JAMIEL DEVERNAY-LAURENCE

"Jamiel is a bold leader who keeps people and their well-being at the centre - this is what drives him with business innovation, creativity, and artistic expression. The result is he has touched lives and will continue to do so."

Ian Houston
GlobalScot President

Scottish Business Network Americas

B I O

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence believes dance deserves bigger audiences, stronger commercial pathways, and a higher place in the cultural imagination.

Since retiring from the stage in 2022, Jamiel has built a rare profile in the dance sector as a creative arts producer, choreographer, filmmaker, host, and entrepreneur working at the intersection of artistic excellence and commercial strategy. Through his production house, Fundamentally Dance, he creates audience-first dance experiences designed to bring world-class artists closer to the public, grow new audiences, and build financially sustainable models for live dance.

His flagship production, Ballet Nights, has become a new dance tradition: a curated, concert-format evening of ballet, contemporary dance, live music, and storytelling. Beginning life in London, Ballet Nights has expanded across the UK and internationally, with productions reaching audiences in cities including Bucharest, Brisbane, and Kuala Lumpur. Across his work, Jamiel has collaborated with over 200 artists, bringing together world stars, legacy classics, modern masterpieces, emerging voices, and new discoveries.

A former Soloist with Scottish Ballet, Jamiel’s early career as a performer, choreographer, and filmmaker shaped his distinctive approach to dance curation. His work has been commissioned or supported by major organisations and broadcasters including the BBC, Celtic Connections, Google, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Ballet Ireland, and Scottish Ballet. This creative foundation continues to inform his belief that dance can be both artistically ambitious and easier for audiences to discover, understand, and return to.

Today, Jamiel leads one of the most innovative movements in international dance, connecting audiences with exceptional artists through premium live experiences, touring productions, filmed content, and new creative formats. His work has received critical acclaim, including a nomination for the Innovation Award at The Stage Awards 2025 for Ballet Nights, and a 2026 nomination for Outstanding Creative Contribution at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards.

Whether on stage as a host, behind the scenes as a producer, or at the forefront of new creative economies, Jamiel is building a new global dance ecology: one unmissable night at a time.

L A B E L S F O U N D E D

A P P O I N T M E N T S

CEO Fundamentally Dance | Executive Artistic Director - Ballet Nights | Project Manager - Lanterns Studio Theatre | Creative Director - Rubicon Dance Company | Part-Time Faculty Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2019 - 2023

C H O R E O G R A P H E R

F I L M M A K E R

H O S T & M C

A W A R D S

Outstanding Creative Contribution, Critics Circle National Dance Awards Nominee | The Stage Awards 2025 | Innovation Award Nominee | John Byrne Quarterly Award 2021
"Best Performances" | Experimental Film Festival 2021
"Best Video Music Film, 7th Edition" | Super 9 Mobile Film Festival 2021
WINNER "Best Music Video" | Super 9 Mobile Film Festival 2020
WINNER "Best Interaction Between Dance & Camera" | Dare to Dance in Public 2020
ONEDANCE UK | "IMPACT - DANCE ON SCREEN" Shortlisting
Dublin Smartphone Film Festival | Winner 2023