English dancer Gary Avis MBE is Senior Ballet Master and a Principal Character Artist of The Royal Ballet. He joined the Company in 1989 and was promoted to Soloist in 1995 and to Principal Character Artist in 2005. He was made Assistant Ballet Master in 2007 and Ballet Master during the 2009/10 Season, promoted to Senior Ballet Master in 2019. His many roles with the Company include almost all the male Principal Character roles, including Drosselmeyer (The Nutcracker), Von Rothbart (Swan Lake) and Step-Sister (Cinderella). He has created many roles for The Royal Ballet. Gary is a giver with a big heart and it was a pleasure to sit and chat with him in the Ampi-theatre at the Royal Opera House.