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Julio Bocca

Headshot Julio Bocca

Julio Bocca was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He began his studies at the age of four under his mother’s guidance. In 1974, he was accepted as a member of the Institute Superior of Art at the Teatro Colón, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He entered the company of Ballet of Camera of the Teatro Colón in 1981 and a year later danced as Soloist in a ballet directed by Flemming Flindt.

Julio Bocca’s professional career began in 1982 as Principal Dancer with the Teresa Carreño Foundation in Venezuela and a year later at the Teatro Municipal in Río de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1983 and until 2016, he was appointed member of the Ballet Estable of the Teatro Colón. In 1985, he won the Gold Medal at the Fifth International Ballet Competition in Moscow. The following year, he began his twenty-year tenure with the American Ballet Theatre as principal dancer (1986-2006). His farewell was on June 22nd, 2006 dancing De Grieux in Manon.

He also danced as a guest artist for the world’s top dance companies, including the Royal Ballet of London, Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg, Alla Scala of Milan, English national ballet, Zarzuela Theatre of Madrid, Royal Danish Ballet of Denmark, Opera Ballet in Oslo, Stuttgart Ballet, Opera Ballet in Paris, and way more.

In 1990, he founded his own dance company, Ballet Argentino, and toured throughout the world. In Argentina, Julio Bocca has performed in outdoor venues and football stadiums, attracting thousands of people. He has also performed at Luna Park – a 5,000-seat venue – over 140 times. In 1998, he founded the Musical Theater School with choreographer and director Ricky Pashkus.

In April 2004, Mr. Bocca was part of the Benois de la Danse Gala, which honors international artists who were awarded the Benois de la Danse Prize.

His definitive retirement from dance was made in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 22, 2007, next to the emblematic obelisk in the city in front of over 300,000 people.

At the beginning of 2010 he was invited by the American Ballet Theatre as coach for soloists and principal dancers of the Company. When he returned to Montevideo, Uruguay, where he was living from a year ago, the President of that country, Mr. José Mujica, offered him the Artistic Direction of the National Ballet Sodre where he took office in June 2010.

Julio Bocca is the Cultural Ambassador for the Mercosur and a member of the International Dance Council CID París – UNESCO. He has been jury of many competitions and still is called to be in most of them; apart from Benois de la Danse and Roma Award in Italy, he was invited by Barcelona competition since the first time, and competitions from Moscow, China, Korea, the Youth America Grand Prix, President for Prix of Lausanne, Sinaloa Dance Competition in Culiacán, México where he had a chat with dancers as well as gave them a master class, and when his activities allow him he is President of the Julio Bocca Competition, created by the Argentine Council of Dance of Buenos Aires in 2010 and continue in tell 2017. After 7 years directing the National Ballet from Uruguay, he retired in December 2017.

List of awards and distinctions:

  • Gold medal 5 concurso international the Moscu 1985.
  • María Ruanova Primus Inter Pairs – Argentina, 1986.
  • Dancer of the Year, New York Times – United States, 1987.
  • Knight of the Orden of San Martín de Tours – Argentina, 1987.
  • Gino Tanni Arts Award – Italy, 1990.
  • Personality of the Year – France, 1990.
  • “Martín Fierro”, Argentine television, the best performance in a Show Musical – Argentina, 1991.
  • International Association of choreographers in the first edition of Prix Benois de la Danse, Bolshoi Theatre – Russia, 1992.
  • King David Prize of the Argentine House in Jerusalem – Israel, 1996.
  • Dance Magazine Award – United States, 1998.
  • Barocco Award, sponsored by Television Network RAI – Italy.
  • Celebrity of the Year Gold Prize Clarin Newspaper – Argentina, 2006.
  • Max Hispanoameican Award for the Performing Arts, by Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) – Bilbao, Spain, 2007.
  • Illustrious Citizen, appointed by the Legislature of Buenos Aires – Argentina, 2007.
  • Equinoccio Cultural, awarded by the Embassy of Spain in Buenos Aires, for his career and contribution to the world of dance – Argentina, 2008.
  • Gold Medal in the Arts, granted by the International Committee of Arts of Kennedy Center, for his achievements and dedication in the cultural exchange between Argentina and the United States of America – Argentina, 2008.
  • Certificate of Honor of the dance, granted by the Council International of Dance – UNESCO – for his career – 2008.
  • María Guerrero Award for his career – Argentina, 2008.
  • Tribute from the American Ballet Theatre in the “Latin Night” – United States, 2008.
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Siglo XXI University of Córdoba – Argentia, 2008.
  • Juan Bravo Prize, in Segovia, for the performance of the Ballet Argentino, under his direction, as best show of dance – Spain, 2009.
  • Latin American Prize at the Ballet Gala in Asunción – Paraguay, 2009.
  • Rome Culture Prize, received at the Roman Theatre of Ostia Antigua – Italy, 2010.
  • Ambassador Ibero-American of the Culture, awarded in Cádiz by the House of Latin America – Spain, 2012.
  • The Italianness award, granted by the Embassy of Italy – Argentina, 2012.
  • Culture Award for his career “400 years” of the National University of Córdoba – Argentina, 2014.
  • Award “Ibera_e” in the performing arts, awarded by the Ibero-American Television – 2014.
  • Ariel Prize – Montevideo, Uruguay.

In 2015 the President of Uruguay, Mr. Tabaré Vázquez, handed him the Delmira Agustini Medal for his contribution to the art and culture of the country as well for his career with the National Ballet of Uruguay.

At the same ceremony, the Ambassador of France in Uruguay, Mr. Sylvain Itté, gave him the appointment of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, on behalf of the Government of France.