Choreographer Zoë Greten (23) Wins Leo Spreksel Award 2025

On Sunday afternoon 18 May, the fourth edition of the Leo Spreksel Award was presented at Korzo during CaDance. Following the performance of Tender Resistence by 2023 winner Faizah Grootens, dancer and choreographer Zoë Greten (born 2002, Heerlen) received this year’s award. The prize, initiated by Leo Spreksel himself, shines a light on emerging choreographers he sees as promising voices for the future.

Leo Spreksel on selecting Zoë Greten:
“Zoë was raised on dance — it’s in her blood. Her evolution from dancer to choreographer has been visible for years, even online via YouTube. She may be young, but she’s determined and has a bold creative voice. Zoë blends the energy and movement of hip-hop with ballet technique in a way that feels completely natural. She has a deep awareness of her own body. Her duet Unveiling Echoes convinced me she’s a true talent for the future. With this award, I hope to give her career an extra push. Ballet could really benefit from the kind of movement freedom she explores.”

About Zoë Greten
At just 23, Limburg-born Zoë Greten already has a striking track record. She began dancing at a young age at her parents’ dance school, where she built a strong hip-hop foundation and won multiple European and world titles. At 12, she was accepted into the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where she trained under Jan Linkens in classical ballet and modern dance.

Her choreographic talent was already recognised early on when she won the TV show Superkids. Under the mentorship of Ernst Meisner, she continued developing at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam, participating in the Choreographic Academy and other collaborations.

In 2022–2023, Zoë interned with NDT2 and later worked with Tom Weinberger at Nuova X, further refining her artistic voice. Since June 2024, she’s been working as a freelance artist in Amsterdam, exploring the role of AI in dance at Dutch National Ballet and creating work with artists such as Redo and Domniq. Her duet Unveiling Echoes, performed with Bo Jacobs, premiered in April 2025 as part of Intimate Portraits.

“"This award reassures me that I’m on the right track. It’s an honour to receive recognition from someone like Leo Spreksel for my journey as a maker and the steps I’ve taken so far. The Leo Spreksel Award gives me the space and confidence to deepen my artistic voice, keep experimenting, and follow my own path – beyond styles and boundaries, but always true to my intuition."
 – says Zoë, reflecting on receiving the award.

About the Leo Spreksel Award
Korzo established the Leo Spreksel Award in 2018 as a tribute to Leo Spreksel’s contributions to Dutch dance and his dedication to nurturing talent. This encouragement award is presented every two years by Spreksel himself to an emerging choreographer. The prize includes a residency at Korzo with mentoring from Leo Spreksel.

The first recipients, in 2019, were the choreographic duo Christian Yav and Sedrig Verwoert. Justin de Jager received the award in 2021, followed by Faizah Grootens in 2023.