Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Mr. Duran started dancing Venezuelan Folk Dances and continued his formal ballet training at the Fundacion Arte Nuevo. He danced professionally with Ballet Metropolitano, Ballet NuevoMundo, National Ballet of Caracas, Tulsa Ballet Theatre and eight consecutive seasons with Eugene Ballet Company. He worked with choreographers such as Vicente Nebrada, Maria Rovira, Nicolo Fonte, Robert Battle, Mauricio Wainrott, Edwaard Liang, Jessica Lang and Toni Pimble, among others. His versatility and intuition allowed him to perform a variety of classical, neoclassical and contemporary roles. In June of 2010, he began teaching ballet as a way to share his passion for dance. In October of 2010, he was appointed as Alaska Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director and resident choreographer. In 2011 Mr. Duran received the Fermin Toro University Award for his career and continued to teach ballet in the east coast. He has taught master classes for several schools and created choreography for Eugene Ballet, Ballet Des Moines, Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre and Ballet Arizona Studio Company. In July of 2023 he obtained his bachelor in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California and participated as adjudicator for the ADC-IBC competition. In January of 2024 He was awarded a Research and Development Grant from the Arizona Arts Commission. He teaches at Arizona School for the Arts and is currently a full-time faculty member and Upper division Liaison at the School of Ballet Arizona.