Matthew Koon - Billy: London

[sleepylins]

WOW great review and great pictures from last year.
Thankyou

[Justin]

If the great spectacle of watching the female ballet dancer are the pointe work and the flexibility, for the danseur surely the aspect which draws the most oohs and ahhs are the leaps. Whole roles in the classical ballet repertoire have been designed purely for the virtuoso leaps and jumps performed by the male ballet dancer - think the Bronze Idol in La Bayadere. Matthew Koon jumps up and seems to soar further - hanging in mid-suspension. The excitement comes from more than the leap itself. Sure, he surges upwards, but it's how he holds his pose in the air that sends a shiver down your spine - bold, confident, as if even gravity yields to him. On the ground his footwork is especially authoritative. His feet are pointed. Feet, legs, torso, arms aligned in a coherent whole - everything related to each other, even the slope of his neck. He possesses a natural, languid even insouciant grace, an inherent feel for beautiful lines. Each movement is clean, precise and pure - free from exaggeration and mannerism and yet punctuated and brightened with glamorous bursts of technique. Matthew emphatically won the Senior Ballet Category at the All England Finals today competing against dancers older than him. Watching him dance, it's not especially difficult to see why.

[pexcornel]

He goes to all the competitions and always gets a prize. Matt is gold.

[Billy Whiz]

Matthew emphatically won the Senior Ballet Category at the All England Finals today competing against dancers older than him. Watching him dance, it's not especially difficult to see why.

Well done Matthew. My first Billy.

Thanks Justin for posting that.

[Justin]

In a packed full house at the Peacock Theatre in the West End today with an audience including Kerry Ellis, and panel of adjudicators led by the renowned ballerina and current VP of the RAD and director of the Royal Opera House, Dame Beryl Grey, and choreographer Gillian Lynne, Matthew performed his classical ballet and modern ballet variations to win the title of Young Dancer of the Year at the All-England Dance Finals.

The last person to win this title in 2007 (the competition is held biennially), Laurretta Summerscales, went on to the English National Ballet School and has just a few weeks ago been admitted into the company of the ENB.

In addition to this, Matthew was awarded the Runner Up Prize for Young British Tap Dancer of the Year.

To be proficient at two very different but equally demanding disciplines of dance at such a high level is a tremendous feat and I congratulate him very heartily for this achievement.

[pexcornel]

He is absolutely brilliant. He wins everything.

[ERinVA]

Congratulations Matthew!

[PaulWilly]

In a packed full house at the Peacock Theatre in the West End today with an audience including Kerry Ellis, and panel of adjudicators led by the renowned ballerina and current VP of the RAD and director of the Royal Opera House, Dame Beryl Grey, and choreographer Gillian Lynne, Matthew performed his classical ballet and modern ballet variations to win the title of Young Dancer of the Year at the All-England Dance Finals...

...In addition to this, Matthew was awarded the Runner Up Prize for Young British Tap Dancer of the Year...

Thank you, Justin, for these great news!
WOW, this boy is really all dance!! Congratulations, Matthew!!

[hecouldshine]

Huge Congratulations to Matthew. Have just got back from holiday to read of his success. Here are the photos of him receiving the award. http://www.all-england-dance.org.uk/

I loved your description of his jumps Justin. Sums them up perfectly!

I asked Matthew's mother what I could post about him. She asked me to say

Please let the members know that Matthew continues to enjoy his dancing, singing, acting and everything else at school. In the coming year, he will be working hard for his GCSEs and his dancing. He is doing well in school and continues to be well supported by his friends from school and church in his dancing.

[pexcornel]

AWESOME!