Koen De Preter (1981) is a Belgian choreographer and performer. Throughout his career, he has consciously taken artistic risks, experimenting with different formats, audiences, and contexts. He creates performances for both adults and young audiences, develops work beyond the walls of the theatre, and initiates socially engaged artistic projects. His performances reveal a fascination with performers of diverse ages and dance backgrounds.
Thematically, his work focuses on intergenerational connection, inclusion, vulnerability, and masculinity. His productions are supported by the Flemish Government and co-produced by leading arts organisations and festivals, including STUK, Vooruit, De Grote Post, Julidans, DansBrabant, C-TAKT, and Zomer van Antwerpen.
De Preter gained international recognition early in his career through productions created under fABULEUS, including the solo Les mots (2004), selected by Theater aan Zee for the International Young Makers Marathon, and the duet We dance to forget (2007), created with Maria Ibarretxe, which toured internationally for seven years across eleven countries. The work was selected by the European Aerowaves network, as was his later duet Sometimes it's there (2010), created with Ulrika Kinn Svensson.
His interest in bringing together performers from different generations and backgrounds is reflected in the acclaimed duet J O U R N E Y (2013) with the then 87-year-old dancer Alphea Pouget and the participatory city project YoYoGi (2015–2017), later selected by the European network In Situ. One of his greatest international successes is To Belong (2016), a production for Theater Stap featuring performers with intellectual disabilities, which toured extensively to major festivals across Europe and Asia.
In his later work, De Preter explored the precarious position of the performing artist in his solo DANCING (2018), followed by Tender Men (2020), a performance for four dancers exploring masculinity, vulnerability, and touch. Recent creations continue his commitment to inclusion and collectivity, including the youth performance followfollow (2022), the participatory site-specific work Adagiae (2024), and 15 Pieces (2024), an inclusive project commissioned by HETGEVOLG and OPENING DOORS vzw.
As a dancer, Koen has worked with Sasha Waltz & Guests, Raimund Hoghe, and the Italian collective Fanny & Alexander. He graduated from the Fontys Dance Academy in Tilburg in 2003 and was selected as a danceWEB scholar at Impulstanz Vienna in 2006. Alongside his choreographic practice, he is a sought-after teacher and dramaturgical coach, giving workshops and masterclasses internationally and mentoring emerging artists. Together with Katja Pire, he founded FREEDANCE, an Antwerp-based improvisation platform for the professional dance community in Antwerp.
In 2025, Koen De Preter received the Flemish Government's Proven Talent Grant. During this research year, he engaged in artistic exchanges with Lisbeth Gruwez, Philipp Gehmacher, Daniel Linehan, and Maria Ibarretxe, reigniting his desire to return to the stage alone. This resulted in MID*LIFE, his second full-length solo, produced by Caravan Production.
