In the conclusion of a two-part feature, we sit down with Matt Edmonds, Spiegelworld’s rollerskating titan. The gifted artist shares what it’s like to be a newlywed in Las Vegas, and how he and his wife/show partner Valentina have become a valued part of the local community.
The Green Fairy Garden is an adult playground surrounding the world-famous Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace. Matt Endmonds of ABSINTHE joined me on a recent visit inside Pier 17 Yacht Club, Spiegelworld’s nautical-themed speakeasy. Before the first of two performances, Matt discussed his stellar career and life in Sin City with his wife and performing partner Valentina.
If you missed Part One, you can catch up by heading here.
VEGAS 411 – Tell us how you got to Las Vegas…in your own words.
My wife and I were working a show in Germany, in Munich, at the time. The producers of this show, ABSINTHE, and the director came to see us. They came over afterward and were like “We want you in Las Vegas.” It was shortly after it finished (Shubeck’s TEATRO) that they brought us over.
Matthew and Valentina Bor Edmonds
So you had been wanting to perform in Las Vegas?
Yeah! As an artist, as an act…Vegas is the pinnacle of their career. You can work everywhere, but the best of the best are in Vegas. That’s always the dream of an act…to one day work here. Even normal people “feel the bubbles”. To see acts in Las Vegas is a high standard. It’s the best place to be as a performer.
Now that you’re in the place you wanted to be, do you still see it that way?
One hundred percent. I’m so proud to be here and part of the community. I really feel it now.
You performed here for a while, and then were brought back after COVID?
Yes, we came in 2018 and performed until 2019 when we went back to Berlin. We had a short contract to fulfill, only three or four months. We were going to have two weeks’ holiday to get married. That’s when COVID hit. We actually got stuck in England! We couldn’t get flights back over here.
Then shows started to open up, and we had a little job in Dubai. It wasn’t too bad (laughs). There wasn’t a quarantine, there were beaches, it was a beautiful place to stay. The producers (of ABSINTHE) called us and said “Get back as soon as you can.”
We ended up getting our Visa in Abu Dhabi and flying straight here. We couldn’t get a meeting at the Dubai Embassy, so we called Abu Dhabi and they said “Yeah, sure”. We drove straight there and three or four days later, we’re in Vegas. We’ve been here ever since.
Did you buy a home? Do you have a permanent location?
When we came back, we rented a place. Then rent was going up and we thought “What are we doing here? It’s time.” So we bought a house, and me and my wife started renovating it. We only finished it completely a few months ago. We found a dog….well, the dog found us. So now we have a little family here.
What area of town did you settle into?
It’s just west of Fremont Street. A flat house with a little garden in a nice neighborhood. We wanted to get something “Vegas”…something in the old town…and we’re living such a good life .
Have you gotten involved in any clubs or activities that make you feel like part of the community?
Yes! Just the other day we did a pickleball charity event for Inspiring Children Foundation. A really beautiful cause for young adults who are in a bit of dark places. To get them back on their feet, get them into colleges. Another was for the American Cancer Society. We do things like that as much as we can.
What do you do for fun? Is there anything you enjoy that would make people think “They’re lucky to live there!”?
The Arts District is beautiful. So many hidden restaurants and wonderful places. We like to go out to Summerlin. Mount Charleston is one of our favorite places, especially in the summer when it’s super hot. We go up and hike, we camp. We’ll take the dog for a really nice walk in the woods.
The history of the city is really wonderful. You can see it all around. It seems like there’s only the Strip and the desert, but there’s so much more. The lakes, the mountains. We love to take a boat out.
Your plans to get married changed during COVID. So you both decided to have your wedding here?
Yes, at the Little Church of the West by the Welcome to Vegas sign. It’s a medieval, kind of gothic-looking chapel. Then we went to one of our favorite places, the French restaurant Marché Bacchus in Summerlin. We had a wonderful dinner by the lake.
What do you see as your long-term plans? What would you like to accomplish?
My to-do list would be to have more involvement in Spiegelworld. They’ve got multiple shows on the Strip. I’d like to be more influential as a dancer, a dance captain, and things like that. When I was teaching rollerskating for the new DiscoShow, it put something in my head. I’d like to get everyone interested in rollerskating. Show them how fun it is and help them to enjoy life!
Photo by Alan Ascencio
Spiegelworld’s ABSINTHE performs at Caesars Palace Sunday through Thursday at 8 pm and 10 pm, Friday and Saturday at 7 pm, 9 pm, and 11 pm Click here for tickets and showtimes.
