MONUMENTO

"It gave the audience a clear sense of where ballet could be heading in the future."

"At times it felt as though the dancers, sometimes in same-sex pairings, trios or gendered duets were flecks of star dust moving through a liminal space."
- BACHTRACK

AN ORIGINAL WORK BY KIRSTEN WICKLUND
HET NATIONALE BALLET - DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET
WORLD PREMIERE: AMSTERDAM, NL
SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

"AT THIS LEVEL, THIS IS THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED PIECE OF THE EVENING...

..as spectators, we do not merely enjoy it; we are also moved by the dancers inner experience as expressed through their performance."
- THEATERKRANT

About Kirsten

As an independent choreographer, Kirsten has built a varied portfolio of commissions. Her work has been produced and programmed by the Dutch National Ballet’s Main & Junior Companies, Staatstheater Nürnberg Ballett, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, the New York Choreographic Institute (at New York City Ballet), Ballet BC, Alberta Ballet, Ballet Kelowna and more. Her piece Overcast for Ballet BC’s Inaugural Take Form was named a finalist at the International Choreographic Competition Hannover, and her creations have toured across both Europe, Canada and the USA.

In 2024, Kirsten was appointed Artistic Director of Ballet Edmonton. In this role, she guided a twelve-dancer ensemble, championing a contemporary creation focussed repertoire while establishing sustainable operational structures, managing national touring, and building cross-disciplinary partnerships. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in shared agency, low-hierarchy environments, and a profound commitment to artistic development within a creation-focussed structure.

Guided by a deep love for collaborative, interdisciplinary creation, Kirsten was recently commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) to develop a new, evening-length production with a new score for full orchestra which is currently in early artistic and fund development. Kirsten is self-producing a new full evening of work with co-creator Peter Smida making its debut in Vancouver, BC in December 2026 followed by a production residency hosted by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity with its mainstage premiere and national touring to follow.

Through her ongoing creative work, her dedication to teaching, and her commitment to building healthy, supportive studio spaces, Kirsten remains devoted to nurturing the next generation of dance artists and makers while contributing meaningfully to cultural leadership in dance.

Creative Team & Collaborators:

Dancers of the Dutch National Ballet

Aristic Direction: Ernst Meisner

Concept & ChoreographY: Kirsten Wicklund

Artistic Associate: Peter Smida

Rehearsal Direction: Freek Damen

Lighting Design: Wijnand van der Horst

Wardrobe Design: tatyana van walsum

Music: William Jeths, Het Ballet Orkest
+ National Opera Studio

singers: aaike wilhelmina & eva rae martinez

Kirsten Wicklund (she/her) is a Canadian choreographer, director, and dance artist with a career bridging international performance, choreographic commissions, curatorial research, and collaborative artistic leadership.

Born in British Columbia, Kirsten received her foundational training at several Canadian and international institutions, including Goh Ballet Academy, Modus Operandi Contemporary Dance Program, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, and The Banff Centre, alongside scholarships to American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Her performance career subsequently took her to stages across North America and Europe. For eight years, she was a core company member of Ballet BC under the artistic direction of Emily Molnar, CM and later Medhi Walerski—a formative period that deeply shaped her values as both a dancer and a maker. During her time at Ballet BC, Kirsten performed existing masterworks by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, and Jorma Elo, while directly collaborating on the creation of original world premieres by Lesley Telford, Medhi Walerski, Emmanuel Gat, Wen Wei Wang, Cayetano Soto, Adi Salant, Aszure Barton, Serge Bennathan, Company 605 and more.

In 2021, Kirsten relocated to Belgium to join Opera Ballet Vlaanderen as a Soloist, performing in works by Pina Bausch, Sharon Eyal, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Akram Khan, and originating roles in new creations by Jan Martens, Richard Siegal and Ella Rothschild.

About MONUMENTO

Monumento is a creation by Kirsten Wicklund for The Dutch National Opera and Ballet season opening "Legacies Program" 2026-2027. The work was responded to enthusiastically by audiences and critics alike and continues to tour The Netherlands as part of the program "Reflections". This is Kirsten's first World Premiere for the company.