Born in Leverkusen in 1985, Philippe Kratz was drawn to dance through the aesthetic of German Tanztheater, introduced to him by choreographer and pedagogue Suheyla Ferwer. Fascinated by the forces that move the human body, he pursued his studies at the École supérieure de danse du Québec in Montreal and the Staatliche Ballettschule in Berlin.
He danced for over a decade with Aterballetto, directed by Cristina Bozzolini, where he worked with some of the most important choreographers on the international scene.
It was during this time that Kratz began developing his choreographic language—a dynamic interplay of body, concept, and musicality. He debuted in 2017 with PHOENIX, marking the beginning of a consistent and evolving creative journey.
In 2018, his duet “O”, inspired by artificial intelligence, won first prize at the prestigious Hannover Choreographic Competition. The work was described as “a small masterpiece of unstoppable rhythm that captivates the viewer with hypnotic intensity.” In 2019, he created cloud|materia, inspired by the writings of Anni Albers, earning him the title of “Best Choreographer” from Danza&Danza magazine.
Kratz’s choreographic voice continues to explore themes of resilience, transformation, and rebirth, giving rise to works of great power and precision. In 2022, he was selected by Aerowaves with Open Drift, a duet reimagining The Dying Swan, hailed by critics as “an essential and emotionally charged interpretation where time stretches and compresses in every gesture.”
In the years that followed, his works were commissioned by major European institutions. He created TO GET TO BECOME (2022) for Bayerisches Staatsballett, SOLITUDE SOMETIMES (2023) for Teatro alla Scala in Milan—where his choreography emerged as a pulsating fabric accompanying the rise and fall of energy—and LYDIA (2023) for Ballett Magdeburg, a tribute to revolutionary figure Louise Aston.
In 2024, he returned to Italy with THE RED SHOES, created for Nuovo Balletto di Toscana, offering a contemporary lens on Andersen’s famous tale: “a sharp and powerful vision of obsession, vanity, and desire, delivered with elegance and dramatic tension.”
That same year, he premiered S with the Croatian National Ballet, later staged at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma in 2025. The work reinterprets the myth of Sisyphus about contemporary human experience and emerging technologies—a choreography that delves into repetition until it brushes against ecstasy.
In 2024, Kratz was appointed Artistic Director of Nuovo Balletto di Toscana, launching a three-year project rooted in innovation, multidisciplinarity, and training. His approach is grounded in a profoundly human vision of dance, where the body becomes a vessel of truth, resistance, and poetry.
With Sisifo Felice—a 2025 Biennale Danza selection co-created with Pablo Girolami—Kratz opens an exciting new chapter in the company’s artistic journey.
Share This Artist
