London - The Royal Ballet of Birmingham (United Kingdom) has selected Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta as its new director, according to a press release from Acosta Dance, a Havana-based company founded by the artist.

Acosta, who will assume the appointment from January 2020, said about his new responsibility: "It is a great honor and privilege to have been appointed to lead this company."  He said that his ambition is "to build on its classical traditions, expand its repertoire and reach out to new and more diverse audiences, as well as define what it is to be a world-leading classical ballet company in the 21st century."

The choreographer also stressed that in parallel to this opportunity, he will continue his work with Acosta Dance and the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation, as this appointment will allow him to improve and develop the opportunities he can offer to both initiatives.

Acosta, 45, was trained at the Cuban National School of Ballet, where he graduated with honors in 1991 and, three years later, became top dancer for the Cuban National Ballet.

According to specialized critics, he has become one of the greatest dancers in the world, thanks to his physical qualities and talent which have led him to join the list of important companies in the world, such as Italy, the United States and the United Kingdom.

He made his debut as an actor last year in Yuli, by Spain's Iciar Bollain, a film where he plays himself and which has earned him the nomination for Best Newcomer at the 2019 Goya Awards.