Carlos Acosta CBE, the internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer and artistic director, will be honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award at the UK Theatre Awards 2025.
The ceremony, sponsored by Encore, will take place on Sunday 12 October at 8 Northumberland Avenue, celebrating over 30 years of theatrical excellence across the UK.
Born in Havana, Carlos Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and won the Gold Medal at the Prix De Lausanne in 1990. His illustrious career has seen him perform with the world’s leading ballet companies, including the Royal Ballet, where he spent 17 years and choreographed his first full-length work, Don Quixote.
In 2003, his semi-autobiographical show Tocororo premiered in Havana before breaking box office records at Sadler’s Wells and earning an Olivier Award nomination. He later won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2007 for Carlos Acosta and Friends of the Royal Ballet.
Carlos founded Acosta Danza and Acosta Danza Yunior, alongside the Acosta Dance Foundation, a Dance Academy in Havana and a Dance Centre in London, providing world-class training for artists in Cuba and the UK.
His creative reach extends to literature and film, including the 2018 biopic Yuli, which received international acclaim. He was awarded a CBE in 2014 and has received numerous accolades including the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award.
Since 2020, Carlos has served as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, where he has championed diversity and innovation, curating new works such as Black Sabbath – The Ballet and launching the junior company BRB2.
The UK Theatre Board selected Carlos for this prestigious award in recognition of his extraordinary career and commitment to broadening access to dance.
Claire Walker & Hannah Essex, Co-CEOs of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, said:
“We are delighted to honour Carlos Acosta with the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award. Carlos has propelled ballet to new heights, most recently as Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, where he has broken new ground with ambitious programming which continues to expand and develop the dance audiences of the future. We are looking forward to celebrating Carlos’ achievements at the UK Theatre Awards ceremony on Sunday 12 October.”
Carlos Acosta said:
“I am honoured to be nominated by UK Theatre to receive this most prestigious award. To be recognised by my own industry like this is truly humbling. This tremendous accolade would not have been possible without the fantastic support that I receive from the brilliant Creative Industries producing great theatre in creative hubs in every part of the UK. Communities and venues large and small, with their warm and welcoming audiences and generous supporters – this award is also for them.”
Full nominations for the UK Theatre Awards 2025 will be announced on Thursday 18 September.
More information can be found here
