Profile: Jan Linkens was born in the Netherlands and trained in dance at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He joined Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam in 1977 and worked there for almost 17 years as a dancer and later also as a choreographer and ballet master.
The Early Years: As a dancer he worked with many different choreographers such as Hans van Manen, Rudi van Dantzig, Toer van Schayk, Kurt Jooss, Carolyn Carlsson, Maguy Marin, Peter Martins and Peter Wright. From 1994-1999 jointly with Marc Jonkers he was Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer of theTanztheater der Komischen Oper in Berlin. He is currently working with Companhia Nacional de Bailado in Lisbon which he joined in January 2009. In addition he has worked for many ballet and contemporary dance companies as guest choreographer and teacher.
Choreography: His first choreography was made in 1979 and since then he has created around 50 ballets for companies which as well as Danza Contemporanea de Cuba include Dutch National Ballet; Netherlands Dance Theatre; Ballet Victor Ullate; Scapino Ballet; The Israel Ballet; Tanztheater der Komischen Oper; Ballett der Deutschen Oper Berlin; Ballet Philippines; Companhia Nacional de Bailado; Companhia Portuguesa Bailado Contemporaneo; State Opera Ballet Izmir Turkey; and Rotterdam Dance Academy.
Awards: Jan has won various Awards including the Premio Villanueva for “Best Dance Production in Cuba” in 2003 for his work Compas for Danza Contemporanea de Cuba and the prize of the UNEAC, an Artists Organization in Cuba, in 2004.
