I am a freelance modern dancer & choreographer from the Netherlands, based in Turku, Finland.

After graduating from the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Amsterdam, the modern dance department, in 1984 I moved to Finland and started my career as a dancer/ choreographer there.

After years of changing rehearsals spaces and performing places in Helsinki, Turku, Cuba, Indonesia and other places, I settled down in Turku, Finland, where we founded our own theater and rehearsal studio, Barker-theatre

I have been dancing, performing in other’s works and choreographing since 1985 and have been producing my own productions which have been performed in Barker-theatre and elsewhere.

In my choreographies I like to mix different art forms and disciplines. I find it a challenge to mix unusual combinations of people and their works.

For many years I have been working with live music. Many well known musicians in Finland and abroad have been participating in my pieces. Also visual artists, actors and new circus artists have been joining my choreographies.

My movements have a strong emotional grounding in every day life and I am searching for the flow in movements and the stories behind. My dance is based on the mixture of my background in martial arts, a bit of acrobatics and modern dance techniques. Although my pieces are choreographed, I do like to improvise movements within a set structure. Therefore I often leave some parts in my pieces open to” that what feels right in that moment”.

I usually work with freelance dancers, some of them returning regularly in my productions. Nowadays I am even working as a mentor for young dancers and choreographers, and find that very inspiring and rewarding.

I receive grants from Svenska Kulturfonden, Konstsamfundet, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, and others for my work.

In November 2024 I’ve received an award of honour from the Western Regional dance center, and was awarded with the official Finnish reward for 35 years of working in the dance field in Finland.

Welcome to my website  and feel free to contact me for more information about me and my work.

mrdanceworks@gmail.com