Benjamin Feliksdal

Among his generation of ballet dancers at Dutch National Ballet, Benjamin Feliksdal stands out as one of the most compelling figures with a versatile career. He began his dance career under the artistic direction of Sonia Gaskell and later Rudi van Dantzig, performing as a soloist in an extensive repertoire ranging from works by Balanchine and Béjart to Kurt Jooss, Pearl Lang, and modern choreographies by Rudi van Dantzig, including Monument for a Dead Boy.

After his ballet career with Dutch National Ballet (1961-1971), he embarked on an international career. Initially, he served as a principal dancer and modern dance teacher at the Royal Ballet of Flanders (1972-1973). Later, with the support of a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, he continued his studies and research in New York, training at the most prestigious dance schools and focusing on modern jazz, tap dance, and ballet.

Upon returning to the Netherlands, he realized his greatest dream by founding his own dance centre, Benjamin’s Modern Jazzdance Center. This centre later evolved into a professional full-time training institution, the European School of Jazz Dance Foundation, as well as the Theatre Dance Workshop Foundation and initiatives like the 1986 Musical Project Foundation. After his school closed in 1987, he pursued an international career as a guest teacher at institutions such as the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, GITIS in Moscow, the Palucca School in Dresden, the State Ballet School in Berlin, the London Contemporary Dance School, the Summer Ballet Academy in Varna, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, the Bat Dor School of Ballet in Tel Aviv, Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Center, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem School in New York. He also took on choreography assignments for companies like Ballet Arabesque in Sofia and the Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin, Europe’s largest revue theater. In the Netherlands, he choreographed a significant number of TV productions between 1976 and 1990, including Top-Pop, the Willem Ruis Lotto Show, The TV Show by Ivo Niehe, and the Marco Bakker Show. He also served as a judge for various major international ballet competitions.

Additionally, he focused on educational books on dance education and taught at the most prestigious dance schools both in the Netherlands and abroad.

Last update: 21-08-2024