Matthew James Tusa
BIOGRAPHY
Choreographer
Ballet Master
Dancer
Stage Manager
Matthew Tusa is a highly talented international Choreographer and creative artist.
His passion is to develop and grow choreography drawing on his wealth of experience, together with the talents of the dancers involved in his pieces.
It is his belief that dance is the epitome of self-expression through movement.
As a choreographer he is ever evolving, learning and exploring. Whether it be the approach, the system or the structure of movement, he is always on the path of discovery, creating new ideas, taking risks, refining the results and questioning its purpose. He expresses his ideas using variable dynamics and movement qualities to create individually recognisable vocabularies. His choreography has a clarity in its meaning and taking the audience on a pleasurable a journey from one place to the next.
Photo: © De-Da Productions
Photo: Martin Kaufhold
Photo: Martin Kaufhold
Internationally, Matthew has been working for opera and dance companies in Austria, Germany, USA and his native Australia. He created "Re:connection" for the Milwaukee Ballet, USA, receiving 2nd place for the piece at the Genesis International Choreographic Competition. He has also regularly teamed up with award-winning director Michiel Dijkema, choreographing the dance of the seven vails for the opera production of "Salome" in Wuppertal, Germany and all scenes in the dance operetta "The Merry Widow" in Linz, Austria.
In his last five years as a dancer he created various works for the Ballett des Hessischen Staatstheater, Wiesbaden, Germany, most notably "Ain't going to sin no more", "Cheek to cheek", "Living with Joy" for the dance project "If the trees could speak” and “The Tingle Inside” (see dance choreography). He also worked with director Michiel Dijkema choreographing for the opera "Die verkaufte Braut”. He created “On My Way!” for the National Theatre Ballet School in Melbourne, Australia with much success, as well as the solo ”Where is Little Miss Sunshine?”, a music video-clip and a short dance film for four dancers about the soul of a stair-well.
Photo: Martin Kaufhold
Since 2012 Matthew has been working as a Guest Ballet Master / Teacher with the following companies:
tanzmainz, Mainz, Germany
BallettVorpommern, Greifswald, Germany
Milwaukee Ballet, USA
Ballet des Hessischen Staatstheaters Wiesbaden, Germany
Anhaltische Theater Dessau, Germany
Theater Regensburg Tanz, Germany
Tanzkompanie Gießen, Germany
National Theater Ballet School, Melbourne, Australia
Dance Academy, Wiesbaden, Germany
US Armed Forces SKIES Program, Wiesbaden, Germany
Workshops for Dance Therapists, Wiesbaden, Germany
Metropolitan School Frankfurt, Germany
Dance & Arts Studio, Mainz, Germany
Harlekin Das Tanz Studio, Darmstadt, Germany
Roll und Schlittschuh Club, Wiesbaden, Germany
As a dancer, Matthew received his Advanced Diploma of Dance at the Australian Ballet School in the year 2000. In that same year he also received a scholarship from the Princess Grace Foundation in Monte-Carlo. Season 2001/02 he started his professional dance career at the Deutschen Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, followed by engagements at the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm and Ballet de La Communidad de Madrid - Victor Ullate in Spain. Beginning season 2005/2006, he joined Ballett des Hessischen Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Germany, under the direction of Ben van Cauwenbergh (2005-2007) and Stephan Thoss (2007-2014), dancing many solo roles in choreographies from Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Johan Inger, and Stephan Thoss among others. He has gained much respect and acknowledgement for his brilliant technique, strong masculine stage presence, musicality and expert sense of timing. It is well recognised the depth of emotion he brings to every role he dances.
