Birmingham Royal Ballet has revealed who will be its new director.

Internationally renowned ballet dancer, Carlos Acosta CBE, will be taking up his new post as director in January 2020.

He will be following on from David Bintley CBE, the current director, who announced last year that he would be standing down from his position in July 2019.

Acosta was born in Havana, Cuba and the youngest of 11 children.

Carlos Acosta
Carlos Acosta

He went on to train at the National Ballet School of Cuba, winning the prestigious Prix de Lausanne at the age of 16, before enjoying a thirty-year career in dance with many of the world’s leading ballet companies.

He was a Principal with the Royal Ballet for 17 years and danced all the major classical, and many contemporary roles - he is considered to be the greatest male dancer of his generation and, in many people’s eyes, one of the greatest dancers of all time.

His vast collection of awards includes an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, a Prix Benois de la Danse, an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award from The Royal Academy of Dance in recognition of his standing as one of the most influential figures in dance today.

Since retiring he has founded Cuban dance company Acosta Danza.

Carlos Acosta performs at the official launch of the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation at The Royal Opera House in 2012
Carlos Acosta performs at the official launch of the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation at The Royal Opera House in 2012

Carlos Acosta CBE, said: “It is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been appointed to lead Birmingham Royal Ballet.

"I am a great admirer of its heritage and of what David Bintley has done to establish it as one of the country’s leading classical ballet companies, following on from the wonderful foundations laid down by Sir Peter Wright.

"My ambition is to build on its classical traditions, to expand its repertoire and to reach out to new and more diverse audiences."

"I want to define what it is to be a world leading classical ballet company in the 21st century,” he added.