Born in Legazpi (Spain), after finishing his musical studies at the Higher Conservatory of Music of San Sebastián, Juan Kruz Díaz de Garaio Esnaola completed his Degree in Early Music as a countertenor at the Akademie voor Oude Muziek in Amsterdam, where his career as a singer got off on a great start.

His encounter with choreographer Marcelo Evelin in Amsterdam, who invited him to participate in his Muzotdance piece, as well as the close artistic collaboration that developed from that point on, helped him to decide to continue exploring the potential of the body as a comprehensive instrument and tool for expression. After working with P.C. Scholten, Emio Greco, Arthur Rosenfeld, and Lloyd Newson, among others, Juan Kruz Díaz de Garaio Esnaola met Sasha Waltz in 1995, who invited him to join the company she founded in 1996. Allee der Kosmonauten was the beginning of their long and fruitful relationship. He has followed through the different stages of the company Sasha Waltz & Guests from its inception at Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. Working with the Sasha Waltz company, in addition to his contribution thereto as a dancer and performer, Juan Kruz Díaz de Garaio Esnaola has been responsible for the directing and musical composition of several pieces and he is the director of rehearsals and an artistic assistant to Sasha Waltz.
 His own work as a choreographer and director shows his interest in combining his training in music and dance – tirelessly exploring the relationship between both disciplines and questioning the role and integration of music in the theatrical/performance event.

A strong believer and defender of true artistic collaboration, Juan Kruz Díaz de Garaio Esnaola undertakes his projects with this principle always in mind. He has invited his close artistic collaborator Luc Dunberry (an individual with whom he shares a significant body of work), as well as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, to co-author the direction of his project avant d'. Other contributors include Joanna Dudley, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (4 Elementen - 4 Jahreszeiten), loscorderos.sc, MOPA, and Stephanie Thiersch. His most recent pieces include CASI, by the Danza Contemporánea de Cuba company, Romances, a piece conceived for the 2012 Flamenco Biennial of Seville which won him an award for best director, and Vaivén (2014) with Antonio Ruz. He also regularly teaches, gives workshops, and organises master classes all over the world.