Russell Clarke trained at the Royal Ballet School in London. In his final year he danced the principal role in Natalie Weir’s Jabula, which the school took on tour to Dubai. During his time at the Royal Ballet School he performed with the Royal Ballet Company in productions that included The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. He also worked with Scottish Ballet in their production of Romeo and Juliet.

Russell joined Ballet Arizona in 2007, and has been featured in Don Quixote and Ib Andersen’s Play, 1052 and The Nutcracker. Russell received acclaim for the role of the Poet in George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula and praised by The New York Times for his role in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments.

Russell originated a principal role in Andersen’s Diversions which was seen on the Kennedy Center stage in June 2010.