About

Matthew William Robinson (he/him) is a practicing artist from the United Kingdom. Collaborating internationally in a variety of contexts as dancer, choreographer, facilitator, rehearsal director, artistic director and curator, he is currently Artistic Director of ZfinMalta, National Dance Company.

His own work and curated programmes have moved extensively to venues and festivals in Europe and beyond. As programmer and curator he has commissioned over 50 new works by artists from all over the world.

Matthew’s choreographic work seeks to translate contradictions and complex emotions, through highly physical choreographic construction. Collaborating across forms, Matthew is engaged in ongoing and emerging collaborative partnerships in the fields of sound, fashion, theatre, visual art and technology.

As a facilitator and mentor, Matthew has co-developed projects and experiences around the world in educational and non-educational contexts with students, artists and those with little to no experience of dance. With a passion for the potential of dance to enable us to see ourselves, each other and our world differently, Matthew is an advocate for movement as a fundamental part of everyone’s lives.

For many years Matthew was an integral part of Scottish Dance Theatre, performing work by a range of international choreographers, including Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Hofesh Shechter, and Victor Quijada. In 2013 he was invited to become Rehearsal Director, supporting the dancers and guest artists in their creative process, and the company on multiple international tours.

Matthew was Artistic Director of VERVE from 2016-2021. Collaborating with world renowned and fresh choreographic voices, the company created distinct international touring programmes. Reaching thousands of people, onstage, online and in outreach work, the company developed its reputation for bold commissioning and the quality of artistic training it offered emerging dance artists. Matthew commissioned work by Sita Ostheimer, Lenka Vagnerova, Hannes Langolf, Noa Zuk, Joan Cleville, Maxine Doyle, Ben Wright, Lali Ayguade, Botis Seva, Mari Carrasco, Douglas Thorpe, Barnaby Booth, Caroline Finn, Akram Khan and Alesandra Seutin.

From 2021-2025 Matthew was Artistic Director of National Dance Company Wales. He was responsible for developing the company’s artistic profile and curated programmes following the Covid-19 pandemic, positioning the company at the forefront of contemporary dance in the United Kingdom during a period of huge change and challenge. Rooted in bold collaborations, the artistic work of the company embraced the highly distinctive physical vocabularies of artists from near and far inspiring audiences across Wales and the world. For NDCW Matthew commissioned work by artists including Marcos Morau, Melanie Lane, Andrea Costanzo Martini, Sarah Golding & Yukiko Masui, Osian Meilir, Faye Tan & Cecile Johnson Soliz, John-William Watson and Boram Kim.

Matthew was appointed Artistic Director of ZfinMalta National Dance Company in 2024. His first curated programme of work for the company includes work by Emanuel Gat, Liliana Barros, Kor’sia, Simon Riccardi-Zani, Sita Ostheimer and Thick and Tight.

Matthew is a graduate of London Contemporary Dance School.