Choreographers
Photo: Hugo Thomassen
Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal – both former NDT dancers – are Dutch choreographers and renowned performing artists, as siblings they form a creative duo. After having enjoyed successful and prominent careers at the prestigious NDT 1 & NDT 2 and/or Batsheva Dance Company, they went on to pursue their own creativity. The collaborative nature of their work often speaks to the human condition, limits and possibilities of the body and mind. Their work is known to be multi-layered and surrealistic, with a strong and outspoken dance language known for its eclecticism, theatricality and partnering elements.
They debuted with their creation LiNK for the talent development programme Up & Coming Choreographers in 2014. For Up & Coming Choreographers 2015 they made the work John Doe. Season 2016-2017 marked their choreographic debut for the regular programme of NDT 2 with The Grey (2017). They created their highly praised first work for NDT 1, Take Root (2019), in season 2018-2019, which was awarded with a nomination for a Dutch ‘Zwaan’ for ‘best dance production’.
In 2020, both decided to fully focus on choreography. For NDT 1, they then created Baby don’t hurt me around the themes of identity, sexuality, gender and love in 2021, was met with critical acclaim.
After which they continued to create ‘Eye Candy’ with Rambert Dance Company and ‘The little man’ for Nationaltheater Mannheim, ‘I’m afraid to forget your smile’ for the Hessian State Ballet, ‘Heart Drive’ for Ballet BC, ‘Mommy, Look!’ for Ballett Theater Basel and ‘To Kingdom Come’ for GoteborgOperans Danskompani.
For more info, visit imremarnevanopstal.com