Gaia Gonnelli has been professionally active in the Dutch dance scene since 1994, working as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and artistic director. She graduated from the Modern Dance department, the post-HBO program Professional Artists In the Classroom (BIK), and the Master of Arts in Education, all at the Amsterdam School of the Arts.
After completing her dance education, she collaborated with various choreographers both nationally and internationally. She performed in works by Feri de Geus, Joseph Tmim, Shusaku Takeuchi, Wies Bloemen, Krisztina de Châtel, Het Hans Hof Ensemble, Min Tanaka, and Giulia Mureddu, among others. During this period, she began developing her own work, and choreographing has always been present alongside her career as a performing dancer. She created performances for Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, Cadance, De Stilte, and for students at Fontys Dance Academy.
Since 2009, Gaia has been creating performances for children. In 2012, she produced her first show for children aged 2 and above: KLeuR. Since that production, Gaia has focused on creating performances for young children aged between 2 and 8 years old. With the support of Dansmakers Amsterdam, where Gaia was an artist in residence from 2013 to early 2016, she developed her unique artistic signature. In 2014, Gaia Gonnelli founded her own foundation, Stichting Dado/Dadodans.
Since then, Gaia has been the artistic director and choreographer of Dadodans, specializing in creating performances for the very young. In 2017, Gaia Gonnelli received the Dutch Dance Days Young Audience Award, being the first to be honored with this recognition.
“Gaia Gonnelli undeniably has a heart for the young audience and playfully provides room for their imagination.”
Jury report Dutch Dance Days, Young audience Award, 2017
Dadodans productions are acclaimed both nationally and internationally for their creativity, playful approach, and genuine consideration of the young target audience.