Ellen Ekkart

Ellen Ekkart (also known as Ellen Ekkart-Saey), born in June 1973, is a professional dancer, dance teacher, choreograph and coach. She specializes in Latin dancing and Ballroom dancing

Early life

She graduated as an interior designer, but always had a love for dancing. She danced as an amateur in the Ballroom Formation team Dance Rhapsody, and later in the Latin Formation team Café Latino. She graduated as a Color and Style consultant.

Dancing career

• Between 1996 and 2001, she became 2 times Belgian Champion with Cafe Latino. She married her dance coach from Café Latino, Peter Ekkart in 2001.
• She started teaching full-time in dance school Ekkart from 2001 on, and got her degree as teacher and judge^[1] in the following years with the Professional Organisation Buldo, and the World Dance Council.
• In 2006, she was asked as a professional dancer in Sterren op de dansvloer,^[2] the Belgian version of Dancing with the Stars (US) or Strictly Come Dancing (UK).
• In 2008 she started competitive dancing after working together with her husband on the television show ‘Sterren op de Dansvloer’. Two years later, they won all 6 Belgian Championships in a row, in the Ballroom style, from 2010 till 2015.^[3]
• They participated in all World and European Championships from 2008, and travelled the world.
• In June 2015, they became 3rd at the World Professional Ballroom Championships 40+,^[4] in Cervia, Italy.

Television Work

From 2006 till 2011, VTM broadcast the Flemish version of Dancing with the Stars (US) or Strictly Come dancing (UK). She danced as a professional dancer in the first 3 seasons.

• Season 1 with singer Sam Gooris,^[5] 3 episodes.
• Season 2 with actor Herbert Flack,^[6] 4 episodes.
• Season 3 with cyclist Nico Mattan,^[7] 3 episodes and 5 dance-offs.

In 2006, she danced at the Gouden Schoen,^[8] the annual awards for professional soccer players.

She appeared as a candidate in Het Verstand van Vlaanderen, a tv show with Koen Wauters.

in 2007, she had a guest role in the Flemish soap series Wittekerke.^[9]

From 2007 till 2009, she choreographed dancers for a stage performance for the television show Zomerhit. She provided dancers for national artists like Bart Peeters, Clouseau, and international artists as Sister Sledge, Kim Wilde and Melanie C from the Spice Girls.

in 2008, she was the principal dancer with her partner Peter in the TV1 program Duizend Zonnen en Garnalen^[10]

Other Projects

Walter Van Beirendonck

In July 1997, Walter Van Beirendonck, the famous Belgian fashion designer of ‘The Antwerp Six’, asked Ekkart to collaborate with his fashion show for his 1998 summer collection in Paris.^[11] He needed 70 dancers, dressed in futuric evening costumes, and green gas masks and long green rubber gloves, to dance the final shownumber, for an audience of 3.000 fashion people and reporters. Peter Ekkart made the choreography, coordinated the act, and Ellen participated as a dancer/model.

Robert Groslot

In 2005, she danced ‘Tango for Three’, on a show with Robert Groslot, choreographed by Marc Bogaerts.

Dirk Brossé

Also in 2005, she danced and choreographed an act on the show of Dirk Brossé.

Dancing in Prison

From 2005 till 2007, the Federal Antwerp Prison asked Ekkart to give dance lessons in the prison to the inmates, and to choreograph a show with the inmates.

Styling

From 2009 till 2016, she styled business people, individuals and dancers, making them more confident and professional

BBC Speaking Awards

In 2011 and 2013, she coached candidates for the BBC Speaking Awards.

The Ballroom Orchestra

Wim Jansegers had the idea of touring the Flemish cultural centra with authentic Balroom music. He looked for professional musicians and singers, and for a contact in the Ballroom dancing world. That contact was soon found, and Peter and ellen Ekkart were attracted as a show couple. They named the band The Ballroom Orchestra. The show included a participation of the public, were musicians, dancers and public interact with each other. The show toured for 2 years in 2013 and 2014, and played in all major cities. The highlight were 3 concerts in the authentic hall De Roma’ in Antwerp.

Wim Vandekeybus

For an audition for his show in 2015, Wim Vandekeybus had to choose from 600 dancers coming from all parts of the world. He hired Peter and Ellen Ekkart ^[12] to give a session in Ballroom dancing, so he could see how quick dancers picked up this style. The fusion of contemporary dance, ballet and Ballroom gave a special mix Vandekeybus can use in the near future.

Personal life

She married Peter Ekkart in 2001, and together they have a son Idriz.

References

1. "Directory of registered Adjudicators & Competitors". www.wdcdance.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
2. "Ellen Ekkart". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
3. "Peter en Ellen Ekkart - Buldo". www.buldo.be. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
4. "Calendar - All Events". www.wdcdance.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
5. "Ellen Ekkart". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
6. "Ellen Ekkart". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
7. "Ellen Ekkart". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
8. "VTM Gouden Schoen 2006". Vimeo. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
9. "Ellen Ekkart". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
10. "Tango at the Supermarket". Vimeo. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
11. "W&LT brought the house down" (PDF). July 1997 – via newspaper De Morgen, Belgium.
12. "Auditions at Ultima Vez - Wim Vandekeybus". Vimeo. Retrieved 2016-03-01.