Oliver Matz
Zurich Dance Academy

Oliver Matz received his ballet training at the State Ballet School Berlin and joined the German State Opera in 1980, serving the company as a leading soloist and international ambassador for 25 years.

Oliver Matz is the recipient of numerous national and international awards such as the bronze medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, and gold medals at the International Ballet Competitions in Helsinki and Jackson, Mississippi, USA.

In recognition of his outstanding artistic achievements, he was appointed “Berliner Kammertänzer” by the Berlin Senator of Culture in 1995 - the first dancer ever to receive this highest honor. For his lifetime achievement, he was appointed Honorary Member of the German State Opera in 2004.

Internationally celebrated choreographers like Ray Barra, Patrice Bart, Michael Baryshnikov, Maurice Béjart, William Forsythe, Pierre Lacotte, Hans van Manen, Rudolf Nurejew, Roland Petit, Uwe Scholz, Yuri Vamos, and Wladimir Wassiljev created roles for him or reinterpretations of classical narrative ballets.

Guest appearances and gala events took him to many parts of the world, including performances with internationally-renowned ballet companies like the American Ballet Theater in New York, the Bayerischen Staatsballett, the Teatro alla Scala in Milano, the Finnish National Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, the Royal Ballet London and the Stuttgarter Ballett.

Since 2005 he has been the head of Zurich Dance Academy, where he also teaches classes successfully. Many of his students are engaged at world-renowned companies and have won top prizes at major international ballet competitions.

He serves as a jury member at acclaimed international ballet competitions around the world.