Choreographers

Choreographer Ethan Colangelo is an exciting new voice to NDT. In his work, Colangelo is fascinated by the interplay of contrasting emotional and physical states—where restlessness meets exhilaration and stillness collides with disorder. Through this exploration, he creates movement that is both raw and refined. While Colangelo’s artistic voice is deeply rooted in contemporary dance, you’ll see how he skillfully combines it with urban dance styles.

We are thrilled to welcome Colangelo to NDT 2 and share this world premiere with you in the programme The Edge of Things.

Jermaine Spivey

Jermaine Spivey first joined NDT’s and Korzo’s platform for emerging makers—Up & Coming Choreographers-—in 2022, creating a work that later evolved into the captivating Codes of Conduct (2023). Now, as our new associate choreographer, he returns with a highly anticipated world premiere. Spivey is renowned for pushing boundaries, challenging both dancers and audiences to experience movement in new ways. His creative process blends structure with spontaneity, using improvisation to spark new, innovative ideas.

His world premiere for the programme The Edge of Things promises to surprise, bringing out a fresh and unexpected side of our NDT 2 dancers that will have you entranced.

Alexander Ekman

After a dance career with Royal Swedish Ballet, Cullberg Ballet and NDT 2, Alexander Ekman (Sweden) decided to solely focus on choreography. During the annual NDT’s Switch he was noticed for his talent and individual and original style. Ekman created quite some works for the company, among which, the international hit Cacti (2010, nominated for the VSCD Zwaan Award), Left Right Left Right (2012), Maybe Two (2013) and Four Relations (2020) for NDT 2, and for NDT 1, Definitely Two (2013). Ekman often composes music and develops decor for his own pieces.

Ekman works worldwide with companies such as Cullberg Ballet, Compañia Nacional de Danza Goteborg Ballet, Iceland Dance Company, Bern Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance, Ballet de l’Opéra du Rhin, Royal Swedish Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet.

This season, NDT 2 will present his FIT (2018) once again in the programme The Edge of Things.

Jiří Kylián

Jiří Kylián (Czechoslovakia) trained at the Prague Conservatory and the Royal Ballet School in London before joining the Stuttgart Ballett where he made his debut as a choreographer. After having created three ballets for Nederlands Dans Theater, he became its artistic director in 1975 until 1999 and continued choreographing for the company until 2009.

In 1978, Kylián not only put NDT on the international map with Sinfonietta, but founded NDT 2, serving as a bridge between school and professional company life. In 1991, he created NDT 3, the company for dancers over forty until ‘death’. In his life, he has created nearly 100 works – many of which are performed all over the world for which he has garnered wide international acclaim. He has received many prestigious, international awards and honours such as Officer of the Royal Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau, Honorary Medal of the Order for Arts and Science of the House of Orange given to him by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix, an honorary doctorate of the Juilliard School in New York and the Honorary Medal from the President of the Czech Republic. In March 2019, Kylián was inaugurated as a member of the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris. This highly prestigious recognition was complimented with the Academy’s decision to change its statutes and add a special seat for ‘dance’. Jiří Kylián now creates films, photo and art installations.

In the programme RESONANCE, NDT 1 will bring back his Mémoires d’Oubliettes to stage.

Crystal Pite

Choreographer and performer Crystal Pite (Canada) started out as a company member of Ballet British Columbia and William Forsythe’s Ballett Frankfurt. After debuting as a professional choreographer in 1990, she has created over 50 works for companies all over the world, like the Paris Opera Ballet and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. Her collaborations include the Electric Company Theatre and Robert Lepage.

Pite has been an associate choreographer with Nederlands Dans Theater since 2008, is an Associate Dance Artist at Canada’s National Arts Centre and an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells in London. In 2002, she founded her own company in Vancouver: Kidd Pivot, which tours both nationally and internationally.

Together with Simon McBurney, Crystal Pite has created three works for NDT 1 over a span of four years. The three parts of Figures in Extinction focus on their fears and cautious hopes for our age in a unique cross-disciplinary exchange.

In the programme RESONANCE, NDT 1 will bring back Crystal Pite’s The Statement.

Marco Goecke

Marco Goecke (Germany) trained as a dancer at the Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung Ballet Academy in Munich and at The Hague’s Royal Conservatoire. He created his first choreography in 2000 and has since created over 90 works, many of them performed by companies across the world.

Goecke was a Choreographer in Residence at the Stuttgart Ballet and Scapino Ballet in Rotterdam, Artist in Residence with Gauthier Dance Stuttgart, Artistic Director at the State Ballet Hannover, and has been an associate choreographer at Nederlands Dans Theater since 2013. His works have garnered wide international acclaim, winning Zwaan and Danzadanza awards and the Jiří Kylián Ring, among many others.

This season, his Woke up Blind is part of the NDT 1 programme RESONANCE.

Jan Martens

We are thrilled to welcome celebrated choreographer Jan Martens to NDT, a profound voice known for his bold and abstract creations that are brimming with energy. Martens’ works are closely intertwined with contemporary music, bringing every score to life in an exhilarating way. When selecting his music, Martens challenges the dominance of mainstream and often male-driven music, striving to cultivate a broader appreciation for alternative voices.

For his first NDT 1 creation, Martens will collaborate with a large ensemble of dancers, set to Julia Wolfe’s Pretty and Hanna Kulenty’s GG Concerto—two bold, punk-infused compositions that interact with each other and amplify the movement on stage. This world premiere promises to be a celebration of stamina, resistance, brilliance, and rebellion and can be seen in the NDT 1 programme Wildsong.

Marcos Morau

Choreographer and stage director Marcos Morau (Spain, 1982) is trained in photography, movement, and theatre. He has worked with La Veronal for more than ten years now, as director, choreographer and designer of sets, costumes, and lighting. In addition, he has been a guest artist at companies and theatres around the world, always carefully balancing performing arts and dance.

Morau was the youngest National Dance Prize winner in Spain and his creations have been awarded with numerous prizes, both at home and abroad. He is an associate artist at the Staatsballett in Berlin, where he will annually premiere a new creation in one of the largest companies in Europe. We are proud that, as of the 2025–2026 season, Morau will be joining NDT as an associate choreographer.

In the programma Wildsong, NDT 1 will once again present his beloved creation Horses (2024).

Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal

Associate choreographers

Following The Point Being (2023), we are excited to welcome back Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal—now as our new associate choreographers—to create a work for NDT 2.
Since their departure from NDT 1 as dancers and the start of their choreographic journey, the siblings have established themselves as distinct makers with a raw and emotional style.
In this world premiere, the choreographic duo will examine how spaces can liberate us, yet also impose limits. Through striking design and their expressive movement language, they explore how we see ourselves—both powerful and significant, yet small in the vastness of the world. We are proud to continue this creative journey with them and look forward to all we will create together.

For the NDT 2 programme I dreamt, it was, Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal will create a world premiere.

Sharon Eyal

Choreographer Sharon Eyal (Israel, 1971) danced with Batsheva Dance Company from 1990 to 2009, served as its Associate Art Director in the 2003-2004 season, and as a house choreographer from 2005 to 2012. Eyal created 12 new works for the company.

Since 2005, Eyal began working together with producer Gai Behar. They have collaborated on her creations and the L-E-V company – founded in 2013 – ever since. Alongside their L-E-V repertoire, Eyal and Behar have created works for other companies, like NDT, the Berlin Staatsballett, the Royal Swedish Ballet and more.

In I dreamt, it was you’re invited to step into the universe of SAABA (2021). Originally created for GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, we’re thrilled to bring this acclaimed work to NDT 2 for the first time in a bold new version

Ohad Naharin

Choreographer Ohad Naharin, an unparalleled voice in contemporary dance, continues to reinvent himself. As Batsheva Dance Company’s house choreographer and NDT’s longtime collaborator, Naharin spent recent years exploring how locations can transform the experience of dance.

Over 30 years ago, Naharin started working with NDT, resulting in the creation of the critically acclaimed Minus 16 (1999) for NDT 2 and the performance of many of his much-loved works in the years that followed, including The Hole (2013) performed by NDT 1 in 2023. And now, we enter a new chapter with Naharin, one that underlines our deep, long-standing bond, and our shared commitment to dance that embraces a daring physicality and profound emotional depth.
At the heart of this new chapter is Naharin’s vision for two new works—one for Batsheva Dance Company and one for NDT 1. He sees them as ‘sisters’, born from a workshop held with dancers from both companies.

In the groundbreaking new work for NDT 1, Naharin invites you to experience dance like never before. Instead of our regular theatre, the work is performed in a smaller, hidden space: our NDT Black Box.

Rachelle Scott

Rachelle Scott is an emerging choreographer and performing artist. After graduating from the Alvin Ailey School and Juilliard, Scott became a member of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, a soloist dancer with Nürnberg Ballett Staatstheater, and is currently a member of Theater Basel. Her choreographic work has been performed by various dance companies and received awards from Dare 2 Dance Film Festival and the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival, among others.  

In 2025-2026 we welcome Scott for a world premiere in the NDT 2 programme Up & Coming Choreographers.

Tom Weinberger

Tom Weinberger graduated from the Amal School of Arts and Sciences. Upon graduation he joined the Batsheva Ensemble and the Batsheva Dance Company, where he also started his choreographic journey. In 2012 he became a founding member of S-E-D (formerly known as L-E-V) under Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar. Weinberger has choreographed works for GöteborgsOperansDanskompani, Johannes Wieland Dance Company and Ate9 Dance Company, among others. He also created a site-specific work for NDT 2: The Most Fascinating Problem In The World  (2021).

In 2025-2026, Weinberger will create a new creation for NDT 2 in Up & Coming Choreographers.