Léonard Engel

Léonard Engel is a French choreographer, dancer, and performer. After a career as a soloist with the Bavarian State Ballet, he turned to the independent scene to develop his own choreographic work.

At the center of his work is a physical body that cannot be fully controlled or understood. In his pieces, he explores the complex connections between the body, emotions, and their social implications. Recurring themes in his artistic research include masculinity, camouflage, transformation, and the abject.

In his works, he has explored how movement can alter the perception of the body (How to get rid of a body, 2019), the visual and physical qualities of turning (Parotia, 2021), the nuanced relationship between body, emotion, and movement in a patriarchal society (Orchids, 2024), as well as the feeling of disgust as political resistance (Carcasse, 2025).

He also creates works for young audiences, including Wusch! Zak! Puf! (2023) and Muffensausen (2026).