Guest Faculty - 2021 Summer Intensive
Matthew Doolin was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He received his primary dance training at Dansations Performing Arts Center and subsequent training at Lavilla School of the Arts, and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. He finished his primary training with Peter Stark at the Orlando Ballet School. A product of free public arts education, in 2004, Matthew was honored in Jacksonville at the Mayors Summit Meeting for Families receiving an Award for Outstanding Choreography.
Matthew began his professional career at age 16 with the Orlando Ballet in 2007. He danced roles choreographed by Lila York, Bruce Marks, and Peter Stark with the main and second companies. Matthew won silver and bronze at the Youth American Grand Prix in Orlando in 2009. He spent summers training with the American Ballet Theatre New York, Miami City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Atlanta Festival Ballet all on full scholarship.
In 2009 Matthew was awarded a full artistic scholarship to Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. There he danced principal roles in the Butler Ballet’s “Giselle” and “The Nutcracker” as well as being a part of the first American university to perform work by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato; “Por Vos Muero”. In 2010, Matthew studied abroad in China learning and performing with the Beijing Dance Academy and Hang Zhou Dance Academy.
Matthew graduated in 2013 from Butler with a BA in Dance Pedagogy with honors. He immediately accepted an offer to dance in San Francisco with Company C Contemporary Ballet. His debut with that company was also his debut dancing in New York City at the Joyce Theater.
While in the SF Bay Area he collaborated to dance with Amy Seiwert’s IMAGERY, Robert Dekker’s Post:Ballet, and Sandrine Cassini. Matthew has had the blessing of working with such choreographers as Gabrielle Lamb, Jennifer Archibald, and Maurice Causey. He also worked with the Oakland Ballet, Menlowe Ballet, Bay Pointe Ballet, and No Strings Attached Dance Company.
Developing his artistry, he danced principal roles across the country with the New Mexico Ballet Company, Greensboro Ballet, and Juneau Dance Theatre. In the Spring of 2015 he was hired by Juneau Dance Theatre to share his knowledge and teach in Alaska as their Interim Ballet Master.
Matthew’s insatiable appetite for contemporary dance continued to grow as he studied in Montreal with Springboard Dans Montreal and in San Francisco with James Graham and Gaga Technique; Movement for the People Upon moving back to the east coast, Matthew danced with Tampa City Ballet; a nonprofit dance theatre company in 2019/2020. In collaboration with Artistic Director Paula Nuñez and Resident Choreographer Elsa Valbuena, Matthew danced in “7th Ave and Ybor”, “If I Cry”, and “Petrouchka” live with the Tampa Symphony Orchestra.
Most recently Matthew received critical acclaim for his rendition of the Wicked Step Sister in Florida Ballet’s “Cinderella”.
