Joel Burke

Joel Burke is an Australian choreographer, producer, dancer, director, and the co-founder of BIG Live. He began his dance training at the age of three and went on to become the first dancer to represent Queensland Ballet Academy at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland.

Following his return to Australia, Burke became acutely aware of the limited professional pathways available to emerging dancers. Rather than accept these constraints, he and Khalid Tarabay established BIG Live, with a vision to create new opportunities and expand the reach of ballet internationally.

Burke’s first full-length ballet, The Nutcracker, marked the beginning of a series of commercially successful productions, including Romeo and Juliet, Dracula, The Great Gatsby and Christmas Spectacular. In recent years, his works have become among the most widely attended ballets in Australia by an Australian choreographer. Under his artistic direction, BIG Live continues to tour extensively, with performances across Australia, UK, USA and Asia.

As resident choreographer of BIG Live, Burke creates exclusively for the company, developing a repertoire defined by strong musicality, theatricality, and a clear emphasis on narrative. His work is distinguished by its accessibility and its appeal to broad audiences, while maintaining a foundation in classical technique.

Burke remains closely involved in all aspects of the company’s operations, from artistic creation and rehearsal direction to touring strategy, venue engagement, and marketing. His leadership reflects a commitment to building a sustainable and internationally recognised model for ballet – one that prioritises both artistic integrity and audience engagement.

Through BIG Live, Burke continues to advocate for a more inclusive and commercially viable future for ballet, positioning the art form as both culturally significant and widely accessible.