Afanador, the award-winning production by the Ballet Nacional de España

This new production by the Ballet Nacional de España, inspired by the imagery of Ruven Afanador — the Colombian photographer captivated by Andalusia and flamenco — served as Marcos Morau’s inspiration for the creation of this work, which fuses flamenco and contemporary dance.

With a total of nine awards received between 2024 and 2025, the show Afanador has become a current benchmark in Spanish dance, undoubtedly marking a before and after for the Ballet Nacional de España.

The first recognition came in June 2024 with the 3^rd edition of the Godot Awards. There, Afanador won the award for Best Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography for Marcos Morau, Shay Partush, Jon López and Miguel Ángel Corbacho.

In March 2025, the 2024 Performing Arts Critics Awards of Catalonia awarded Afanador the prize for Best Choreography, also for Marcos Morau, Shay Partush, Jon López and Miguel Ángel Corbacho.

One month later, the Talía Awards, granted by the Spanish Academy of Performing Arts, awarded us the prizes for Best Dance Show and Best Choreography.

Finally, at the 28^th edition of the 2025 Max Awards for the Performing Arts, organized by SGAE, Afanador shone once again, winning five awards out of the eight nominations it had received:

-Best Dance Show.
-Best Stage Direction: Marcos Morau.
-Best Musical Composition for a Stage Production: Juan Cristóbal Saavedra, Enrique Bermúdez, Jonathan Bermúdez, Gabriel Georgio González and Roberto Vozmediano.
-Best Costume Design: Silvia Delagneau.
-Best Lighting Design: Bernat Jansá.

When asked about the success of Afanador, Rubén Olmo, director of the Ballet Nacional de España, explained that “the story told by Afanador is a fantasy. Afanador means seeing Ruven Afanador’s photographs through the artistic lens of another creator, Marcos Morau.” In his words, “Afanador is so powerful and magnetic that it captures the audience from the very first second. It is a work that shows why Spanish dance is one of the most complete artistic expressions. I believe that when people see us, they fall in love with Spanish dance and come back because they want more.”

“My entire team and I are very grateful for these awards and for the affection of the audience. We continue rehearsing as we did on the first day, with the same strength, seeking perfection in each of the ballet’s scenes. The continuous work we carry out is probably what critics have valued in granting us these awards,” concluded Rubén Olmo.

With six months still to go before the end of the year, many venues are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Afanador. In fact, everything is now ready for the grand premiere of Afanador at the Teatro de la Zarzuela on July 10^th.