Ballet Nacional de España

The Ballet Nacional de España (Spanish National Ballet – BNE), under the artistic direction of Rubén Olmo since September 2019, has been Spain’s leading public dance company since its foundation in 1978, when Antonio Gades became its first director. The company is one of the production units of the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), part of the Ministry of Culture.

The BNE’s mission is to preserve, promote and pass on Spain’s rich choreographic heritage in all its stylistic diversity and traditions, encompassing academic, stylised and folk dance, the bolera school and flamenco. It also seeks to engage new audiences and strengthen its national and international profile while maintaining full artistic and creative autonomy.

One of the priorities of the current Master Plan is to develop a programme that balances new creation with the preservation of the traditional Spanish dance repertoire and the addition of new works. To this end, the BNE has launched a creative initiative embracing avant-garde and emerging trends and inviting international choreographers and emerging artists to collaborate with the company.

To extend the reach of Spanish dance, the BNE promotes touring by alternating large-scale productions with more intimate formats. It also supports sustainable financial management by fostering partnerships with public institutions and private-sector organisations.