CV

Education

• First Class with Distinction, Master in International Performance Research, University of Warwick.
• First Class with Distinction, Master in Theatre Theory, University of Amsterdam.
• First with Honours, BA in European Theatre Arts, Rose Bruford and the University of Manchester.

Positions Held

• Artistic and Managing Director of Rosendal International Theatre and Bastard International Performing Arts Festival (2021- ).
• Programme Director for the Master in Performing Arts at Iceland University of the Arts and Associate Professor with an emphasis on Research (2016-20).
• Co-Director, Teenagers in Reykjavík (2015- ).
• Co-Programme Director for Theory in the Performing Arts Department at the Iceland University of the Arts and Adjunct (2015-2016).
• Co-Director, Reykjavík Dance Festival (2013-2020).
• Associate Curator and Producer, Reykjavík Dance Festival (2012-13).
• Co-Director of The Festival (2011-13).
• Assistant Editor, Total Theatre (2009-2011).

Artistic and Curatorial Work (2009-2026)

• Nothing Special (2025). Co-created with Halvard Damn Laupstad and Carlos Correia.
• One Night in… (2022). Co-created with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir. Commissioned by Regionteatern Blekinge Kronoberg. Re-made in Copenhagen, Denmark at Sydhavn Teater (2024).
• BALL (2021). Co-created with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir. Commissioned by Iceland Dance Company. Nominated for Choreographer and Show of the Year at Gríman.
• Teenage Songbook of Love and Sex (2019). Co-created with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir; collaboration with composer Teitur Magnússon. Touring choir project with local teens; 45 min; co-produced by BiT Teatergarasjen, Unglingurinn í Reykjavík, apap (Creative Europe). Performances include Reykjavík Dance Festival, Meteor, NEXT (Kortrijk / Valenciennes / Lyon), Teaterformen (Braunschweig, Germany), Spring (Utrecht, Netherlands), Saal Bienaal (Tallinn, Estonia), Fierce Festival (Birmingham, UK), among others.
• Asparfell (2018). with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir. A one-day “living jukebox” block-party hosted by residents of Asparfell 2-12, Reykjavík; produced by the City of Reykjavík and Reykjavík Arts Festival.
• Great Gathering (2017). with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir. Commissioned by Iceland Dance Company for Norður og Niður (Sigur Rós, December 2017); 45 min; later at Reykjavík Arts Festival 2018 and Reykjavík Children’s Art Festival 2019; adapted for an Ólafur Arnalds music video. Premiered Harpa, 29 December 2017.
• Listening Party (2017). Choreography: Ásrún Magnúsdóttir; dramaturgy and curation / commission: Alexander Roberts (with Ásgerður G. Gunnarsdóttir). Stage party hosted by teens aged 13-17; premiered at Everybody’s Spectacular 2017, National Theatre of Iceland (Kúlan), with further presentations in Helsinki, Oslo, Trondheim, London, Belgium, Stavanger, among others.
• Made in Children (2016). By Ásrún Magnúsdóttir, Alexander Roberts and Aude Busson. Ten children aged 8-12 performing, dancing and speaking; premiered at Reykjavík City Theatre, Spring 2016.
• GRRRRLS (2015). Choreography: Ásrún Magnúsdóttir; dramaturged / curated / commissioned by Alexander Roberts. DV Audience Award 2017 (Iceland). Approx. 40 min.
• Fronting (2014). with Ásrún Magnúsdóttir. Triple-bill of tribute solos danced by Gunnar Ragnarsson, Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson and Kata Mogensen; approx. 50 min; previewed at Reykjavík Dance Festival #12 (August 2014), premiered at RDF #13 (November 2014).
• Church of Dancy (2014). Choreography: Ásrún Magnúsdóttir; dramaturged / curated by Alexander Roberts (with Ásgerður G. Gunnarsdóttir).

Alexander has also curated programmes at festivals and platforms around Europe, including Centrale Fies, Dro; Onassis, Athens; Homo Novus, Riga, in addition to his roles in Reykjavík and Trondheim. He has co-curated and edited publications including Into the City Onto the Stage (2019) and Creative Climate Justice Guide (2024). Alexander is also a peer-reviewed researcher with texts in Performance Research (2012 and 2024) and Choreographies: Autonomy (2019).

Boards

Alexander is on the Board of Kunsthall Trondheim (2024- ).

Alexander was on the Board of Sláturhúsið from 2018 to 2021 and the Icelandic Association of Choreographers between 2016 and 2021. Alexander was also responsible for Reykjavík Dance Festival’s two European networks, Festival in Transition and apap. Alexander was part of several committees at the Iceland University of the Arts, including the Research Committee, Art Research conference committee and Performing Arts Department Internal Review Committee. Alexander conducted a professional review of the new Master in Performing Arts at Malmö in 2021.

Awards and Nominations

Notable examples of award-winning and award-nominated work that Alexander has worked on include Audience Developer of the Year (Norwegian Audience Development Agency); National Performing Arts Awards of Iceland (Gríman) for Artistic Direction of Reykjavík Dance Festival; National Performing Arts Awards of Iceland (Gríman) for Show of the Year and choreography for BALL; DV’s Cultural Award for Dance for Church of Dancy; DV’s Audience Choice Award for GRRRRLS; nominations for DV’s Cultural Award for Dance for Reykjavík Dance Festival and Choreography Reykjavík; nomination for Best Choreography for Listening Party; Best Choreography for Crescendo; and Shades of History winning Best Dancer at the National Theatre and Dance Awards of Iceland (Gríman).