Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
LPLT · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Birth date	1976
Birth place	Antwerp, Belgium
Occupation	Choreographer, dancer, director
Years active	1996–present

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is a Belgian-Moroccan choreographer and dancer known for innovative contemporary dance productions that blend diverse cultural forms. He has created works for major institutions and companies across Europe, Asia, and North America, receiving international awards and critical acclaim. His repertoire engages with music, visual arts, theater, and martial practices, establishing him as a leading figure in twenty-first century choreography.

Early life and education

Born in Antwerp to a Belgium-based family of Moroccan descent, he trained in dance and martial arts in his youth. He studied at the Royal Ballet of Flanders vocational school and pursued further training at institutions associated with contemporary dance in Brussels and Paris. Early influences included exposure to Capoeira, Shaolin, and European contemporary techniques, alongside encounters with artists linked to Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and companies such as Ballet Rambert.

Career and major works

He began his professional career with choreographies produced by ensembles like Charleroi/Danses and the Staatsballett Berlin, then co-founded the company Eastman in Antwerp. Major stage works include pieces premiered at venues such as Sadler's Wells, Théâtre de la Ville, and La Monnaie. Notable productions feature collaborations with musicians and playwrights from Japan, Belgium, and France, and projects staged for institutions including the Royal Opera House, Kansai Arts Center, and the Metropolitan Opera's associated companies. He created evening-length works that toured festivals like the Avignon Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Bregenz Festival.

Choreographic style and influences

His choreography synthesizes movement vocabularies from Capoeira, Shaolin, Butoh, and European contemporary dance while referencing composers such as John Cage, Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, and Radiohead in musical selection. Visual and theatrical influences encompass collaborators from Anish Kapoor, Julian Schnabel, and directors linked to Peter Brook and Robert Lepage. The work often engages with texts by writers associated with Tahar Ben Jelloun, Salah Stétié, and dramaturges from Belgium and France, and integrates design elements from production houses tied to Milan and Berlin.

Collaborations and companies

He co-founded and led Eastman and later served as artistic director of the Ballet Vlaanderen and guest choreographer for ensembles including Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Royal Ballet of Flanders. His cross-disciplinary partnerships involved musicians from Oum, Artemiev, and ensembles such as Ictus Ensemble and Nomo. Theater and film directors he worked with include figures from France, Belgium, and Japan; visual designers hailed from studios connected to Damien Hirst and Olafur Eliasson. He created site-specific projects with cultural institutions such as MoMA, Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou and participated in artist exchanges with the China National Opera House.

Awards and recognition

He has received numerous accolades including multiple Laurence Olivier Award nominations and wins, Molière Awards consideration, and prizes from festivals like the Benois de la Danse and European Cultural Foundation. National honors include decorations presented by governments in Belgium and France, and artistic fellowships from foundations associated with Prince Claus, Gulbenkian, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. His work has been profiled by major media outlets covering performing arts in Europe, Asia, and North America and archived in collections at institutions such as Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp and national archives in Belgium.

Category:Belgian choreographers Category:Living people