BalletBoyz

BalletBoyz
Name	BalletBoyz
Founded	1999
Founders	Michael Nunn; William Trevitt
Location	London, United Kingdom
Genre	Contemporary ballet; dance-theatre

BalletBoyz is a British dance company founded in 1999 by former principal dancers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt after careers with The Royal Ballet. The company became known for presenting contemporary choreography, cinematic dance films, and male-focused ensembles that blurred lines between ballet and contemporary dance. Over two decades BalletBoyz worked with leading choreographers, staged gala appearances at institutions such as the Royal Opera House and Sadler's Wells Theatre, and produced films for broadcasters including the BBC and Channel 4.

History

Nunn and Trevitt left The Royal Ballet in the late 1990s and established BalletBoyz initially as a project to showcase male dancers from institutions such as English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, and Northern Ballet. Early seasons included tours to venues like Sadler's Wells Theatre and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Vancouver International Dance Festival. The company expanded from touring double bills into full-length productions and screen adaptations, collaborating with producing bodies including BBC Television and international presenters like New York City Center and the Paris Opera Ballet when exchanges occurred. Financial and institutional support came from foundations and arts councils such as the Arts Council England and private patrons; programming decisions reflected shifts in British cultural policy and market-driven touring circuits across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Artistic Direction and Repertoire

Under the artistic direction of Nunn and Trevitt, BalletBoyz specialized in works that combined classical technique with contemporary sensibilities, drawing on choreographers associated with institutions like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Jerome Robbins’s legacy, and the lineage of William Forsythe. The repertoire mixed commissions from choreographers such as Christopher Wheeldon, Shobana Jeyasingh, Russell Maliphant, Akram Khan, and Liam Scarlett with reimagined classics and newly devised pieces. The company mounted narrative and abstract works suitable for venues including Royal Albert Hall and Barbican Centre, and created short film pieces filmed in locations such as Somerset House and urban settings associated with London's cultural geography.

Key Productions and Collaborations

Signature productions included collaborations with choreographers and directors from across the performing arts: productions choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and Russell Maliphant; dramaturgy and staging involving artists from Frieze Art Fair–linked visual artists and theatre directors from institutions such as the National Theatre. Film collaborations brought BalletBoyz into production partnerships with BBC Two, Channel 4, and international broadcasters like Arte. Dance films featured dancers who had appeared on stages associated with English National Opera and contemporary music composers from labels connected to Warp Records’ artists. The company also participated in cross-disciplinary works with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and chamber collaborators from ensembles linked to the Royal College of Music.

Dancers and Alumni

BalletBoyz recruited dancers from conservatoires and companies such as Royal Ballet School, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Central School of Ballet, English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, and international companies including Paris Opera Ballet and Staatsballett Berlin. Notable alumni have gone on to roles in companies like English National Ballet, Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and creative positions at institutions such as Royal Academy of Dance and Britannia Royal Naval College when arts leadership pathways intersected with broader careers. Several former dancers transitioned into choreography, film direction, and pedagogy, affiliating with festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and educational programs at conservatoires tied to the University of the Arts London.

Awards and Recognition

BalletBoyz received critical acclaim and awards from bodies including the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards and nominations at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. Screen work earned recognition in festival circuits such as the Dance on Camera Festival and honors from broadcasting academies including BAFTA regional commendations for televised dance films. The founders and company were profiled in national media outlets including the Times and Guardian, and invited to gala events alongside honorees from institutions like the Royal Opera House and Sadler's Wells.

Influence and Legacy

BalletBoyz influenced the presentation of male ensembles in contemporary dance and helped normalize filmed choreography as a medium showcased by public broadcasters including the BBC. The company's hybrid model—combining touring, filming, and commissioning—shaped practices adopted by newer companies emerging from conservatoires tied to Royal Ballet School and Trinity Laban, and informed programming at festivals such as the Edinburgh International Festival and Jacob’s Pillow. Alumni who assumed directorships, choreographic commissions, and academic posts propagated BalletBoyz’s aesthetic across companies like English National Ballet and Scottish Ballet, and into international collaborations with presenters such as New York City Center and festivals in Tokyo and Sydney. The legacy includes a corpus of filmed dance works and staged pieces referenced in curricula at institutions like Royal Academy of Dance and studied in contemporary dance scholarship.

Category:British dance companies Category:Contemporary dance