Andrew Skeels is the artistic director of Skeels Danse Montréal. He has created work for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, TanzTheater International Festival Hannover, Théâtre de Suresnes Jean-Villar, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Cirque du Soleil, Kansas City Ballet, Festival Quartiers Danses Montréal, Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur, WestWave Dance Festival San Francisco, Colorado Ballet, and Festival Ballet Providence.
He is the winner of the 2018 Grand Prix de la Critique in Paris for his production Finding Now for the Théâtre de Surenses. In 2015 he won the Hannover Think Big Choreographic Residency Competition and received the 2013 Prix Coup de Cœur du Public from the Festival Quartiers Danses Montréal.
He is a former dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and has performed works by Jiri Kyliàn, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Stijn Celis, Didy Veldman, Marco Goecke, Stephan Thoss, Christopher Wheeldon, George Balanchine, and numerous other choreographers.
His choreographic language reflects his ever-expanding curiosity and love for the art of dance. He draws influence from his training as a film editor and applies a cinematic approach to his choreography. He challenges dancers, asking that they move with daring speed, breathtaking fluidity, and bold release. His work is detail-oriented, and he works patiently to perfect movement quality, musicality, and nuance inside his work. He provides a supportive, collaborative work environment, which enables dancers to take bold chances.
He offers multiple points of entry into my work in order to connect with his public – story, dynamic performance, innovative movement, and powerful music.
“The audience is the final element that gives life to a dance.” Andrew Skeels
