Milena Sidorova | Award-winning choreographer | Spider

“Milena Sidorova is one of the most promising young choreographers in the world today.”

Ted Brandsen, director Dutch National Ballet

Milena Sidorova is an award-winning Ukrainian-Dutch choreographer and Young Creative Associate at the renowned Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. Her world-famous choreography The Spider has been performed all over the globe and received more than 16 million views on YouTube alone. Recently, she directed the ballet film Rose and worked on the Oscar-winning movie Dune.

Sidorova has created 25+ choreographies and is praised for her original voice, delighting audiences with “inventive, playful and skin-tingling” works of a consistent quality. While most of her works were created for the Dutch National Ballet, many have been selected for stages across Europe including the Royal Opera House in London (2019, 2022).

In September 2022, Dutch National Ballet featured her newest creation Regnum in a triple bill with Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Wayne McGregor.

Watch Milena’s choreographies

Latest news

Praise for Regnum
September 2022 — Regnum, a new work for 22 dancers of Dutch National Ballet, was very well received by audience and press. The choreography featured in a season opening triple bill with Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Wayne McGregor.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Brave, outspoken, playful, twinkling, unforgettable” (Trouw)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Sidorova is particularly talented in bringing large groups of dancers onto the stage in swinging rows to Mozart’s Symphony No 25” (Volkskrant)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A light-footed choreography, classical and clear in line, full of accents of fluttering arms, cheeky swaying hips, spunky trots and with a touch of humor” (NRC)
Six Oscars for Dune
March 2022 — Remember the creepy human spider in Dune? That was me. It was amazing to be part of the team behind this Oscar-winning movie and I’m incredibly proud of the end result.
Triple bill with Wayne McGregor
February 2022 — I’m excited to announce two new pieces for this year! Bloom, a choreography for the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet, will premiere in May. It will be performed in The Netherlands and at the Royal Opera House in London. In September, a 25 minute group work for Dutch National Ballet will premiere in a triple bill with Wayne McGregor.
New ballet film: Rose
May 2021 — As a Young Creative Associate with the Dutch National Ballet, I was able to direct and choreograph a ballet film about intimate relationships. Rose portrays shadows from previous relationships, love and, most of all, hope.
Unique double position at Dutch National Ballet
December 2020 — Milena Sidorova is the first dancer in the history of Dutch National Ballet to officially receive a double position as a dancer and a choreographer. In the past years, she already created several well-received choreographies for the renowned ballet company.
‘Hold On’ performed at live concert
December 2020 — An adapted version of Hold On has been performed at a widely televised live concert of Dutch rock band Di-rect. The new choreography, performed by Constantine Allen and Erica Horwood, was inspired on the lockdown video that went viral in April 2020.
International YAM award for Tickle
October 2020 — Tickle, also known as Kriebel, has won an international Young Audience Music award for best small ensemble. The production — a co-operation by Oorkaan, Dutch National Opera & Ballet and Philharmonie Luxembourg — was choreographed by Milena Sidorova.
New choreography: Reset
September 2020 — My latest choreography Reset premiered at Dutch National Ballet, a group work for ten dancers. I’m very excited about the amazing reviews in Dance Europe magazine, Volkskrant and NRC Handelsblad.
Lock down choreography goes viral
April 2020 — Hold On, inspired by the global lock down and filmed by dancers of Dutch National Ballet inside their homes, immediately went viral on global social media. I hope this ballet gives you some hope, distraction, support, comfort, that you stay inside, stay safe and keep on dancing. We miss you. ❤️

“Just like in the previous such programme in 2019, the choreographer Milena Sidorova made the strongest statement. Sidorova said her piece was about the dancers themselves, the current stage in their young lives (ages 17–21) and the decade ahead in which they would discover who they really are. Her work Bloom was exactly that: a lively, carefree work for four men and five women, who lark around with each other but always with a smile or a meaningful look involving us in the action.

They are all superb dancers, with a solid, at times almost show-off-ish classical technique; each is given an opportunity to shine. Wearing the universal youth uniform of jeans and loose tops (costumes by Sidorova), they brought a rousing youthful feel to the evening.”

Culture Whisper about Bloom (2022)