Choreography

Dorotea Saykaly

Dorotea Saykaly is an independent Canadian choreographer and dancer. As an alumna of the Festival de Cannes, Venice International Film Festival, La Biennale di Venezia Danza and the Lumen Prize, she creates experiences that invite audiences to reconnect to instinct and explore the subconscious. Originally from Montreal, Dorotea Saykaly has enjoyed a rewarding career as a dancer at the Compagnie Marie Chouinard (2006-2014) where she received the Gemini Award for Best Performance for her work in »bODY_rEMIX«.  She later danced at the GöteborgsOperans Danskompani (2014‒2019) and has worked with renowned choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet and Ohad Naharin.

Dorotea Saykaly was selected by Wayne McGregor for La Biennale di Venezia’s Danza College 2024, where she created and staged the immersive work »Lethe – A search for the Waters of Oblivion«. Earlier that year, her stage work »BLACK MOON«, was long-listed for the Sadler’s Wells Inaugural Rose International Dance Prize. She gained acclaim in 2021 when she received the inaugural Emily Molnar Emerging Choreographer Award. That same year she choreographed, produced and performed in the acclaimed short film »She«, which premiered internationally at the Fotografiska Museum New York, garnered several awards and screened at over 40 film festivals worldwide. She has since gone on to create for companies such as Ballet BC, Ballet Edmonton and Danish Dance Theater, and La Biennale Danza College.

In collaboration with film director Emil Dam Seidel, she created »Telos I«, a holographic dance experience, which premiered at the inaugural Compétition Immersive at the 77. Festival de Cannes, making history as the only holographic film ever selected for competition at this Festival. »Telos I« was later invited to the Best of Immersive Experiences at La Biennale di Venezia Cinema 2024, and received the Nordic Prize at the 2025 Lumen Prize.