Recipient of the Zach Lazar Winning Works Fellowship

Xavier Núñez, born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, embarked on his dance journey at age ten at The Hartt Community Dance Division in Hartford, Connecticut, becoming the first dancer in his family. He continued training at the International Ballet Academy in Cary, NC, under Miguel Campaneria in 2010. In 2012, he earned the silver medal at the World Ballet Competition, propelling him to join the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company under the guidance of Kevin McKenzie and Franco De Vita. He performed in international galas in Italy and France, performing George Balanchine’s Tarantella and Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval Des Animaux. Xavier's path led him to The Tulsa Ballet in 2013, where he performed in productions including The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Cinderella. In 2017, Xavier took part in the Concours de Opera National de Paris, earning him 6th place and a contract for the 2017-2018 season with the Paris Opera Ballet.

In 2018, Xavier proudly became a member of the Joffrey Ballet, a momentous step in his career. Since then, he has been privileged to grace the stage in lead roles, performing in acclaimed productions such as Yuri Possokhov's Anna Karenina, John Neumeier's The Little Mermaid, and more. Beyond his onstage achievements, Xavier Núñez's entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found Action Lines with talented peers Dylan Gutierrez and Eric Grant.