Increasingly esteemed young choreographer Robert Binet, who is Choreographic Associate with The National Ballet of Canada, created new work last month for The Royal Ballet. With many commissions under his belt to date, it is no wonder The Royal Ballet have also taken advantage of his talent in order to work with its dancers.
Named Void and Fire, the pieces were presented as part of a sold-out mixed programme running in November, celebrating Wayne McGregor’s 10th year as Resident Choreographer with The Royal Ballet. The pieces, both set to music by Missy Mazzoli, were presented in accordance with a new work by another young and aspiring choreographer, Charlotte Edmonds. Edmonds is the first participant of The Royal Ballet’s young choreographer scheme. In terms of the programme – set in the Clore Studio at the Royal Opera House – both Binet and Edmonds were mentored by McGregor.
Ahead of this project, the Canadian Binet has created choreography for TomorrowLove, a new play by Outside the March, recently performed in Toronto. His latest creation for The National Ballet of Canada, Self and Soul, was unveiled at The Twelfth International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Back in 2015, Binet created The Blue of Distance for New York City Ballet after participating in sessions of the New York Choreographic Institute in 2011 and 2014. The piece will return to NYCB in May 2017 for two performances.
Born in Toronto, Binet has been Choreographic Associate with The National Ballet of Canada since 2013. His works for the company include Unearth, set to an original score by Owen Pallett, These Worlds In Us, The Wild Space Between Two Hearts and Orpheus Becomes Eurydice, a co-commission with The Banff Centre. His recent work, The Dreamers Ever Leave You, received audience and critical acclaim with a sold-out run at the Art Gallery of Ontario.