Javier De Frutos was born in Venezuela where he began his dance training, continuing at the London School of Contemporary Dance and at the Merce Cunningham School, New York.

From 1988 to 1992 Javier was a member of Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians in New York. In 1992, he was appointed Choreographer in Residence at Movement Research in New York City. On his return to the UK in 1994, he established the Javier De Frutos Dance Company, which toured to great acclaim around the world.

Javier’s work is in the repertoire of many dance companies including: Rotterdam Dance Group (The Fortune Biscuit), Ballet Shindowski (E Muoio Disperato...), Rambert Dance Company (The Celebrated Soubrette, Elsa Canasta), the Royal New Zealand Ballet (Banderillero, Milagros and the re-staged The Celebrated Soubrette), Candoco (I hastened through my death scene to catch your last act and Sour Milk) and Gothenburg Ballet (J. Edna and Mother Tolson, By the Heavenly Grass). He has also recently choreographed Carousel for the Chichester Festival and the West End production of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret.


In February 2007, Javier received the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Best Theatre Choreographer’ for his work on Cabaret. This follows Olivier Awards nominations in 2004 (Elsa Canasta) and in 2005 (Milagros). Also in 2007 he was nominated for the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Choreography (Modern) for Los Picadores and Paseillo, both choreographed for Phoenix Dance Theatre. Other awards include the 1995 Paul Hamlyn Award, 1996 Bagnolet Prix d’Auteur, 1997 South Bank Show Award, 2004 Time Out Live Award and the 2005 Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Choreography. Javier has also received nominations for the Theatregoers’ Choice Award (Cabaret), Manchester Evening News Awards and the International Theatre Institute Award, 1998. In 2008 Javier was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who - Worldwide edition and the Dictionary of International Biography, produced by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge.

In 1999, his achievements were recognised with an hour long documentary produced by the prestigious South Bank Show. The programme was nominated for a Royal Television Society Award. In 2000, the digital channel Artsworld made an hour long documentary about the making of The Celebrated Soubrette for Rambert Dance Company, as well as a companion broadcast of its performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. His Ballet Milagros features in the documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

In 2000, Javier was among the first fellowships of the Arts Council of England. Under that programme, he conducted two years exhaustive research on the work of American Playwright Tennessee Williams.

Javier De Frutos was appointed as Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director in March 2006.