Meet Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo: Part I

From dancer to choreographer, our new Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo has received prestigious awards and cherished accomplishments throughout his professional career. Born in Madrid, Spain, Alejandro started his professional career as a dancer with Victor Ullate Ballet in 1998. Take a look through the years of Alejandro’s career!

1999-2002: Dancer with Stuttgart Ballet

2002-2005: Dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater 2

2005: Bronze Medal winner at the 5th International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition (Nagoya, Japan)

2005-2014: Dancer with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 

2006: Third prize recipient at the 20th International Competition for Young Choreographers (Hanover, Germany)

2008: Named “Best Choreographer” by the Chicago Reader

2008: Chicago Tribune’s “Chicagoan of the Year,” Dance Category

2008-2018: Resident Choreographer at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

2010: His work, “Extremely Close,” was named first among the top ten Chicago premieres of the decade from 2000-10 by Time Out Chicago

2012: Boomerang Fund for Artists Award Recipient

2012: His choreography, “One Thousand Pieces,” achieved record ticket sales for HSDC in its then 40 years of history.

2013: Named “40 Under 40” by Crain’s Chicago Business Publication

2014: Received the USA Artists Award from the Shawn Donnelley Fellowship

2016: His production of “Sleeping Beauty,” created for Ballet Basel, received the nomination of “Best Production of the Year” from Neue Zurcher Zeitung in Switzerland

2018: Started work as the Director and Producer of “It Starts Now,” an evening-length production that premiered at The Joyce Theater last fall

2020-2022: Resident Choreographer, Pacific Northwest Ballet

2022: Named Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet!!!

Photos courtesy of Alejandro Cerrudo.