Biografie & CV

Nanine Linning (1977, born in Amsterdam) is regarded as one of the most successful Dutch choreographers and directors around today. She holds a Bachelor in Arts with a major in Choreography (CODARTS). During her training she assisted William Forsythe with his dance film “From a classical position”. In the same year Linning founded her own Foundation for her creative research.

In the year 2000 she was nominated for the Dutch Culture Prize. In August 2002 she received the Perspektief Prize for her whole oeuvre. In 2003 she received the Phillip Morris Arts Prize for her whole oeuvre. In 2006 she received for her production ‘Bacon’ the Golden Swan for Best Production of the Netherlands. She was named ‘Diva of Dance by broadcasting channel NPS in 2007. Quote Magazine titled her as Business Babe of 2008, and in the same year Viva Magazine quoted her as one of the 400 most successful woman of the Netherlands. In 2010 she received the Theaterkijk Prize for her production ‘Endless Song of Silence’ and the Mus prize for her production ‘Dolby’. ‘Voice Over’ was nominated for DER FAUST award 2012, Germany’s most important theatre prize.  In 2013 Nanine was nominated again for DER FAUST, this time for her production ZERO. The renowned theatre magazine ‘Die Deutsche Bühne’ named Linning in 2013 and 2014 twice in the category: ‘Outstanding contribution to dance’. For Requiem she received the prestigious Swiss Dance Award 2015, given out by the Minister of Culture of Switserland.

From 2001 till 2006 Linning was appointed as Europe youngest house choreographer at Scapino Ballet, a large modern dance company to create her ensemble works for large stages. She created 12 productions, collaborating with different composers, string quartets, DJs, animation and fashion designers. In March 2006 Linning left Scapino to focus on her own, Amsterdam based company NANINELINNING.NL, broadening her work field with directing dance-opera, music theatre and film.

Linning created with her own company four successful productions, Bacon (5 dancers, Francis Bacon), Cry Love (5 dancers, cross-over between dance and video installation), Dolby (11 dancers, cross-over of dance production and rock concert) and Endless Song of Silence (duet danced by Nanine herself). Events she created are Cry Love Dinner (collaboration with Chef Remco Vellinga and 20 dancers), Endless Song of Silence Extended (art installation with 80 dancers) and her research project Cortex (collaborating with 9 neuroscientists, neurobiologists and neuropsychologists, researching the emotional states of audiences).

In August 2009 she was appointed as artistic director of Dance Company Theater Osnabrück (Germany) for which she created large productions with her 11 dancers, touring nationally and internationally. The first production Synthetic Twin premiered November 2009 followed by her successful debut as opera director, Madama Butterfly. In 2011 she created Requiem, a production for more over 90 performers like dancers, orchestra, choir and soloists, followed by 30 sold out performances in Osnabrück, Heidelberg and all the major cities of the Netherlands. In 2012, Voice Over, premièred with a new music score of composer Michiel Jansen. Together with her dancers she created her first TV commercial for fashion house the Bijenkorf, exposing dance to an estimated 16 million viewers. This commercial won a silver and bronze prize from EPICA, International Advertising Awards 2012. In the same year Linning was asked to present her work for TED.

As of October 2012 she moved her company to Heidelberg (Germany) where she continues her work as artistic director of Dance Company Nanine Linning/Theater Heidelberg as well as continuing her role as chief choreographer and opera director. Her first production ZERO premièred on the 19th of January 2013 and was welcomed with extraordinary praise from audience and critics and has been acquired by Konzert Theater Bern (Switzerland) for their repertoire. In December 2013 her newest multimedia dance production ENDLESS premiered in Heidelberg and was received with standing ovations and raving press reviews. Endless will be on the repertoire of her company in the winter of 2014-2015.

After the extremely intense tour of 16 ZERO performances in 3 weeks, the company has finished it off by a special invitation from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam to open their fashion week with a VIP ZERO event. With her dancers and in collaboration with composer Salvador Breed and costumes by Iris van Herpen they invaded the catwalk.

On the 6th of June 2014 Nanine premiered her second and audience magnet ‘dance opera’, directing and choreographing Philip Glass' Echnaton. The press named it 'a new opera/dance cult in Heidelberg'.

In 2014 her works will be presented in the Netherlands, France, Moscow and Germany. Requiem will see its 4th season of performances, this time 12 performances in Switzerland with live orchestra and choir.

Her most recent production, Hieronymus B. premiered in January 2015 and celebrates Hieronymus Bosch his 500 year Jubileum, coproducing with researchers and serving as opening for the internationally sought after exhibition about his works. Hieronymus B was named by the German press a ‘Triumpf’, and will see its Dutch and French premieres in 2016.

She is one of the founders of the international 10-day dance festival ‘Tanzbiennale Heidelberg’ and appointed as one of the artistic directors leading this festival. She is co-artistic director and co-founder of the Choreographic Centre in Heidelberg. Since March 2012 Linning is head of the board of directors of the Tanzszene Baden-Würtenberg. In 2012 Beat the Dutch filmed a documentary (45 min) on the work of Nanine Linning, which was broadcasted on Dutch Television and shown in cinemas in the Netherlands.

Next to her dance company in Heidelberg, Nanine has set up her entertainment company Happy Hour Chandelier B.V. to bring arts and entertainment closer and more accessible for audiences worldwide for the last 8 years with an average of 24 performances in 18 countries per year.

The press about Nanine Linning and her work:

“Her concepts and productions are of the most innovative and interesting signatures one can experience in the field of dance and theater in Central Europe.” Fuldaur Zeitung about ECHNATON 2014

“As a stage director and choreographer of the opera ECHNATON by Philip Glass, Nanine Linning created with orchestra, choir, dancers, actors, singers, video projections, costumes and set design, a fabulous multidisciplinary work of art.” Mannheimer Morgen about ECHNATON 2014

“This moving and vivid stage direction is so far Linnings’ highlight in her creative period in Heidelberg.” Opernwelt about ECHNATON 2014

“A triumph”

Die Deutsche Bühne about Hieronymus B.

“Sinfullybeautiful”

Hartmut Regitz, about Hieronymus B.

“Impressive and visually powerful”

Mannheimer Morgen about Hieronymus B.

“An extraordinary theatre experience”- “a powerful, nightly phantasmagoria”

Esslinger Zeitung about Hieronymus B.

“ENDLESS… already a ‘must have seen’ of the theatre season 2013/2014.”

Mannheimer Morgen about ENDLESS 2013

“Choreographer Nanine Linning finishes her triology about human emotions with ENDLESS: a triumph.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung about ENDLESS 2013

“The dance impresses by its enormous physical presence and mysterious yet associative charisma.”

Stuttgarter Zeitung about ZERO 2013

“At the end the apocalypse presents itself as chance and new beginning. And it’s clear that Linning understands how to project big dimensions, ever still surprising us how she visualizes them. Her intense choreography and her strong dance company have been welcomed with extraordinary applause.”

Die Deutsche Bühne about ZERO 2013

“An experience for all senses.”

Darmstädter Zeitung about ZERO 2013

“Dance Company Nanine Linning Heidelberg as company of the year. Why? Because with productions like REQUIEM and ZERO they made dance into a brand in Heidelberg in no time.”

Selected as Company of the Year in the Year book of magazine TANZ 2013

“Nanine Linning is an unstoppable talent with longevity,”

Selected as Company of the Year by German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung 2013

“An audience on fire after seeing the dark apocalyptical evening: With VOICE OVER, Nanine Linning and her ensemble presented new impressing dance images. With an unbelievable strong power of suggestion, the dance images where of burning intensity.”

Nachrichten Osnabrücker Zeitung about VOICE OVER 2012

“Her stage direction of ECHNATON, a total experience of dance, opera and dazzling images is of an opulence, magic and magnificence from which you can not escape.”

Mannheimer Morgen about ECHNATON 2014

“When it’s about emotions and effects, Nanine Linning and her dancers tickle all senses.”

Osnabrücker Zeitung about REQUIEM 2012

“With the demanding concept consisting of many artistic disciplines melted into one multi disciplinary experience, Nanine Linnings REQUIEM impressively underlines being the hit of this season and many seasons to come.”

Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung about REQUIEM 2011

“Physical presence, opulent costumes by fashion designer Iris van Herpen, great video art, acrobatic finesses and brilliant music are part of this formidable, stunning concept.”

Ubi Bene Magazine about ZERO, 2013

“A visual and acoustic immersive experience”

“The Swiss premiere – the world premiere took place in Heidelberg – has been rewarded by the audience with an applause lasting several minutes and standing ovations.”

Berner Kulturagenda about ZERO 2013

“Ingenuous circumvention of gravity”

“The dancers are moving soft, organically, searching each other’s contact. Their almost naked bodies, flooded by golden light, set up a landscape of exhilarating beauty and perfect harmony. The enthusiastic premiere audience in Bern answers with wuthering applause and standing ovations.”

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur about ZERO 2013

“Mission accomplished: Such a stringent dance piece has not been seen at Konzert Theater for a long time. It is virtuosic how music, choreography, stage and costumes interwoven to an organic whole.”

Berner Zeitung about ZERO 2013

“The audience bursts into a frantic applause. It rains Bravo’s. Flowers are flying around, filling the stage. Minutes long. And when Linning enters the stage this delighted audience becomes even more enthousiastic. It’s clear: ECHNATON is theatre at its best.”

Mannheimer Morgen about ECHNATON 2014