Biography

Monique Duurvoort is a Dutch choreographer born in Amsterdam, with roots in Surinam and the US. She received her education at the School of the Arts in Amsterdam and worked for thirteen years as a professional dancer at the Dutch National Ballet. After ending her career at Dutch National Ballet in 2003, Monique studied Arts and Cultural Management at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam and started choreographing. In 2007 she received the prestigious ‘Prize of the Dutch Dance Days’, for most talented choreographer in the Dutch professional dance scene.

Monique stands out by her own crossover movement vocabulary of both academic and hip hop/urban dance styles, and has made work for various dance companies and academies.

As of 2010 she produces her work under her own foundation: Monique Duurvoort Dance (MDDance). With MDDance Monique explores themes around Afro-Dutch/Afro-Western identity, self-conceptualization, African Diaspora heritage and post-colonialism through dance performances that source from various academic and hip hop/urban dance styles. With this focus MDDance aims to contribute to the diversification of the Dutch and international professional dance scene.

For more information go to: www.mddance.nl