Aaron S. Watkin

Early life and training Watkin was born and raised in Duncan, British Columbia.

Career Watkin began dancing with the National Ballet of Canada in 1988, after graduating. In 2002, he became the associate artistic director at Victor Ullate Ballet. After he retired from performing, he worked as Forsythe's choreographic assistant and staged his works across the world, including at the Kirov Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet.

In 2006, Watkin became the artistic director of Dresden Semperoper Ballett, after staging a Forsythe program there the previous year. He also appointed David Dawson as resident choreographer Watkin also staged his own productions of classical ballets for the company, including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote.

In August 2022, Watkin was announced as the incoming artistic director of the English National Ballet the following year, three decades after he first danced there, succeeding Tamara Rojo. In March 2023, whilst still artistic director designate, he announced the programming his first season at the company. He officially took role in August 2023.