Nederlands Dans Theater - Artistic Directors

Artistic Directors

• Benjamin Harkarvy (1959–1969) as choreographer and artistic co-director (with Hans van Manen). He went on to be the co-director of the Dutch National Ballet and from 1992 he became the director of the Dance Division of The Juilliard School in New York.

• Hans van Manen (1961–1970) He was connected to the NDT from 1960 till 1971 as a dancer (till 1963) and after that as a choreographer and artistic leader. He was also a freelancer at the Nationaal Ballet, as a choreographer. He came back in 1988 as house choreographer at the Nederlands Dans Theater. His repertoire comprises more than 110 ballets (two of which were written for the Nederlands Dans Theater).

• Jaap Flier (1970–1973) became the new artistic director. For this job he stopped dancing but once in a while he made choreographies himself.

• Hans Knill (1975–1977) has worked together for 2 years as artistic director with Jiří Kylián.

• Jiří Kylián (1975–2004), the second artistic director, brought unprecedented recognition and success to NDT. His time as artistic director was from 1975 to 1999 – after he stepped down as artistic director, he remained with NDT as chief choreographer and artistic adviser.

• Marian Sarstädt (1962-1972/1999-2004) has been a dancer and a staffmember of the artistic council as adjunct-director and she made a great contribution to the NDT.

• Anders Hellström (2004 to September 2009) trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School and danced with the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Hamburg Ballet. He also danced with William Forsythe's Ballett Frankfurt from 1993-1999 before taking over as Artistic Director of Sweden's Goteburg Ballet.

• Jim Vincent (James Francis Vincent Jr.) (2009–2012) He danced for the NDT from 1978 till 1990. After that he went to Spain where he danced from 1990 till 1994 and he was the adjunct-director. After this he worked in Lyon (Opera ballet) and Disneyland Resort Paris (director "corporate and Special Events"). In 2000 he became artistic director of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. And in 2009 he became the artistic director of the NDT.

• Paul Lightfoot, who danced with NDT since 1985, and who is resident choreographer since 2002, has been appointed artistic director as of Januari 2012.