Tadej Brdnik

Slovenian-born dancer and educator Tadej Brdnik began his professional career in Europe before moving to New York in 1993. For nearly two decades, he was a Principal Dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company (1996–2015), performing many of the company's most iconic roles on tours across the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. In addition to his Graham career, he performed with Graham 2, Battery Dance Company, Avila/Weeks Dance, Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project, and with choreographers including Maurice Béjart, Nacho Duato, Lucinda Childs, Susan Stroman, and Robert Wilson.

He continues his relationship with the Martha Graham Dance Company as Régisseur, stewarding the company's repertoire and legacy. As a choreographer, his works have been presented internationally, with commissions from Graham 2, Battery Dance Company, LaGuardia High School, and Kanopy Dance Company, among others.

A dedicated educator, Brdnik teaches at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the school immortalized in the film Fame. His artistry has further reached film and media through Darren Aronofsky's Noah (2014), the short film Lamentation (2016), and the documentaries Behind the Curtain (2006) and Moving Stories (2019).

Cover image by Guilherme Licurgo