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Mason joined BRB in 2022 after training at the Chiltern Ballet Company, The New Zealand School of Dance and The Royal Ballet School. Mason was born in Ascot, and grew up in New Zealand. Mason has already performed in BRB smash-hits such as The Nutcracker and Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote!
What one word would you use to describe the BRB2 tour?
One word: Incredible. But really, I need two words: great experience.
Image: Mason King © Johan Persson.
If you could pick one thing to highlight, what’s been your most memorable experience been on the BRB2 tour?
Hard to limit to just one but it is either opening night in Northampton or performing on the Linbury Stage in London, both were incredibly memorable.
Image: Mason King © Johan Persson.
What’s going to be your biggest learning point from being a part of BRB2?
My biggest learning point is the difference between School and Company life. In school you always have someone pushing you, expecting more. However, in Company life it is up to you and you alone to push yourself, to want more. BRB2 has been a nice bridge for this.
Image: Mason King © Johan Persson.
How and when did you decide that ballet was the career path for you?
I decided around the age of 13 that I would like to to be a professional ballet dancer. I had always loved to move, and dancing brought music and sports together. Music has always been a keen interest of mine and when I was younger, I was very physically active, if you think of a sport, I probably played it. But Ballet to me felt right, bringing everything together.
Image: Mason King and Maïlène Katoch performing an extract of Swan Lake in BRB2's 2023 tour. © Johan Persson.
Your pas de deux with Maïlène Katoch was described by Graham Watts, Critic’s Circle Chairman and National Dance Awards as ‘enchanting’. How does that make you feel?
It makes me feel relieved and extremely pleased at the same time. I feel relieved as we put so much effort and time into the pas de deux to make it look effortless and portray the story of Swan Lake, to make it look ‘enchanting’ for the audience. For a critic to describe it as such is exactly what we were going for.
Image: Mason King and Maïlène Katoch performing an extract of Swan Lake in BRB2's 2023 tour. © Johan Persson.
Katoch and Mason King performed an enchanting White Swan pas de deux…. Katoch’s port de bras, line and phrasing were a delight and King’s partnering was attentive and solid.Graham Watts, Dance Track
What’s your dream ballet role?
My dream role is probably Romeo from Romeo and Juliet. The music, the choreography, the story what is there not to love.
Image: Romeo and Juliet: Momoko Hirata as Juliet and Joseph Caley as Romeo. © Andrew Ross.
And finally, where do you aspire to be in ten years’ time?
In ten years, I aspire to be dancing these roles like Siegfried from Swan Lake in a main company. I have had the opportunity to perform them now in my first year as a professional with BRB2 but doing so in front of the main company would be the dream.
Image: Mason King © Johan Persson.
