Choreographer, performer and visual artist Christopher Matthews discusses his new work Act 3 with choreographer and academic Nicola Conibere.
Act 3 is the final instalment in a trilogy of works by Christopher Matthews, which considers queer masculinity in dance, desire, body image and working-class dance histories. Continuing his studies of intimacy between two figures, Act 3 is an exploration of queer desire in later life.
With partnership support from Independent Dance, this talk was presented by Sadler’s Wells as part of Elixir Festival 2024.
Christopher Matthews is an award winning American-born choreographer, performer and visual artist working from London. His practice is deeply embedded in performing, hailing from a classical ballet and early modern dance training as well as classical and commercial jazz. Matthews utilises these performed and constructed histories at the core of his work, with a concern for how themes and techniques are ways in which one performs. In this way he considers his craft not only a tool to serve an idea, but as something to be investigated.
Thematically, Matthews’ works are intended to be a dialogue with the audience on the subjects of spectatorship, criticism, gender, body image, queerness, working conditions, intersections of the classical and contemporary, icon vs self, pop culture and dance histories.
Matthews holds a BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and an MA in Choreography from Trinity Laban. His video and performance works have been presented internationally, including at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells, Art Night 2018, Enclave Gallery, Arbyte Gallery, ]performance space[, Chisenhale Dance Space, MonArt Digital Art, CollectArt, LimaZulu, 4BID Gallery, Mount Florida Gallery, Castlefield Gallery, Prism Contemporary, Millennium, Reykjavik Dance Festival, Cent Quatre, MCLA Gallery 51, Villa Empain, Loop Video Art Festival, and was just named a 2024 Blue Chip Finalist.
As a performer, Matthews currently works with Trajal Harrell and just wrapped filming on the Wicked film, due out in fall 2024.
