Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson

Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet in the middle of the 2020 season as a guest artist, performing the role of Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty. He became a full-time company member at the beginning of 2021 and was promoted to Soloist during Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle where he performed as Albrecht and the Wedding Couple. He finished the year with performances as Arrow in Loughlan Prior’s The Firebird, and as Oberon and Demetrius in Liam Scarlett’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2022,  he performed as Prince Charming and The Royal Messenger in Loughlan Prior’s Cinderella, , and had featured roles in Venus Rising and Tutus on Tour with a highlight being Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain pas de deux. As part of Ballet Bites, he choreographed King of the Castle and performed in Annaliese Macdonald’s Limerence, Alice Topp’s Absence of Light and Andrea Schermoly’s Within Without.

Josh was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and holds a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School. Josh’s love for all dance styles began at the age of four after seeing a tango on Shortland Street and hasn’t let up since. A tap dancer for many years, he transitioned into ballet at age fourteen when he left New Zealand to study full-time at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Following this, he studied at Juilliard for four years, and attended summer intensives at Nederlands Dans Theater, Springboard Danse Montréal, Axis Connect New York, and with Glen Harris at Southern Ballet.

Prior to joining the RNZB, Josh danced with the Houston Ballet, beginning in 2017. Particular highlights of this time were performing Aszure Barton’s Come In and in Houston Ballet’s collaboration with Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars production of Oklahoma! In 2020, he was named one of Pointe Magazine’s Stars of the Corps. He has received critical acclaim from the New York Times and Los Angeles Times for his performances in Paul Taylor’s Roses and Merce Cunningham’s Night of 100 Solos. He was featured in the New Zealand documentary series Dare to Dream as one of six New Zealanders following their dream., He was recognised in both ballet and tap at the 2013 YoungArts competition.

Josh is passionate about teaching. He has enjoyed teaching at dance schools around New Zealand and at the NZ Boys Dance Convention. Joshua’s choreography was featured in Juilliard’s Choreographic Honours for three years, and he was selected to premiere works in Juilliard’s Choreographers and Composers Concert in 2015 and Juilliard’s Senior Production 2017. He was chosen to be a part of IMEE Dance Company’s blank | SLATE in February 2020.