I grew up in a small village in the north of the Netherlands, always moving—gymnastics, jazz dance, tennis, horseback riding, korfball, skating, and endless cycling. After years of competitive sports and becoming Dutch champion, I discovered the emotional power of dance. Seeing Jirí Kylián’s Petit Mort and Grietine Molenbuur’s Duende Danst op Water changed everything. I realized I wanted to move not to win, but to inspire, connect, and tell stories.

At 14 I joined Young Talent of Dansgroep Duende, where I trained in modern dance, expression, and improvisation. At 16 I began ballet—“too late,” they said, but determination won. After high school I studied at ArtEZ, switching from Dance Education to Performing Dance, graduating in 2003.

During my studies I danced in a project by Adriaan Luteijn, which led to an internship at Introdans—and then a contract. From 2003–2013 I danced professionally with Introdans, working with world‑renowned choreographers such as Mats Ek, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, Lightfoot‑León, and many others. We toured globally—from Broadway to South Africa and Shanghai—and throughout the Netherlands. Dance was my full‑time passion: 40–60 hours a week of hard work, artistry, and pure joy.

After 11 unforgettable years, I transitioned into nutrition, retraining as a dietitian with specializations in sports nutrition, sports psychology, and eating disorders. Today I combine my love for dance and nutrition through teaching, workshops, lectures, and coaching. Alongside this, I work full‑time as Performance Nutritionist, Chef, and chef‑team coordinator for the UCI WorldTour cycling team Team Visma | Lease a Bike.