Jean-Baptiste Baele

Jean-Baptiste Baele is a freelance Belgian choreographer currently based in Kristiansand, Norway. He discovered his passion for dance at the age of 19 and began his training in Belgium. After three years of dancing in Belgium, he moved to London to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Trinity Laban conservatory of Music and Dance. In 2015, he graduated with the Marion North Award Of Outstanding Performance Achievement.

Throughout his career, Jean-Baptiste has worked with various choreographers and companies, including Mia Habib, Daniel Mariblanca, Fred Gehrig, and Niki Van Callandt. In 2018, he co-founded Baejjahn Dance company with Julie Amal, serving as co-director and choreographer until 2021. In that year, he created his first autobiographical solo piece titled “Nabinam,” which was selected to be part of Aerowaves Spring Forward 2023. In 2022, Jean-Baptiste established his own company, Nabinam Dance Company, where he currently serves as the artistic director.

As a choreographer, Jean-Baptiste explores the complexity of social behaviors, the historical context of the body and its memories, and the physicality that unfolds in space.

Photo: David Jacobs