Berry Claassen – Lighting Designer
I am a lighting designer specialized in dance and theatre. Since 1987, I have worked across a wide range of international projects, collaborating with renowned choreographers, directors, and dance companies.
Over the years, I have created more than 100 lighting designs and have contributed to set and video designs for various productions. My work has been featured in performances by companies such as:
Introdans - Dutch National Opera & Ballet
Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse - Companhia Nacional de Bailado Ballet West (Salt Lake City)-Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Staatenhaus Köln - Ballett Zürich - Star Dancers Ballet (Tokyo)
Dance Company Theater Osnabrück
Theater Altenburg Gera - Opéra national du Rhin Ballet
Saarländisches Staatstheater - Landestheater Eisenach Compagnie illicite Bayonne.
In 2017, I was appointed Technical Director of The Green Table by the Kurt Jooss Estate. In this role, I am responsible for preserving and maintaining the technical integrity of this historic ballet in productions worldwide.
Throughout my career, I have organized international ballet galas, coordinated global tours, and developed scenic and multimedia designs.
Collaborations
I’ve had the pleasure of working with many acclaimed choreographers, including:
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – Nicolas Vladyslav – Mauro de Candia Lucinda Childs – Cayetano Soto – David Middendorp Lindsay Kemp – Jennifer Muller – Stijn Celis – Nils Christe Toru Shimazaki – Georg Reischl – Gianfranco Paoluzi Nadav Zelner – Vincent Mantsoe – Laurent Drousie – Blanca Li Jorge Pérez Martínez – Andonis Foniadakis – Adriaan Luteijn Ton Wiggers – Jurriën Schobben – Manuel Vignoulle Antonio Najarro – Honji Wang & Sébastien Ramirez, etc.
I’ve also worked with Dutch stage directors such as:
Ad de Bont – Silvia Andringa – Gienke Deuten – Elout Hol Job Raaymakers – Rob Vriens – Ted Keijser – Mark Haayema Leopold Witte.
Background
After completing my education in graphic design, I began my career in theatre in 1987, working as a technician, stage manager, and eventually light designer. I started with Toneelgroep Theater (now Theater Oostpool) in Arnhem as a prop manager, and a few years later joined Introdans as a stage manager—where my passion for lighting design took shape.
Since 1988, I have been affiliated with Introdans, and in 2004 I began working independently as a freelance lighting designer alongside my work there.