Marne van Opstal

Marne van Opstal is an international choreographer, movement director, and performing artist born in 1990 in Velden, the Netherlands. He joined Nederlands Dans Theater 2 in 2009 and later transitioned to Nederlands Dans Theater 1, where he performed until late 2020. During his tenure, Marne collaborated with and performed works by renowned choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Paul Lightfoot & Sol León, Ohad Naharin, Hans van Manen, Franck Chartier, Gabriella Carrizo, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter, Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar, Johan Inger, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, and Ivan Perez, among others.

Marne van Opstal is a choreographer and conceptual thinker drawn to the complexity of human behavior and emotion. His work explores identity, desire and vulnerability, translating inner tension into nuanced, physical landscapes. His work reveals what usually remains hidden – precise, layered and emotionally charged.

Marne performed on prestigious stages worldwide, including the Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, and The Bolshoi Theatre. In 2011, he received the Limburg Culture Award from his home province. Additionally, he was nominated for the VSCD (Dutch Theatre Association) Silver Swan Award for the “Most Impressive Dance Achievement of 2014” for his role in Uprising & In Your Rooms by Hofesh Shechter.

Choreographic Career

Marne’s passion for choreography began at a young age, creating performances for school events. While pursuing his dance career, he simultaneously honed his choreographic skills, participating in Nederlands Dans Theater’s annual benefit event Switch. Alongside his sister Imre van Opstal, he created several works, including:

• Arm’s Length for Switch
• LiNK (2014) and John Doe (2015) for the Up & Coming Choreographers program
• The Grey (2017) for NDT2
• Take Root (2019) for NDT1, which was nominated for the Swan Award for “Most Impressive Dance Production of 2019”

Since 2020, Marne and Imre have focused entirely on their choreographic careers, creating works for various international dance companies. Their notable pieces include:

• Baby Don’t Hurt Me (2021) for NDT1
• Eye Candy (2021) for Rambert Dance Company
• The Little Man (2022) for National Theater Mannheim
• I’m Afraid to Forget Your Smile (2022) for the Hessian State Ballet
• Heart Drive (2022) for Ballet BC
• Mommy, Look! (2023) for Ballett Theater Basel
• To Kingdom Come (2023) for GöteborgsOperans Danskompani
• The Point Being (2023) for NDT1 in collaboration with Studio Drift
• Atlas Song (2024) in collaboration with Anna von Hausswolff and GöteborgsOperans Danskompani

Multidisciplinary Collaborations

Marne’s work often involves collaborations with composers, designers, visual artists, and brands, blending disciplines to create unique artistic experiences. Some of his partners include Dior, Amos Ben-Tal, Tom Visser, Fabienne Vegt, Ry X, Lykke Li, Asaf Avidan, Joep Beving, , and The Blaze and FKA Twigs. His work has been featured in major publications such as Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, Dance Magazine, and Elle.

Family and Influence

Dance is a cornerstone of the van Opstal family. Marne’s siblings, Myrthe and Xanthe, have also enjoyed successful careers with Nederlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company. Their journey was documented in the film Same Difference, broadcast on Dutch national television.

Marne van Opstal continues to push the boundaries of dance and choreography, exploring the intersections of movement, storytelling, and human connection.