullate. Then, in 1988, with help from the Ministry of Culture, he started the Víctor Ullate Ballet. This was Spain's first private dance company. He led this company for over 30 years.
Víctor Ullate brought many famous ballets to the stage. He showed works by choreographers like George Balanchine and Maurice Béjart. He also worked on classic ballets such as Les Sylphides, Giselle, and Don Quixote. He created more than 40 of his own ballets. Many of his works were inspired by Spanish music and culture.
Some of his most popular ballets include El Amor Brujo (1994), Jaleos (1996), and Samsara (2006). He also created Wonderland (2010) and Carmen (2017). His ballets often mix classical ballet with flamenco, a traditional Spanish dance style.
As a Teacher
Víctor Ullate was also a fantastic teacher. He helped many young dancers become successful. Some of his students became very famous ballet stars around the world. These include Angel Corella, Lucía Lacarra, Tamara Rojo, and Igor Yebra.
Over 32 years, hundreds of students started their dance careers after training at his school. In 2000, he started a foundation. Its goal was to help talented students who didn't have much money get a good dance education. It also aimed to promote classical ballet in Spain.
Víctor Ullate closed his ballet company in 2019. Other parts of his dance institutions also ended around 2019-2020.
Awards and Recognition
Víctor Ullate has received many important awards for his work.
- In 1989, he won the Spanish Dance Prize.
- He received the Medalla de Oro de las Bellas Artes in 1996.
- In 2008, he was given the MAX Honorary Award.
- His ballet Wonderland won the MAX Award for best dance production in 2011.
- In 2013, he received the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Dos de Mayo from the City of Madrid.
- In 2016, he was awarded the Medalla de Oro al Mérito del Trabajo.
- In 2014, he became an honorary member of the Academy of Performing Arts.
- Most recently, in 2024, the government of Aragon honored him with the Medalla al Mérito Cultural de Aragón.
Víctor Ullate has three sons: Patrick Ullate, Víctor Ullate Roche, and Josué Ullate.
See also
In Spanish: Víctor Ullate para niños
