Julio Ruiz (Almería, 1993)

I work from the wound, I create from the wound, between light and darkness. From questioning. From everyday experiences, trying to crystallize the ordinary into, who knows, something extraordinary. Art is the way the world takes care of us, and that’s all we need.

A flamenco dancer and choreographer trained in Spanish Dance, Flamenco, and Contemporary Dance, Julio develops his vision of art, performance, and dance through his company, unraveling the difference between what we want and what we do, what we assume and what is needed, the pre-established and the created.

A tireless creator, since 2014 he has premiered the following productions:

• Retazos. Performance. (Almería, 2014)
• Sitio donde te hablé. Choreographic piece directed by Guadalupe Torres. (Teatro Fernán Gómez, Madrid, 2017)
• 1993. Performance directed by Daniel Doña with choreographic collaboration from Rubén Olmo. (Granada, 2018)
• Bula. Choreographic piece for unconventional spaces directed by Daniel Doña. (Museo Arqueológico, Almería, 2019)
• Azul como la piel del melocotón. Performance directed by Ernesto Artillo. (Auditorio Maestro Padilla, Almería, 2021)
• Algazul. Photographic and performance project. (Almería, 2022)
• Vendehúmo. Choreographic piece. (Certamen Coreográfico Distrito de Tetuán, Madrid, 2022)
• Tocar a un hombre. Performance.

Since 2016, he has toured nationally and internationally as a solo dancer and teacher.

He has participated in some of the most important dance festivals: Flamenco Festival London, Festival de Jerez, Festival Internacional de Música de Peralada, Festival de Música y Danza de Granada, Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla, among others. He has performed in national and international theaters such as: Teatro Nacional de São Paulo (Brazil), Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Italy), Teatro Nacional de Danza de Budapest (Hungary), Teatro Capstone (Liverpool), and has shared the stage with flamenco legends such as Tomatito, Antonio Canales, Sara Baras, and Farruquito, among others.

He has won the following awards:

• First Prize in the Concurso de Jóvenes Flamencos Desencaja 2014 (organized by the Junta de Andalucía, Instituto Andaluz del Flamenco, and Instituto Andaluz de la Juventud).
• First and Second Prize in the II Concurso de Jóvenes Flamencos.
• Outstanding Dancer Award.
• Second Prize in the Concurso Internacional de Flamenco de Almería.
• ¡Explosivo! Award at the Madrid Choreographic Contest.
• Finalist at the Festival Cante de las Minas.

He has received several national residencies and grants:

• Daniel Doña Resident Company Grant.
• In Progress Residency at Flamenco Festival.
• María Pagés Choreographic Center Residency.
• Clasijazz Professional Dance Residency with dancers.
• Research Residencies at Centro Coreográfico Teatros del Canal, among others.

He balances his creative projects with his work at tablaos, performing as part of the programming of some of the most prestigious tablaos in the country.

Currently, he is immersed in the creation of his new work and in the national and international tour of his latest production, Tocar a un hombre, which premiered in May 2023 and has already been performed at venues such as Teatro Fernán Gómez in Madrid and Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, among others.