The Libanese-American Erik Kaiel was born in Innsbruck, Austri. He grew up in Oregon, studied in Canada and Massachusetts, received his Masters degree from New York University and spent almost ten years in Brooklyn (N.Y.) before moving to The Hague.
Kaiel worked with various American choreographers in New York. He has shown work in venues throughout Europe and North America, and given performances in unexpected locations such as subway stations, sculpture gardens, and abandoned warehouses. He was awarded the Prize of the Nederlandse Dansdagen in 2009. This led to a location version, a film, and a theater tour of Blade Runner in 2010.
Recently, he was awarded top prize in Germany’s prestigious No Ballet choreography competition. Last year, in addition to his theatrical works, he made location projects with local dancers in a fort in Utrecht, an old movie theater in Benin, and the city streets of Saint Louis, Senegal.
Though he travels through Europe, North America, and Africa as teacher, dancer, and choreographer, his home base is now in The Hague. Since arriving, he has enjoyed a long collaborative relationship with Den Haag Sculptuur. He is a member of Danslab and the artistic leader of Crosstown Den Haag, a dance partnership between Korzo, Culturalis, and Theater Pierrot. In addition to these roles, he is a faculty member at Artez Dance Academy in Arnhem.
