A beautiful way to mix past, present and future - Carlos Romero on Kazakhstan, ballet and cultural exchange

A graduate of the Royal Professional Dance Conservatory in Madrid, Romero has performed on leading stages worldwide, including the Teatro Real, Bunka Kaikan, Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera. Today, alongside Tania Martín, he co-directs a professional dance studio in Madrid and heads the Spanish Dance Department at the Andalusian School of Flamenco Speaking about his first collaboration with Kazakhstan, Romero said he was deeply impressed not only by the dancers’ technical level, but also by their discipline and attitude “I think the country is amazing and also the people. Of course, the students. I’m impressed with the culture and the respect of the students to the teachers and to everyone,” he said According to him, such discipline is gradually being lost in parts of Europe. He noted that the Kazakh approach to education serves as an inspiring example he hopes to partially introduce in his own Madrid-based studio Beyond the rehearsal halls, the choreographer also shared his admiration for the capital, noting that the cold weather only added to the overall impression of the city “I love to look through the window and see the snow. I love it. I’m in love with that,” he said. “The city is amazing. I think everything is super new, like it was built yesterday, you know?” Within the framework of the current project, Romero selected Boléro by Maurice Ravel and “Las jotas” from El sombrero de tres picos by Manuel de Falla. The choreographer explained that both works are globally recognized and deeply symbolic for Spanish dance culture. He also noted that 2026 marks a commemorative year dedicated to Manuel de Falla, making the repertoire choice especially meaningful “I wanted to bring the Kazakh people to share with them this year, you know, and combine these factors. Celebrate this year as well with us,” Romero said. “I think the students and the people who don’t know Spanish dance can see the character and the feelings that we have in Spain.” Romero stressed that the collaboration is not a one-way exchange. The experience, he said, has influenced him both personally and professionally “One thing is clear about Kazakh people and culture, and I told everyone in Spain right now, I want to introduce this respect in my school, this respect, to try to find a way to recover the respect in the class in Spain, discipline in class,” he explained. “I think, with the internet, AI, and there are a lot of things we have right now that sometimes help us, but many times the children are a little bit confused and lost. And I think it’s a good moment to recover a little bit of our past, you know, and be more disciplined. And be in the class without mobile phones or without tablets. I think we need it.” Throughout both his visits, Romero also attended performances at the Astana Opera and Astana Ballet, observing how Kazakh companies integrate national elements into classical productions “It was super new, maintaining the tradition and then mixing with the new things, it was super interesting,” he said. “I was investigating their form, their character, their manner of doing things, their language, you know, for work, to keep working this week. I think Kazakh people are finding a beautiful way to mix your past and your present and your future.” He also plans to continue working with contemporary companies in Almaty, exploring possibilities for further artistic dialogue Asked whether he sees similarities between Spanish and Kazakh dance traditions, Romero pointed to shared historical influences, particularly from Russian classical ballet, which connects the two countries while preserving the authenticity of both through their own cultural additions “Musically, of course. The character is so different. I’m learning a lot about your character and the technique,” Romero said. “We have some parts similar and other parts so, so different. And it’s that characteristic and beautiful thing that we have.” At the same time, he described Kazakh dance as distinctive in its character “Kazakh people are so expressive. I think, yeah, we have a little difference with the character, but you are serious, elegant. It’s powerful, very focused. Elegant,” he explained Reflecting on the broader role of ballet today, Romero emphasized the importance of preserving artistic heritage in the digital age. He believes ballet should be more actively introduced in schools, much like sports programs, to make it accessible from an early age. Cultural exchange experiences like this one, he added, can contribute to the restoration not only of ballet, but of other traditional art forms as well “I like sharing with other cultures and mixing our dances, our languages. I think it’s so important and we can help each other to restore ballet. To restore ballet, to restore flamenco also. We in Spain, we are the ones who have flamenco in the world,” he concluded. “We need to learn to teach the kids, our kids, our future, that we are more than this. We are more than social media. We are here sharing with you, talking about life, talking about our culture. Watching you, seeing your face and talking like this. Sharing, I think, is the most important thing that we have to recover, and I think it’s beautiful to meet all the students of the academy.” Earlier, Qazinform reported that an artist talk with Gaukhar Bissengalieva, known as Aruhan, and curator Anvar Musrepov offered a glimpse into contemporary Kazakh art