Nacho Duato's natural talent had him soon look beyond the limitations of a dancer and turn towards choreography. His first attempt in 1983 turned into a major success: Jardi Tancat to Spanish/Catalan music by compatriot Maria del Mar Bonet won him the first prize at the International Choreographic Workshop (Internationaler Choreographischer Wettbewerb) at Cologne. Without reducing his responsibilities as a dancer Nacho Duato has - since then - created about a dozen works for both Nederlands Dans Theater and Nederlands Dans Theater II, for instance, Danza y Rito (Chvez), Uccelli (Respighi), Synaphai (Xenakis/Vangelis), Bolero (Ravel), Arenal (Maria del Mar Bonet), Chansons Madecasses (Ravel), and Raptus to Richard Wagner's Wesendonk Lieder. For almost every work painter/designer Walter Nobbe proved an inspiring and reliable collaborator.
In 1988 Nacho Duato was named Resident Choreographer for Nederlands Dans Theater - next to Hans van Manen and Jir Kylin.

With the growing demand of international companies requesting his works for their repertoire - i.e. The Cullberg ballet, The Frankfurt Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Ballet Teatro Lirico Nacional - Nacho Duato was forced to make a decisive step towards choosing his future career. Being sought after by a number of important opera houses and ballet companies, it was the call of the Ministerio de Cultura of his native Spain which made him decide to accept - with the beginning of the season 90/91 - the position of artistic director and choreographer with Ballet Teatro Lrico Nacional de Espaa in Madrid, since 1993 known as Compaa Nacional de Danza.