Edward Watson

Edward Watson is globally celebrated as one of the world’s most distinctive and successful male dancers of our generation, and is to date the longest serving Principal at The Royal Ballet. He has had an astonishing career, winning an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance as ‘Gregor Sama’ in Arthur Pita’s Metamorphosis - Prix Benois de la Danse for his performance in Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and awarded an MBE in 2015 for his services to dance. Ed has had more roles created for him than any other dancer in The Royal Ballet.  His many role creations for Wayne McGregor include: Symbiont(s), Qualia, Chroma, Infra, Limen, Carbon Life, Raven Girl, Tetractys, Woolf Works, Obsidian Tear and Multiverse.

Ed retired as Principal dancer in 2021 following his performance of McGregor’s The Dante Project, and was appointed Répétiteur to the Principal Artists of The Royal Ballet.

Outside of life on stage Ed has engaged in many collaborations, among them fashion houses, editorials and runways, as well as high-profile photographers including, Nick Knight, Nadav Kandar, Anthony Crickmay and Rick Guest; with whom he created the special edition folio entitled, ‘Edward Watson, Portrait of A Dancer’, which captured and honoured Edward’s 30 years in dance.