Ronald Wintjens bids farewell to the Nederlandse Dansdagen after 10 editions
Ronald Wintjens bids farewell to the Nederlandse Dansdagen after 10 editions, Claudia Laenen and Lobke Nabuurs will form a two-person management team from 2026 onwards. After a successful ten-year period, general director Ronald Wintjens will be leaving the Nederlandse Dansdagen on 31 December 2025. The upcoming edition of the festival will be his last, bringing to a close an era characterised by innovation, expansion and unprecedented growth for the festival.
12 June 2025
Wintjens: "It is time to make way for a new generation. It is with gratitude that I bid farewell to a place where I have worked with great pleasure, love and enthusiasm. It has been a privilege to be able to actively contribute to the future of Dutch dance. I am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me and for the cooperation within the sector. I am proud of what we have built, which would not have been possible without a strong team. The Nederlandse Dansdagen are on solid footing, and a bright future lies ahead.”
Since taking office, Wintjens has played a key role in the transition of the Nederlandse Dansdagen into a festival for a broader and more diverse audience. Under his leadership, dance took on a broader and more inclusive approach; audience numbers grew, the range of genres expanded and the audience became younger. He acted as a connector within the dance field, introduced the State and the Debate of Dutch dance and helped shape the joint call to action to policymakers. During the coronavirus pandemic, he was the first to decide to organise the festival entirely online, setting the tone for the digital development of dance. He also gave heritage a permanent place with the establishment of the danceMuseum.
Mavis Carrilho, chair of the Supervisory Board: "With vision and a keen eye for the field, Ronald Wintjens has broadened, deepened and firmly anchored the Nederlandse Dansdagen in the city and the sector. His leadership marks an era of growth and development. We bid him farewell with great gratitude and look forward with confidence to the new chapter with Claudia Laenen and Lobke Nabuurs – two passionate forces who together herald a new era, with an eye for connection, innovation and the richness of dance.”
From 1 January 2026, Claudia Laenen and Lobke Nabuurs will jointly steer the future of the Nederlandse Dansdagen. As trusted members of the current management team, they are ready to lead the festival with new energy and vision. With this dual leadership, the festival is consciously choosing an open, inclusive and multi-voiced course, in which collaboration, innovation and shared leadership are central.
Claudia and Lobke mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Nederlandse Dansdagen. Building on a solid foundation, they are energetically committed to increasing the visibility and accessibility of dance — in the Netherlands and beyond. With a keen artistic eye and a strong focus on the audience, they see the festival as a living platform and a guiding compass: a place where dance is not only visible, but also sets things in motion.
Claudia and Lobke: ‘We are building on this with a fresh perspective and an open mind — for a festival that gives voice to multiple voices, connects and looks ahead by moving with the times.’
