The judges have also highlighted the choreographic treatment of Ansa’s interpretations, which “start from a deep stage research and define his personal way of dancing and creating.” The prize awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport, with € 30,000, will be awarded with € 30,000.

Dancer, choreographer and professor

Iratxe Ansa Santesteban (Donostia-San Sebastián, 1976) graduated from the Conservatory of Music of San Sebastian. At the age of 14, she received a scholarship from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa to continue her dance studies in Germany and continued her dance studies in Stuttgart, John Cranko Schule.

Between 1993 and 1996 he worked professionally at the Basel Ballet, and later at the Gulbenkian Ballet in Portugal, between 1996 and 1997. He also danced at the National Dance Company of Spain, directed by Nacho Duato, in the years 1997-2002. In 2002 he entered the Opera Ballet of Lyon where he danced until 2005. In 2005 and 2006 he worked as a freelance in various projects in Brussels, Japan and New York. In December 2006 he entered the Nederlands Dans Theater. Throughout his career he has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the awards of the Associations of Dance Professionals of Gipuzkoa and Spain in 2007.

He has created choreographies for the Opera Ballet of Lyon and for the Company Lines Ballet Junior, as well as other custom pieces. In 2009 he left the Nederlands Danse Theatre and started offering choreographic workshops as a freelance, dancing on specific projects and creating choreographies. Since 2014, Igor Bocovich has developed the Metamorphosis method to work with contemporary dance.