Joffrey History | Artist Detail | Management
Davis Robertson joined The Joffrey Ballet in April 1993, after being a member of The Joffrey II Dancers from 1991-93.
Robertson’s roles at The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago include The Cavalier in Robert Joffrey’s THE NUTCRACKER, and principal roles in SEA SHADOW, THE GREEN TABLE and CAUGHT. He has recently appeared with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago in a filming of THE GREEN TABLE, and in Paramount Pictures’ SAVE THE LAST DANCE. Robertson’s portrayal of the Faune in The Joffrey’s reconstruction of Vaslav Nijinsky’s L’APRES MIDI D’UN FAUNE prompted Chicago Sun-Times dance critic Andrew Patner to write, “Davis Robertson gives the finest performance I’ve seen, including that of Rudolph Nureyev for whom Joffrey re-created this masterpiece in 1979.” Mr. Robertson’s performance as Death in THE GREEN TABLE was described by Chicago Tribune dance critic Sid Smith as a “technically sharp, ominous portrayal.” His performance in SEA SHADOW was characterized as “poetic” by Chicago Sun-Times dance critic Hedy Weiss, and Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune wrote that it was “brilliantly danced.”
A choreographer, Robertson made national news in 1997 with his first Joffrey commission, PORTRAIT OF HITCH, which incorporated both Joffrey and wheelchair dancers. “I went into the project skeptical that I’d be able to create a noteworthy work, but quickly had my eyes opened to the limitless possibilities of integrated dance,” he said of the piece that premiered in a benefit performance for Access Living, an advocacy organization for disabled individuals.
Robertson’s earlier choreographic credits include: COBALT BLUE, an ensemble piece for 10 dancers that premiered at Pennsylvania Ballet’s “Shut Up & Dance” AIDS Benefit in 1996; and ZUG ZWANG, a quartet, choreographed in collaboration with Alex Kaschock, that takes its cues from the strategic maneuvers of a chess game. ZUG ZWANG was part of a six-choreographer showing, produced by Robertson and Kaschock, in April 1995 at New York’s Alvin Ailey studios.
A prolific guest artist, Robertson has danced lead roles in THE GREEN TABLE with Tulsa Ballet (1999), RAYMONDA (pas de deux) and SWAN LAKE with Jacksonville (Fla.) Ballet Theatre (1997), DON QUIXOTE (pas de deux) with the Florida Ballet (1997), LA FILLE MAL GARDEE, THE NUTCRACKER, SLEEPING BEAUTY and Balanchine’s VALSE FANTASY with Repertory Dance Theatre in Allentown, Pa. (1993-96), COPPELIA, SLEEPING BEAUTY, DRACULA and CINDERELLA with the Mobile (Ala.) Ballet (1992, 1996), and HANSEL AND GRETEL with the Washington Ballet (1995), among others.
Robertson began studying ballet at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Fla., and continued his studies at the School of American Ballet (1989-90), the San Francisco Ballet School (1990) and The Joffrey Ballet School, before
becoming an apprentice member of the Miami City Ballet for the 1990-91 season.
Robertson is married to fellow Joffrey dancer Nicole Marie Duffy, with whom he has danced FRANKIE AND JOHNNY, THE MOOR’S PAVANE, and the “Willing and Able” pas de deux in Gerald Arpino’s full-evening rock ballet, BILLBOARDS. They have performed together as guest artists in lead roles in productions of CINDERELLA, SWAN LAKE, SLEEPING BEAUTY and DON QUIXOTE.