Jesse Matthews.

Choreographer, dancer.

Image by Daniel Rabin.

 

  • I can't remember a time when I wasn't creating art, I used to choreograph dances to Nina Simone and Judy Garland and force my poor parents to watch.

  • I have two, one I'm ashamed to admit, is that I can't whistle and the second is I'm a qualified gin expert and historian.

  • That's like asking a parent to name their favourite child. I'm hugely influenced by classical amd impressionist sculpture, the work of Michelangelo and rodin. I think their composition and the dimensional negative space is so beautiful.

  • Oh gosh, there's so many. I love bawdy musical theatre numbers like Le Jazz Hot and One from A Chorus Line but I am also inspired by religious choral music, I think there's a spiritual aspect of dance that pairs seamlessly with those haunting melodies.

 

Jesse (He/Him) studied classical ballet at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and was then offered a scholarship to study Music Theatre with Bodywork Dance Company in the UK.

Jesse has had a diverse career performing principal roles in classical ballets such as Serenade (Waltz Man), Ascensions and Giselle as well as working with international creatives Scott Caldwell (X Factor) Ryan Lee Seager (West End) Deborah Cheetham Fraillon (MSO) and Wayne Williams (Alvin Ailey).

His film and TV work includes commercials for Ecosa, Fila and the Edge of the Earth Music Video for Sheppard.

A prolific choreographer, Jesse is a resident choreographer and performer at Forest Collective having worked on Tides (2022), Waves (2023) and Labyrinth (2024) and is assistant choreographer for Body Electric Dance Company working on Screen Queens (2022), Fantasy (2023) and Super Freak (2023).

Labyrinth.

Jesse joined the company for the 2024 season of Labyrinth, choreographed by Ashley Dougan, for Midsumma Festival at Abbotsford Convent.

Tides.

In June, 2022 Jesse provided choreography and dance for the chamber music experience Tides at Abbotsford Convent.