14 Facts About Igor Yebra

Igor Yebra was born in Bilbao, Spain, and was encouraged to start dancing by his parents, two music and dance enthusiasts who named him Igor in honour of the title character in Borodin's opera.

Igor Yebra then moved to Madrid where he entered Victor Ullate's dance school and started formal training at the considerably late age of 13.

Igor Yebra has trained with a multitude of Spanish teachers including Karemia Moreno, Lazaro Carreno, Pino Alosa and Angela Santos.

Igor Yebra started dancing professionally with Ullate's company, Ballet de la Comunidad de Madrid while still a student in Madrid.

Igor Yebra graduated with honours from the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza.

Igor Yebra remained with the company for six years, eventually becoming a principal.

Igor Yebra started his career as a freelance dancer at the end of 1996 and joined Australian Ballet as a guest, despite receiving offers from recognized companies like the New York City Ballet, Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon, Scottish Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

Igor Yebra is mostly recognized as a danseur noble and it is from the time he left Ullate's company that he managed to expand his classical and romantic repertoire to include various choreographed versions of Giselle, Don Quixote, La Sylphide, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty and variations from Le Corsaire and La Bayadere.

Igor Yebra's contemporary repertoire is an array of neoclassical-type ballets, including George Balanchine's Theme and Variations, Concerto Barroco, Allegro Brillante and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux.

Igor Yebra has appeared as a guest artist with Aterballetto, Ballet a l'opera de Nice, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Ballet Nacional de Venezuela, Kremlin Ballet Theatre, the Bolshoi, the Kirov, Scottish Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, Australian Ballet, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Arena di Verona Ballet and is a guest principal with the Ballet de l'Opera National de Bordeaux.

Igor Yebra has created roles in various pieces including Carmen, La Traviata, Aida, The Dying Swan and Don Jose.

In February 2018, Igor Yebra took over as the new artistic director of the Nacional Ballet Sodre Ballet, succeeding Julio Bocca.

Igor Yebra married Basque television presenter Anne Igartiburu in September 2004, from who he separated soon after, in December 2005.

Igor Yebra realised one of his biggest dreams in 2006 when he opened a dance school in his hometown of Bilbao.