Born in Welwyn Garden City, England, UK, Basil James graduated from The Royal Ballet school and joined Hong Kong Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in 2021. He became Coryphée in 2024.

With HKB, his featured roles include Monkey King and Lead Jockey in Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker. He also performed in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty and Webre’s Cinderella and ALICE (in wonderland). James was the silver medalist at the 2018 Genée International Ballet Competition.

Dancer Q&A

1. What is your favorite movie/book?
My favourite book is Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.

2. What was the first ballet you ever performed?
The first ballet I ever performed was The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House. I was the King's Page.

3. What are your hobbies?
My hobbies include: photography and filmmaking, reading, listening to music and baking.

4. Where is the most interesting place you have ever visited or want to visit?
A place that I want to visit is the Acropolis in Athens.

5. If you could have one more talent, what would it be?
If I could have one more talent, I would like to be able to play the piano.

6. Most memorable/weird onstage moment and why?
My most memorable onstage moment was performing Is to be by Didy Veldman at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne.

7. What’s your favourite food?
My favourite food is cereal.

8. What keeps you motivated on tough days?
One thing that keeps me motivated is listening to some of my favourite playlists.

9.  If you can have a super power, what would it be?
If I could have a superpower, it would be the ability to manipulate probabilities.

10. Who is your favorite dancer who has inspired you?
My favourite dancer is Vadim Muntagirov.