On Friday evening, the ‘ArtX Dance Award’ took place at the International Dance Concours Bruges.
We kicked off with a dazzling showcase in the Royal City Theatre of Bruges featuring choreographic work by choreographers and their dance companies. This eveing was a separate part of the competition on Saturday and Sunday.
The 'ArtX Dance Award' is an artistic platform where dance companies can present a more elaborated choreographic work to an audience and jury. Each piece is judged on artistic originality, technical execution, and choreographic interpretation. After evaluation, the ‘ArtX Dance Award’ is awarded to the highest score. Participation is only possible by selection.
A selection was be made of 5 to 8 choreographies with a maximum performance duration of 75 minutes of all choreographies.
Styles (disciplines) in this section are Modern or Contemporary.
Focus in the choreographies are on story, concept, choreographic composition and artistic expression.
We are pleased to announce that in addition to the Award, there was 1500 euro in prize money (powered by Hercull) and a one week residency in Dancelot (Bruges) to be won.
We had eight wonderful companies presented unique and beautiful choreographies.
This edition was judged by Freya Pauwels, Nicola Wills, and Audrey Pascal, who was able to replace Filip Van Huffel at the last minute.
The ArtX Dance Award was presented to Kiley Doloway for her captivating solo “Where Do All the Broken Parts Go?”, which included a prize money check of €800. In second place, a check for €450 went to The AmProProject for their choreography BARBAAR (Dries Verstrepen), and in third place, a check for €250 went to “8” performed by Lune Movements, choreographed by Lilou Perrier.
The AmProProject (Dries Verstreepen) also won the residency at Dancelot.
Congratulations to all the dancers and choreographers. Thanks to CC Brugge and Dans in Brugge.
This edition was judged by Freya Pauwels, Nicola Wills, and Audrey Pascal, who was able to replace Filip Van Huffel at the last minute.
The ArtX Dance Award was presented to Kiley Doloway for her captivating solo “Where Do All the Broken Parts Go?”, which included a prize money check of €800. In second place, a check for €450 went to The AmProProject for their choreography BARBAAR (Dries Verstrepen), and in third place, a check for €250 went to “8” performed by Lune Movements, choreographed by Lilou Perrier.
The AmProProject (Dries Verstreepen) also won the residency at Dancelot.
Congratulations to all the dancers and choreographers. Thanks to CC Brugge and Dans in Brugge.
Here we present our judges for the ArtX Dance Award 2026 :
Nicola Wills (AU)
Nicola Wills grew up in Adelaide, Australia, where she received her dance training at Terry Simpson’s Dance Studio. In 2013, she began her professional dance career at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Belgium, working within a highly diverse repertoire that included classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works by choreographers such as William Forsythe, Pina Bausch, Akram Khan, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Since 2014, Nicola has also been active as a choreographer. She created several works within the internal choreography program of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, including the in-house project “Choreolab.” She is also active in the film and dance-film world, with projects such as The Vital Escape Up (2019), Familiar (2021), and Imbolic (2023). Her choreographic work is characterised by a blend of classical lines and contemporary movement methodologies, often infused with a strong emotional and psychological undertone. In 2025, multiple projects are planned: she will create work for the Origen Festival in Switzerland, the National Ballet of Albania, the Royal Ballet School Antwerp, and the Conservatoire of Professional Dance in Madrid. Additionally, she will work as a choreographic assistant and perform in two separate projects with Akram Khan.
The recognition she receives through choreography competitions and fellowship programs shows that her work is appreciated internationally. Thanks to her background in psychology and her interest in the social-emotional dimension of dance, Nicola brings an additional depth to her choreography, making her work particularly relevant in discussions surrounding identity, the body, movement, and society.
Filip Van Huffel (BE)
Filip Van Huffel (°1967) is a Belgian dancer, choreographer, and dance educator, best known as the co-founder and artistic director of Retina Dance Company. He began his artistic journey in the visual arts and transitioned to dance at the age of eighteen. He trained with various contemporary and classical dance teachers across Europe and later performed for companies such as THOR, Random Dance Company, and with choreographers including Claudio Bernardo.
In 1996, together with Natalie Gordon, he founded Retina Dance Company. Under his direction, the company developed a unique movement language that blends pure, abstract movement with theatrical expression. His choreography is characterized by strong physicality, compelling dynamics, and daring partner work. Retina has performed internationally, touring in countries including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, South Korea, and Venezuela.
Alongside his work with Retina, Filip is also active in education. Since 2014, he has taught choreography and improvisation at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp and serves as a coordinator at the Kunsthumaniora Hedendaagse Dans.
Freya Pauwels (BE)
With over ten years of experience, Freya Pauwels has established herself as a renowned dancer and aerial acrobat, performing worldwide in places such as Belgium, Paris, Australia, Los Angeles, New York, and Amsterdam.
In 2013, Freya founded her own company, taking on the roles of dancer, choreographer, cultural project manager, and agent. Since then, she has been the driving force behind Performing Arts Consultancy, a platform that develops talent and empowers artists. She didn’t stop there: she also created Jacowbski Invites and Dansvloer Leuven, initiatives that provide (semi-)professional dancers with a stage to grow, refine their skills, and expand their artistic network.
As the Artistic Director of the WAYS Training Program in Brussels, Freya has designed a dynamic and innovative curriculum for contemporary dancers, setting a new standard within professional dance education.
With a degree from the Free University of Brussels, Freya speaks both the language of artistic expression and that of the rational, executive event and theatre sectors, making her a natural communicator and negotiator. Her influence extends beyond choreography and performance: she is a community builder, a mentor, and a visionary shaping the future of dance in Belgium and beyond.