Reflections Balletmeister

Carlos Prado was born in Setubal (Portugal) in 1962. After his graduation at Setùbal Contemporary Dance Academy in 1984 , he became a soloist in Portugal’s National Ballet, under the direction of  Armando Jorge. In this period  he worked with internationally renowned masters and performed roles in the classical repertory and the repertory of the 20th century including Giselle, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Naples, Raymonda, as well as works by Balanchine, Kurt Joss, Josè Limon, Oscar Araiz, and others.

In 1990, Jorge Salaviza, director of the Gulbenkian Ballet, invited him to join his Company in Lisbon. He performed as principal dancer until 2002, appearing in works by major choreographers including Jiri Kylian, Hans Van Manen, Mats Ek, Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Christopher Bruce, Ohad Naharin, Angelin Preljocaj, Tero Saarinen, Marie Choinard, Itzyk Galili, Vasco Wellenkamp, and many others. In 2002, under the direction of Iracity Cardoso, he started his career as maitre of the Gulbenkian Ballet. In 2005, he left the company to work as freelance. In the past years, he has been invited by  Aterballetto, Ballet de Lorraine, and by Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporaneo. In addition to this, he collaborated as assistant to choreography restaging the ballets White and Organic Beats (choreography by Paulo Ribero) for Ballet de Lorraine in 2005 and 2006, Cantata (by Mauro Bigonzetti) for Companhia Nacional de Bailado in 2008 and followed the creation of Mauro Bigonzetti Adagio Assai at Ballet Basel in 2009. In the same year, he joined Aterballetto as maitre de ballet and as assistant choreographer.