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Matjash Mrozewski
Matjash Mrozewski is a Toronto-based choreographer and director with an international career.
In 2016, Matjash choreographed Gefärhliche Liebschaften (Dangerous Liaisons) in St. Gallen, Switzerland and directed Jordan Tannahill’s new play Botticelli in the Fire for Canadian Stage, which won a Dora Mavor Moore award for Outstanding Production. He also choreographed Now, What, Like, When for Ballet Kelowna. In 2015 Matjash directed Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors for Canadian Stage’s Shakespeare in High Park.
Matjash trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, studying under Betty Oliphant, Glenn Gilmour, Sergiu Stefanschi and Peggy Baker. Upon graduation he joined The National Ballet of Canada, and later danced with Le Ballet du Grand Theatre de Genève and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. He has performed in most major works of the classical repertoire as well as in the choreography of William Forsythe, Twyla Tharp, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Ohad Naharin, Jean-Pierre Perreault, James Kudelka, and Marie Chouinard.
In 2001, Matjash stopped dancing in order to devote himself exclusively to choreography, and launched his career that year, creating A Delicate Battle for The National Ballet of Canada. Since then, Matjash has created works for, among others, The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, The West Australian Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet, Houston Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, The Royal Ballet of Flanders, and Oregon Ballet Theatre.
He has also choreographed numerous films, flash mobs, and galas as well as for classical music concerts and other special events. In 2003, Matjash was the recipient of the NAC Youth Commission for Dance, which allowed him to create his first full-evening work, Break Open Play. Matjash also provided the choreography for two new Canadian musicals: Mimi (Tarragon Theatre) and The Bricklin (Fredericton Playhouse/Theatre New Brunswick), both directed by Alisa Palmer.
In 2009 Matjash choreographed and performed a duet commissioned for The National Art Centre’s 40th anniversary gala. That year he also won the inaugural Choreography Award at the Eighth Annual Competition for the Erik Bruhn prize, for a duet performed by The National Ballet of Canada’s competitors. In 2012 he attended the DanceEast (UK) retreat for Future Leaders in Dance and choreographed Romeo und Julia, for Tanz Luzerner Theater, which premiered in Switzerland in September 2012.
Matjash is the recipient of two Dora Mavor Moore award nominations for Outstanding Choreography, and one for Outstanding Direction.
In June 2016 Matjash completed the two-year York University/Canadian Stage MFA in large scale theatre direction.