Léonard Engel (*1987, Mulhouse, France) is a choreographer, dancer, performer, and video artist who resides and works between Berlin and Munich. He is also a father of three.

Engel’s artistic work explores the notion of a body that resists our control, seeking to uncover its inherent organicity—an essence often suppressed by societal norms but still deeply captivating. His pieces investigate the intricate interplay between the body, emotions, and their social contexts.

After graduating from the Paris Opera Ballet School, Engel began his professional career at the Ballet Victor Ullate in Madrid before spending eight years with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich under the direction of Ivan Liska. There, he performed as a soloist, dancing in both classical ballet works and contemporary pieces by renowned choreographers such as Aszure Barton, Russell Maliphant, William Forsythe, and Pina Bausch.

In 2016, Engel transitioned to a freelance career, collaborating with prestigious companies and artists including Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Richard Siegal (Munich), Billinger & Schulz (Frankfurt), Gintersdorfer/Klaßen (Berlin), Paula Rosolen (Frankfurt), and Laurent Chétouane (Berlin).

In January 2019, Engel premiered his first choreographic work, Pavane, at the Tanztage Berlin at Sophiensæle. This solo piece, inspired by the courtship displays of various animal species, sought to redefine masculinity through a blend of dance, glitter, and hypnotic movement.

In September 2019, Engel debuted his second work, How to get rid of a body. A magic manual, at HochX Theatre in Munich. The solo, inspired by animal mimicry, confronted the seemingly impossible task of making the body disappear. Ironically, each attempt only served to accentuate the presence and limitations of the physical form.

In 2021, he expanded on this work with a series of short films titled How to get rid of a body. A video tutorial series.

Engel’s artistic journey continued with Parotia, his first group piece, co-produced by PACT Zollverein and premiered at Schwere Reiter (Munich) in November 2021. This work delved into the physical and visual dynamics of whirling. In May 2022, Engel adapted Parotia into a gallery version at HOTO Gallery (Berlin) for MMpraxis’s “Out of the Box” program.

In January 2023, he created his first piece for young audiences, Whoosh! Zak! Puf! How to appear and disappear. This work, inspired by the camouflage behavior of animals, offers a poetic exploration of self-expression and acceptance.

Engel’s most recent piece, Orchids (2024, schwere reiter, Munich), is a bold exploration of the male body, liberated from the constraints of patriarchal gender expectations.

His work has been featured at Hybrid Festival (Berlin), Soundance Festival (Berlin), and Rodeo Festival (Munich). Engel has also been awarded residencies at PACT Zollverein (Essen) and Tanzfabrik Berlin for his choreographic contributions.