Matz
Skoog
Jury member of Benois de la Danse
Matz Skoog was born in Stockholm, and trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School, the Vaganova School and the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad (now St Petersburg). After graduating, he became a member of the Royal Swedish Ballet, where he danced for six years. In 1979 he joined London Festival (then English National) Ballet, which became his home company for the next twelve years.
Matz enjoyed a career as an internationally acclaimed Principal Dancer that allowed him to perform with companies throughout the world, and to work with eminent choreographers and artists. These include Birgit Cullberg, Mats Ek, Leonide Massine, Frederick Ashton, Rudolf Nureyev, Glen Tetley, Lindsey Kemp, Jiri Kylian, Christopher Bruce, Peter Schaufuss, Ben Stevenson, Alvin Ailey and Maurice B_jart.
Subsequent to his dancing career, Matz began producing and teaching. He staged Peter Schaufuss' production of La Sylphide for the Rome Opera Ballet in 1991, was Ballet Master for London City Ballet during 1992 and 1993, Assistant Director of Aterballetto in Italy from 1993 to 1994 and worked with Christopher Bruce at the re-launch of Rambert Dance Company in 1994. Matz has also been a guest teacher for many companies, including The San Francisco Ballet, The Cullberg Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Grand Theatre de Gen_ve and The Royal Ballet.
Matz was appointed Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet in January 1996. At the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Matz developed the Company's repertoire, and brought ballet to audiences throughout the country. Matz took up the post of Artistic Director of English National Ballet in September 2001.
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