Carlos Prado
Assistant choreographerBiography
Born in Setúbal, Portugal, Carlos Prado studied at the Contemporary Dance Academy of Setúbal under the guidance of Antonio Rodrigues and Maria Bessa. After graduating in 1984, he was hired as a solo dancer by the Companhia Nacional de Bailado, the National Ballet Company of Portugal, under the artistic direction of Armando Jorge, where he remained until 1990. In 1990, he was invited by Jorge Salavisa, the then Artistic Director of Ballet Gulbenkian in Lisbon to join the company. He performed there as a principal dancer until 2005, appearing in works by distinguished choreographers, including Jiří Kylián, Hans Van Manen, Mats Ek, Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, William Forsythe, Christopher Bruce, Ohad Naharin, Angelin Preljocaj, Itzik Galili, Olga Roriz and Vasco Wellenkamp.
In 2006 Mauro Bigonzetti invited Carlos to join theAterballetto, where he worked as a ballet master andassistant choreographer until August 2012. While in Reggio Emilia, he assisted Bigonzetti in the creation of theproductions Adagio Assai (Basel Ballet), Luce Nascosta (NewYork City Ballet), Cinque (Orange County / Bolshoi Theatre,with Semionova, Kochetkova, Osipova, Krysanova, Shipulina)and Kings of the Dance (New York / Moscow).
In 2011, he staged for the Bolshoi the production Cinque,which went on to receive the Golden Mask Award.Between 2013 and 2017, he served as a ballet master atthe Royal Ballet of Flanders in Antwerp, Belgium. SinceSeptember 2017, he has worked as a freelance teacher andan assistant choreographer of Mauro Bigonzetti.
Carlos Prado staged the choreography Kafka: The Trial for the Czech National Ballet in 2019.
Since 2019, Carlos Prado has continued to make significant contributions to dance, including being appointed as the Artistic Director of Companhia Nacional de Bailado, Portugal's National Ballet, in September 2021. During his tenure as Artistic Director of Portugal's Companhia Nacional de Bailado from September 2021 to August 2024, he introduced several notable performances. One unique highlight was the staging of Deste Mundo e do Outro in honor of the centenary of the Portuguese writer José Saramago, featuring choreography by Olga Roriz. This work, created specifically for CNB, explored themes from Saramago’s works, offering a reflection on humanity and storytelling through dance.
This and other programs underscored Prado’s commitment to presenting a diverse repertoire, merging international classics with new creations by Portuguese artists, thus enhancing CNB’s artistic profile and accessibility to broader audiences across Portugal. This strategic vision has left a lasting impact on CNB, enhancing its status within the European ballet scene.