2026 World Finals Judge
Piotr Nardelli
Piotr’s outstanding career, which has seen him perform with or choreograph for some of the most famous ballet companies in the world, began with his own graduation from the national dance school in Warsaw, following which he joined the prestigious Opera Theatre Wielki, Warsaw, where he participated as soloist in many of the great ballet canon in Don Quixote, Giselle, Swan Lake and Spartacus.
In 1971 he joined the Marseilles Ballet under the direction of Rosella Hightower. Then in 1972, he became part of the newly created Ballet National de Marseille under the direction of Roland Petit, and was also hired by Stockholm Royal Ballet.
From 1973 to 1979 he worked in the famous Ballet of the 20th Century founded by Maurice Béjart. Having danced in many of Béjart’s creations including Golestan, Pli selon Pli, Firebird, Petrushka, Gaîté Parisienne, The Ninth Symphony, Boléro, Bhakti, Le Sacre du Printemps, Roméo et Juliette, Farah, I Trionfi Del Petrarca, Amor di Poeta, Maurice Bejart entrusted Piotr to stage his choreography Bolero for the Bolshoi Ballet (with Maya Plisetskaya) in Australia, then Teatro Colon Ballet in Buenos Aires and afterwards by the Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin (1976).
In 1979 Piotr left the Ballet of the 20th Century to dedicate himself to pedagogy. Together with Andrzej Ziemski, he opened a ballet school ‘Balletomania’ in Brussels, though he continued to receive invitations from Maurice Bejart to work as a guest professor in the Ballet of the 20th Century. He has worked as guest teacher with the principal national dance companies across four continents.
Another important role for Piotr has been focused on staging and coaching Bejart’s works worldwide. He staged Petrushka (Stuttgart, 1982), The Ninth Symphony (Paris Opera, 1996 and 1999; Tokyo Ballet, 2013), La Luna (La Scala Theatre Ballet School, 2015). Gaîté Parisienne has been reproduced in various companies worldwide, including Stuttgart (1983), Australian Ballet in Melbourne (1984), Sydney (1986), Royal Ballet in Copenhagen (1997), the Ballet of Santiago in Chile (2011) and Rome Opera House (2011), 2019 and even in the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow (2019).
Piotr Nardelli thus brings a stellar knowledge of the wealth and depth of the innovative neo-classical and contemporary ballet canon through direct transmission from important creatives, and an experienced and critical eye to appraise the very latest choreographic offerings from DWC participants.
In 1971 he joined the Marseilles Ballet under the direction of Rosella Hightower. Then in 1972, he became part of the newly created Ballet National de Marseille under the direction of Roland Petit, and was also hired by Stockholm Royal Ballet.
From 1973 to 1979 he worked in the famous Ballet of the 20th Century founded by Maurice Béjart. Having danced in many of Béjart’s creations including Golestan, Pli selon Pli, Firebird, Petrushka, Gaîté Parisienne, The Ninth Symphony, Boléro, Bhakti, Le Sacre du Printemps, Roméo et Juliette, Farah, I Trionfi Del Petrarca, Amor di Poeta, Maurice Bejart entrusted Piotr to stage his choreography Bolero for the Bolshoi Ballet (with Maya Plisetskaya) in Australia, then Teatro Colon Ballet in Buenos Aires and afterwards by the Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin (1976).
In 1979 Piotr left the Ballet of the 20th Century to dedicate himself to pedagogy. Together with Andrzej Ziemski, he opened a ballet school ‘Balletomania’ in Brussels, though he continued to receive invitations from Maurice Bejart to work as a guest professor in the Ballet of the 20th Century. He has worked as guest teacher with the principal national dance companies across four continents.
Another important role for Piotr has been focused on staging and coaching Bejart’s works worldwide. He staged Petrushka (Stuttgart, 1982), The Ninth Symphony (Paris Opera, 1996 and 1999; Tokyo Ballet, 2013), La Luna (La Scala Theatre Ballet School, 2015). Gaîté Parisienne has been reproduced in various companies worldwide, including Stuttgart (1983), Australian Ballet in Melbourne (1984), Sydney (1986), Royal Ballet in Copenhagen (1997), the Ballet of Santiago in Chile (2011) and Rome Opera House (2011), 2019 and even in the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow (2019).
Piotr Nardelli thus brings a stellar knowledge of the wealth and depth of the innovative neo-classical and contemporary ballet canon through direct transmission from important creatives, and an experienced and critical eye to appraise the very latest choreographic offerings from DWC participants.