Matthew William Robinson
Artistic Director Matthew William Robinson joined ŻfinMalta in 2024, for its 11th season.
Robinson is a practicing artist from the United Kingdom, collaborating internationally in a variety of contexts as dancer, choreographer, facilitator, rehearsal director, curator and artistic director. 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 60 new works by artists from all over the world.
His choreographic work seeks to translate contradictions and complex emotions, through highly physical choreographic construction. Collaborating across forms, Robinson is engaged in ongoing and emerging collaborative partnerships in the fields of sound, fashion, theatre, visual art and technology.
As a facilitator and mentor, he 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, Robinson is an advocate for movement as a fundamental part of everyone’s lives.
For many years he 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.
Robinson 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. He 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 Robinson 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 Robinson 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.
Robinson was appointed Artistic Director of ZfinMalta National Dance Company in 2024. His curated programmes for the company include new commissions and reworkings by artists including Liliana Barros, Kor’sia, Simon Riccardi-Zani, Sita Ostheimer, Thick and Tight, Diego Tortelli, Helge Letonja and Paloma Munoz.
He is a graduate of London Contemporary Dance School.
ŻFINMALTA UNDER THE ARTISTIC DIRECTION OF MATTHEW WILLIAM ROBINSON
ŻfinMalta is a radical force in the dance landscape, critically engaging with the multifaceted nature of contemporary society, challenging and re-imagining the dynamics of movement and representation. Through the integration of diverse perspectives and innovative practices, we seek to explore and articulate new paradigms of physical expression.
ŻfinMalta transcends traditional boundaries and conventions of dance, using a range of artistic methods to interrogate and reflect upon the evolving intersections of culture, technology, and identity. By fostering a rich dialogue between Malta and the world, we aspire to create a space where diverse perspectives are acknowledged and deeply examined.
In our pursuit of artistic excellence and intellectual rigour, ŻfinMalta endeavours to inspire thoughtful discourse and transformative change. Our goal is to continuously push the frontiers of dance, enriching the cultural landscape and challenging our audiences to rethink the role of dance in a rapidly evolving world.