Claudia Ortiz Arraiza

Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, in 1990, Claudia began her dance education at the age of three with Balleteatro Infantil de Nana Hudo, a studio that played a formative role in shaping her fascination with dance, theater, and creativity as a way of life. When the studio closed in 2002, she continued her classical ballet training at the Conservatorio de Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, where she received a deeper ballet education under the direction of Carlota Carrera and later under the mentorship of Cuban ballet teacher Lourdes Gómez, while training simultaneously at Andanza. At sixteen, she began her professional dance career with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico as an apprentice, later joining the corps de ballet.

In 2010, Claudia moved to Germany to join Bayerisches Staatsballett, where she danced until 2014, year in which she was nominated for Best Dancer by Jahrbuch Tanz for her performance in Unitxt, a creation by Richard Siegal. In Germany, she was also a founding member of Hessisches Staatsballett in 2014 and Ballet of Difference in 2017. Between 2018 and 2021, she expanded into theater, appearing as a guest performer in several productions at Schauspiel Köln. In 2021, she joined Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal as a guest performer for the first time, becoming part of the ensemble for Kontakthof: A Piece by Pina Bausch. Her growing interest in the work of Pina Bausch has since deepened, reconnecting her to her formative years, when dance was understood not only through a technical lens but as a vehicle for creative expression. In 2024, she performed in Twelve Ton Rose by Trisha Brown and Puur by Wim Vandekeybus with Opera Ballet Flanders.

Alongside her performing career, Claudia has choreographed three solo works and collaborated on several music videos and theater productions as both a performer and movement director. She continues to develop her acting practice. She holds a BA in Art History from the University of Puerto Rico and an MA in Arts Management from Leuphana University, where her thesis focused on institutional attitudes toward racial diversity in ballet companies.

She joined the company as a full-time member beginning in the 2025/26 season.