The Story Behind that Viral Video of​ Spanish Dancers on the Runway

July 25, 2018

Is there anything more alluring than a group of well-dressed men who seriously know how to move? According to 15 million views of this Spanish fashion show, it seems not.

Here’s Just One of the Clips That’s Gone Viral:

The video shows dancers from Ballet Nacional de España performing director Antonio Najarro’s choreography for a runway show introducing the Spring/Summer 2019 collection from Oteyza. The sharp, sleek unison phrases and passionate masculine energy of the dancers have entranced viewers around the world as much as it wowed the fashion influencers in the live audience.

So How Did This Collaboration Come About?

Najarro says he’s long been a fan of Oteyza’s designs: “He uses the aesthetic of the Spanish dancers—the cape, the high trousers, the hat, those are all very traditional costumes for men.”

The BNE director first choreographed a fashion show three years ago for designer Juan Duyos, using about 20 female company dancers, to music by Björk.

Dancing in the Designs Created Unexpected Magic

This time, he wanted to capture “the energy and the spirit of the boys—with the Spanish passion.” Once he convinced Oteyza to trade models for movers, Najarro spent three weeks alone in the studio creating the choreography, then took a week and a half to set it on the dancers (including himself—he makes a solo appearance in the middle and at the end).

He knew the piece might make a splash since it was so unexpected: “To see men in a fashion show dancing with castanets, stamping with their feet, it’s very strange and completely unique.”

Still, he wasn’t expecting so many millions of views. “I’m so happy because it’s my mission to introduce Spanish dance to other worlds, like painting, photography, fashion and cinema,” he says. “I want everybody to know this dance in a traditional way, but also in a modern way. I feel like the ambassador of Spanish dance.”

Watch the Full Show Here: