Jump to content

Edward Watson (dancer): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
apply "use dmy dates" tag, parameters, general fixes, replaced: principle dancers → principal dancers
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|British ballet dancer}}
{{Short description|British ballet dancer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
'''Edward Watson''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 21 May 1976) is a British [[ballet dancer]]. He is a [[principal dancer]] and coach with the [[Royal Ballet]] in London.<ref name="Edward Watson">{{cite web|title=Edward Watson|url=http://www.roh.org.uk/people/edward-watson|publisher=Royal Opera House|accessdate=27 March 2020}}</ref>
'''Edward Watson''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 21 May 1976) is a British [[ballet dancer]]. He is a [[principal dancer]] and coach with the [[Royal Ballet]] in London.<ref name="Edward Watson">{{cite web|title=Edward Watson|url=http://www.roh.org.uk/people/edward-watson|publisher=Royal Opera House|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>


==Early years==
==Early years==
Edward Watson was born in [[Bromley]], [[Kent]] and was brought up in [[Dartford]] with his twin sister, Liz.<ref name="Ballet interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_04/jan04/interview_watson.html|title=Edward Watson First Soloist, Royal Ballet|accessdate=26 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123052818/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_04/jan04/interview_watson.htm |archivedate=23 January 2010 }}</ref> He first attended dance classes at the age of 3, and was later accepted as a student at the [[Royal Ballet School]], eventually joining the full-time school at [[White Lodge, Richmond Park]].<ref name="Ballet interview" /> Whilst at the school, he trained with [[Anatoly Grigoriev]], a former dancer of the [[Kirov Ballet]]<ref name="ballet interview June 7">{{cite web|url=http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_07/jul07/interview_edward_watson.htm| title=Edward Watson Principal, The Royal Ballet|accessdate=26 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202035057/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_07/jul07/interview_edward_watson.htm |archivedate=2 December 2008 }}</ref> and was one of six male students who graduated into the Upper School at the age of 16.<ref name="ballet interview June 7" /> At the Upper School his teachers included German Zammel and Julie Lincoln.<ref name="ballet interview June 7" /> Whilst training at the Upper School, Watson danced a number of roles:
Edward Watson was born in [[Bromley]], [[Kent]] and was brought up in [[Dartford]] with his twin sister, Liz.<ref name="Ballet interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_04/jan04/interview_watson.html|title=Edward Watson First Soloist, Royal Ballet|access-date=26 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123052818/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_04/jan04/interview_watson.htm |archive-date=23 January 2010 }}</ref> He first attended dance classes at the age of 3, and was later accepted as a student at the [[Royal Ballet School]], eventually joining the full-time school at [[White Lodge, Richmond Park]].<ref name="Ballet interview" /> Whilst at the school, he trained with [[Anatoly Grigoriev]], a former dancer of the [[Kirov Ballet]]<ref name="ballet interview June 7">{{cite web|url=http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_07/jul07/interview_edward_watson.htm| title=Edward Watson Principal, The Royal Ballet|access-date=26 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202035057/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_07/jul07/interview_edward_watson.htm |archive-date=2 December 2008 }}</ref> and was one of six male students who graduated into the Upper School at the age of 16.<ref name="ballet interview June 7" /> At the Upper School his teachers included German Zammel and Julie Lincoln.<ref name="ballet interview June 7" /> Whilst training at the Upper School, Watson danced a number of roles:
*''Checkmate'' by [[Ninette de Valois]], 1993 (Role: Black Castle)<ref name="ballet interview June 7" />
*''Checkmate'' by [[Ninette de Valois]], 1993 (Role: Black Castle)<ref name="ballet interview June 7" />
*''Simple Symphony'' by Matthew Hart, 1993<ref name="ballet interview June 7" />
*''Simple Symphony'' by Matthew Hart, 1993<ref name="ballet interview June 7" />
Line 13: Line 13:
Watson graduated into The Royal Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. His repertory with the Company includes major roles in works by [[Frederick Ashton]] and [[Kenneth MacMillan]]. His many role creations for [[Wayne McGregor]] include in ''Symbiont(s)'', ''Qualia'', ''[[Chroma (ballet)|Chroma]]'', ''Infra'', ''Limen'', ''Carbon Life'', ''Raven Girl'', ''Tetractys'', ''[[Woolf Works]]'', ''Obsidian Tear'' and ''Multiverse'', and for [[Christopher Wheeldon]] Lewis Carroll/The White Rabbit in ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (ballet)|Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)]]'', Leontes in ''[[The Winter's Tale (ballet)|The Winter’s Tale]]'' and John Singer Sargent in ''Strapless''. Watson has worked with numerous other choreographers, including Siobhan Davies, David Dawson, [[Javier de Frutos]], [[Alastair Marriott]], [[Cathy Marston]], Ashley Page and Arthur Pita.<ref name="Edward Watson"/>
Watson graduated into The Royal Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. His repertory with the Company includes major roles in works by [[Frederick Ashton]] and [[Kenneth MacMillan]]. His many role creations for [[Wayne McGregor]] include in ''Symbiont(s)'', ''Qualia'', ''[[Chroma (ballet)|Chroma]]'', ''Infra'', ''Limen'', ''Carbon Life'', ''Raven Girl'', ''Tetractys'', ''[[Woolf Works]]'', ''Obsidian Tear'' and ''Multiverse'', and for [[Christopher Wheeldon]] Lewis Carroll/The White Rabbit in ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (ballet)|Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)]]'', Leontes in ''[[The Winter's Tale (ballet)|The Winter’s Tale]]'' and John Singer Sargent in ''Strapless''. Watson has worked with numerous other choreographers, including Siobhan Davies, David Dawson, [[Javier de Frutos]], [[Alastair Marriott]], [[Cathy Marston]], Ashley Page and Arthur Pita.<ref name="Edward Watson"/>


In August 2020, it was announced that Watson will retire following a performance of McGregor's ''The Dante Project''. He will remain with the company as a coach.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/aug/14/edward-watson-to-retire-as-royal-ballet-principal-dancer|title= Edward Watson to retire as Royal Ballet principal dancer|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 August 2020}}</ref> His official title is répétiteur to the principle dancers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edward Watson: ‘It’s just dancing. It’s humans telling stories of love, loss and anger’ |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/big-interviews/edward-watson-dancer-royal-ballet |access-date=2022-12-22 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref>
In August 2020, it was announced that Watson will retire following a performance of McGregor's ''The Dante Project''. He will remain with the company as a coach.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/aug/14/edward-watson-to-retire-as-royal-ballet-principal-dancer|title= Edward Watson to retire as Royal Ballet principal dancer|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 August 2020}}</ref> His official title is répétiteur to the principal dancers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edward Watson: ‘It’s just dancing. It’s humans telling stories of love, loss and anger’ |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/big-interviews/edward-watson-dancer-royal-ballet |access-date=22 December 2022 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref>


==Awards and honours==
==Awards and honours==
At the [[National Dance Awards]] in 2008, Watson won 'Best Male Dancer'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaldanceawards.com/dance2008/best_male.htm |title=Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer |publisher=National Dance Awards |accessdate=2015-12-26}}</ref> He also won the [[Laurence Olivier Award|Olivier Award]] in 2012 for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance as Gregor Samsa in Arthur Pita's interpretation of [[Franz Kafka]]'s ''Metamorphorsis'' at the Linbury Studio. In 2015 he won [[Prix Benois de la Danse]] for his performance as Leontes in [[Christopher Wheeldon]] ''[[The Winter's Tale (ballet)|The Winter's Tale]]'' at the Royal Ballet.
At the [[National Dance Awards]] in 2008, Watson won 'Best Male Dancer'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaldanceawards.com/dance2008/best_male.htm |title=Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer |publisher=National Dance Awards |access-date=26 December 2015}}</ref> He also won the [[Laurence Olivier Award|Olivier Award]] in 2012 for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance as Gregor Samsa in Arthur Pita's interpretation of [[Franz Kafka]]'s ''Metamorphorsis'' at the Linbury Studio. In 2015 he won [[Prix Benois de la Danse]] for his performance as Leontes in [[Christopher Wheeldon]] ''[[The Winter's Tale (ballet)|The Winter's Tale]]'' at the Royal Ballet.


In the [[2015 Birthday Honours]], Watson was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to dance.<ref>{{cite web|last=Butler |first=Lottie |url=http://www.roh.org.uk/news/edward-watson-awarded-xx-for-services-to-dance |title=Edward Watson awarded MBE for services to dance – News – Royal Opera House |website=Roh.org.uk |date=2015-06-13 |accessdate=2015-12-26}}</ref><ref name=GBR>United Kingdom: {{London Gazette |issue=61256 | date=12 June 2015 |pages=B25| supp=y}}</ref>
In the [[2015 Birthday Honours]], Watson was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to dance.<ref>{{cite web|last=Butler |first=Lottie |url=http://www.roh.org.uk/news/edward-watson-awarded-xx-for-services-to-dance |title=Edward Watson awarded MBE for services to dance – News – Royal Opera House |website=Roh.org.uk |date=13 June 2015 |access-date=26 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=GBR>United Kingdom: {{London Gazette |issue=61256 | date=12 June 2015 |pages=B25| supp=y}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 22:26, 8 January 2023

Edward Watson MBE (born 21 May 1976) is a British ballet dancer. He is a principal dancer and coach with the Royal Ballet in London.[1]

Early years

Edward Watson was born in Bromley, Kent and was brought up in Dartford with his twin sister, Liz.[2] He first attended dance classes at the age of 3, and was later accepted as a student at the Royal Ballet School, eventually joining the full-time school at White Lodge, Richmond Park.[2] Whilst at the school, he trained with Anatoly Grigoriev, a former dancer of the Kirov Ballet[3] and was one of six male students who graduated into the Upper School at the age of 16.[3] At the Upper School his teachers included German Zammel and Julie Lincoln.[3] Whilst training at the Upper School, Watson danced a number of roles:

Career

Watson graduated into The Royal Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. His repertory with the Company includes major roles in works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. His many role creations for Wayne McGregor include in Symbiont(s), Qualia, Chroma, Infra, Limen, Carbon Life, Raven Girl, Tetractys, Woolf Works, Obsidian Tear and Multiverse, and for Christopher Wheeldon Lewis Carroll/The White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), Leontes in The Winter’s Tale and John Singer Sargent in Strapless. Watson has worked with numerous other choreographers, including Siobhan Davies, David Dawson, Javier de Frutos, Alastair Marriott, Cathy Marston, Ashley Page and Arthur Pita.[1]

In August 2020, it was announced that Watson will retire following a performance of McGregor's The Dante Project. He will remain with the company as a coach.[4] His official title is répétiteur to the principal dancers.[5]

Awards and honours

At the National Dance Awards in 2008, Watson won 'Best Male Dancer'.[6] He also won the Olivier Award in 2012 for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance as Gregor Samsa in Arthur Pita's interpretation of Franz Kafka's Metamorphorsis at the Linbury Studio. In 2015 he won Prix Benois de la Danse for his performance as Leontes in Christopher Wheeldon The Winter's Tale at the Royal Ballet.

In the 2015 Birthday Honours, Watson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to dance.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Edward Watson". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Edward Watson First Soloist, Royal Ballet". Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Edward Watson Principal, The Royal Ballet". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  4. ^ "Edward Watson to retire as Royal Ballet principal dancer". The Guardian. 14 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Edward Watson: 'It's just dancing. It's humans telling stories of love, loss and anger'". The Stage. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer". National Dance Awards. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  7. ^ Butler, Lottie (13 June 2015). "Edward Watson awarded MBE for services to dance – News – Royal Opera House". Roh.org.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  8. ^ United Kingdom: "No. 61256". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2015. p. B25.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Edward_Watson_(dancer)&oldid=1132441771"