From Mexico to La Mancha!

I’m incredibly happy to be debuting as Basilio, especially because Don Quixote is my favourite ballet. It’s very personal to me – it was the first ballet I ever saw – and stepping into this role feels like a major milestone in my career. I’m incredibly excited. 

The rehearsal process has been challenging, but also really rewarding. It’s been so interesting to observe the different styles and interpretations that emerge from each Kitri and Basilio cast. Don Quixote is a ballet full of personality, with very human characters, and it’s inspiring to see how everyone brings something unique to the roles. We are also being coached by guest teachers from The Royal Ballet Laura Morera and Christopher Saunders, which has been invaluable. Having different pairs of eyes on you, and receiving detailed notes on the same choreography, really deepens your understanding of the ballet.

I know I’m going to enjoy this role because it allows me to fully be myself on stage. Basilio gives you the freedom to add your own personal touch and remain authentic. I can be human in the role, without worrying about having to look like a prince or a teenager, which makes performing it feel very natural.

To prepare, I’ve been focusing heavily on building strength and stamina. There are so many virtuosic moments throughout the ballet that technical precision becomes more important than ever. I've been practicing a lot, especially the big jumps and the lifts in the pas de deux. The barrel turns in Act I are probably the most difficult to execute, as they aren’t performed often in other ballets, so they’ve required extra rehearsal to really master.

I understand – and fully respect – that bullfighting is a very difficult and sensitive subject for many people, but it is one that is deeply rooted in my community and in my family tradition. There are four generations of bullfighters in my family from Spain and Mexico: my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and uncles were all matadors. Choosing ballet was controversial, especially in Mexico, where it isn’t common for men to become ballet dancers. Growing up surrounded by matador culture, performing a ballet rooted in Spanish traditions outside my home country feels incredibly special.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a matador myself, and my dad wanted that for me too. I have two brothers who are also ballet dancers, and I was the last of the three of us to decide against bullfighting and fully commit to ballet. Over time, the more I danced, the more I fell in love with it. My dad understood that the matador line would end with us, but he supported our decision to follow our dreams and work hard at what we love. Having his support, especially knowing what that decision meant to him, has been truly meaningful.

I first performed Don Quixote with BRB in 2022, during my first season with the Company. That experience was very special, particularly as we had guest artists Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov from The Royal Ballet come over to perform Kitri and Basilio. Performing my favourite ballet so early in my career, and imagining myself dancing Basilio one day, motivated me to work even harder.

In 2022, I danced almost every role in the ballet apart from Basilio: Amour, the Rascals, Matadors, Seguidilla, Fandango, and Gypsies. This time, I’m performing Basilio and Amour, which allows me to really focus on both roles and give them everything. I loved doing all those roles in my first season, but it feels very special to now return to the ballet in this new way.

Don Quixote was the first ballet I ever saw, and it played a huge role in my decision to become a dancer. It wasn’t just the tricks and virtuosity that captured me, but the storytelling – seeing dancers communicate such a human, joyful story through movement. That stayed with me.

My family will be travelling from Mexico to see my debut, and the performance happens to fall on my dad’s birthday. I couldn’t imagine a better moment to share my work with them.