Jonathan Payn
Jonathan trained with his mother, Janet Kinson, and was a founder member of National Youth Ballet, creating the title role in Fisherboy for the first gala performance. Jonathan joined the Royal Ballet School in 1991, Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1993 and was promoted to First Soloist in 2006. His choreography includes Into the Ferment (Birmingham Royal Ballet) and ballets for Elmhurst Ballet School and National Youth Ballet. For Birmingham Royal Ballet’s 2015 revival of Enigma Variations Jonathan shadowed the restaging process at the request of the Ashton Foundation and in April 2016 assisted in the staging of Enigma Variations for Sarasota Ballet.
In 2022 Jonathan was appointed Principal Character Artist, Assistant Répétiteur and Artistic Enrichment Officer at Birmingham Royal Ballet. In these three roles he performs a wide variety of character roles, teaches and rehearses the company and hosts a range of in-person and on-line events.
Jonathan holds Fellowship teaching status in the Cecchetti Method and has guest taught in the USA, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Malta. In 2018 participated in the 55th Clore Leadership Short Course. He was a trustee of National Youth Ballet from September 2016 to March 2021.
