Reimagining Ballet Through Humor, Spectacle, and Surreal Wonder
Karl Wilhelm Alexander Ekman (b. 1984, Stockholm) is a Swedish choreographer whose inventive, high‑energy productions have reshaped contemporary ballet. Blending humor, theatrical spectacle, and immersive design, he has captivated audiences worldwide while honoring classical roots.
Early Life & Training
Growing up in Stockholm, Ekman joined the prestigious Royal Swedish Ballet School in 1994 and graduated in 2001. At just 16, he began a professional career at the Royal Swedish Ballet (2001–02), then danced with the Nederlands Dans Theater II (2002–05) and the avant-garde Cullberg Ballet (2005–06). These experiences influenced his dynamic style and sparked his desire to create.
A breakthrough saw him win first prize in choreography at the International Hannover Competition in 2005 for “Swingle Sisters,” and runner-up overall, a sign of his emerging originality . By age 21, he decisively shifted to full-time choreography en.wikipedia.org.
Rise in Choreography
Ekman debuted “Flockwork” (2006) for NDT2, marking the start of a prolific choreographic career . His breakout success came in 2010 with Cacti, a witty, rhythm-driven ensemble piece critiquing art-world pretension. It toured internationally, garnering nominations at the Dutch Zwaan Awards (2010), UK National Dance Awards (2012), and Olivier Awards (2013) .
Signature Spectacles & Collaboration
Ekman’s work is immediately recognizable through bold visuals, kinetic timing, irony, and audience interplay. His large-scale reimagining of A Swan Lake (2014) for the Norwegian National Ballet flooded the stage with 6,000 litres of water, creating a literal lake onstage, and garnered global attention . Costume visionary Henrik Vibskov’s designs extended beyond dance, influencing fashion runways in Paris and Copenhagen .
In 2015, his fresh interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Royal Swedish Ballet earned him Sweden’s Medea Award for Inventor and Renewer. That same partnership with composer Mikael Karlsson and Vibskov led to boldly theatrical works like Cow (Dresden Semperoper Ballet, 2016), which won Germany’s urgent Faust Theatre Prize, and evening-length pieces PLAY (Paris Opera Ballet, 2017), Escapist (Royal Swedish Ballet, 2019), and LIB (Staatsballet Berlin, 2019) .
Expanding the Boundaries
Always multidisciplinary, Ekman composes live music, designs sets and costumes, and explores film. His dance‑film 40 Meters Under (2009) for Cullberg Ballet was shot in an abandoned reactor hall in Stockholm and aired on national television. Later works like Tuplet (2012) involved pop star Alicia Keys performing at her New York gala. He has also designed award-winning commercial work (e.g., for flooring company Bolon) and immersive museum installations .
Global Reach & Teaching
Ekman remains an independent, in-demand freelance creator. He has made roughly 50 works for more than 45 companies, including Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Sydney Dance Company, Vienna Staatsballet, and São Paulo City Ballet. From 2011 to 2013, he was Associate Choreographer at Nederlands Dans Theater, during which he also taught at Juilliard School in New York.
Awards & Accolades
- 2005: International Hannover Competition critics’ first prize and second overall for “Swingle Sisters”
- 2010–13: Nominations for Cacti at Dutch Zwaan, UK National Dance, Olivier Awards
- 2015: Sweden’s Medea Award
- 2016: Faust Award (Cow)
- Additional honors: Birgit Cullberg Scholarship, Såstaholm Award
Recent Projects & Vision
Selected as Artistic Director and Choreographer for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Ekman gained new global visibility. In May 2025, he partnered with Dom Pérignon for their “Creation is an Eternal Journey” campaign.
Throughout his career, Ekman has asked: “Why do we need this piece?” This philosophy underscores his blend of entertainment and introspection, ensuring that each work resonates emotionally and intellectually. As The Guardian noted, his 2019 Eskapist conjured a dream‑like realm where absurd visuals (“cone‑headed women,” “grass‑covered men”) and spontaneous moments mesmerize audiences with surreal energy.
Legacy & Impact
Alexander Ekman has redefined the pulse of modern ballet. His bold combination of physicality, humor, spectacle, and theatricality bridges broad appeal with artistic substance. From stage floods to dance films and international ceremonies, his career proves choreographic ambition knows no boundaries. Continually questioning, innovating, and surprising, Ekman stands among the most imaginative dance artists of his generation.