Spain...

At the age of 15, he was allowed to take his first jazz class in Barcelona, taking the train there and back by himself, and was learning some new steps and vocabulary from a girl in his high school who was in the conservatoire for ballet. After a year of the weekly class, he got offered a scholarship to start a pre-professional course that consisted of 3 classes a day, where he began to expand his knowledge in ballet, contemporary, tap and flamenco. To do this, the deal with his parents was to complete high school, which he did by taking evening classes after dance which included a 5am wake up and getting home at 11pm every day. After a year of the programme, his teacher encouraged him to audition for Lanonima Imperial, Barcelona's first male contemporary dance company founded by Dietrich Grosse and Carlos García in 1986 (Mondigromax, n.d.). He got the job for the company and started his first professional contract at the age of 17, which his parents had to sign as he was still under their guardianship.

Touring with Lanonima around Europe exposed him to new cultures, companies, dancers and the contemporary world awakeninig his life to the idea of real possibilities in the industry. However, he realised he was lacking more formal training as he observed other male dancer's rigour and discipline within the artform. This desire driven by insticts led him to end his contract, after touring 2 different creations with the company, and join London Studio Centre to complete a diploma. His parents were always supportive of his decisions, however they were unable to aid financially, so he was given a full scholarship for the training and government aid to support his life in London. His hometown neighbours and family all chipped in through organisation by the mayor to pay for his flight to London so he could fufill his dream.

London...

During his early training, he became deeply focused on technique, supported by strong role models within his school and community, where discipline played a crucial role in his development. Around this time, he also began to recognise his sexuality, although he did not openly express it; his later experiences in London, including his first romantic relationship and the presence of other gay peers, provided a more supportive environment, despite the pervasive fear surrounding relationships during the AIDS crisis. Encouraged by his teacher, Ikky Mass—a former dancer with Rambert—Bonachela auditioned for the company, initially driven by the practical need for employment, having been open to any form of work. Following the audition, he was offered a position under the direction of Richard Alston, where he was exposed to post-American modern dance influences, including the repertory of Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Siobhan Davies, Jiri Kylian, Twyla Tharp, Mats Ek (Dance consortium, n.d.) amongst many more.

Rambert's emphasis on creating new, relevant work proved pivotal, particularly through its workshop season, which allowed dancers to choreograph; this later informed Bonachela's own initiatives at Sydney Dance Company. Despite initial resistance from Christopher Bruce, who considered him too young to create, Bonachela persisted, and his first work was eventually incorporated into the Rambert repertoire. While he found great fulfilment in performing, continually creating smaller works alongside his dancing career, he increasingly struggled to balance both roles and felt unfulfilled when unable to pursue choreographic opportunities. After leaving the company without secure employment, he applied to the Place Prize, which he won, enabling him to establish his own company, which he established in 2006, with the support of a producer.

His subsequent career was marked by versatility and openness, including choreographing for popular artists such as Kylie Minogue and contributing to large-scale productions like a Tina Turner concert, despite initially lacking direct references for such work. These experiences prompted an ongoing reflection on his artistic identity and personal journey, fostering significant growth both as an artist and individual. His choreographic practice also expanded to incorporate multiple art forms, often resulting in large-scale productions, comprising some short dance films, including Nowhere Better Than This Place (2001), The Kreutzer Sonata (2003), Muse (2004), EdOx for Balletboyz (2008), Small Gestures in Bare Rooms (2010), and the interactive digital project Music to Move (2014).

Despite setbacks, including unsuccessful auditions and unrealised projects, Bonachela maintained resilience and a belief that appropriate opportunities would emerge. Financially, he often relied on commissioned work to sustain his project-based company. He was commissioned to work with various different companies including danza contemporanea de Cuba, Frankfurt dance company and ITDANSA (Sydney Dance Company, 2017). This eventually led to his engagement with Sydney Dance Company, initially through a commission, and later through repeated invitations to apply for the role of Artistic Director. Although initially hesitant due to loyalty to his own company, he ultimately reconsidered following the creation of360°, marking a significant transition in his career.