Jonathan Payn

Jonathan (he/him) 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.  He performs a wide variety of character roles in the Company’s repertory.

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.

Jonathan holds Fellowship teaching status in the Cecchetti Method and has guest taught in the USA, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Malta.  In 2018 he participated in the 55th Clore Leadership Short Course and was a trustee of National Youth Ballet from 2016 – 2021.

In January 2022 Jonathan was promoted to Assistant Repetiteur and Principal Character Artist of Birmingham Royal Ballet.  In this new position he teaches and rehearses the company, continues to perform many character roles and leads on various engagement projects and events.

Jonathan Payn Choreographer, Residential Performance Company