Hannah Chandra Mahler

Performer · Choreographer · Dance Instructor · Workshop Curator

"Dancing was the first language I understood and spoke. This form of communication always brought me closer to people and my community. I strongly believe that body and emotions bring us together."

My craftsmanship

My craftsmanship is rooted in contemporary-urban dance, shaped by years of performing and collaborating with diverse choreographers and makers. I thrive in both creative and educational environments, developing work that connects movement, culture, and community. As a freelancer, I work as a performer, choreographer, dance instructor, and workshop curator, allowing my practice to evolve from multiple perspectives.

Dancer/Performer

Contemporary -Urban

Dancing has been part of my life since I was seven years old. The process of creating, exploring, and finally stepping on stage after long days of rehearsals is one of the most fulfilling experiences I have as a performer. Working with different artists continually inspires me. Whether in a theatre, on location, or in public space, I find that dance doesn’t depend on the place—because the body itself holds all the space we need to explore.

Choreographer/Maker

Creation

Choreographing for myself and others is a natural extension of my daily life as a dancer. Creating, exploring, structuring, and shaping ideas into movement is a central part of my artistic journey. I choreograph contemporary-urban dance theatre pieces for myself, for professional dancers, and for amateurs of all ages. Since 2022, I have been the artistic leader of the Youth International Dance Theater for the Passagen Project OhneStimme. Choreographing feels powerful to me because every moment of creation offers something new—endless possibilities for exploration that keep the process exciting and challenging.

Dance Teacher

Positive energy / Teamwork

Teaching has become one of the most joyful parts of my work as a dancer and choreographer. I love sharing movement, creating a positive atmosphere, and showing that dance is truly a team sport—we grow through one another. I now focus on House dance, contemporary-urban classes, foundational floorwork, and improvisation exercises that help students navigate and understand their bodies in space. Whenever I teach, my energy rises through the exchange with my students. Teaching, for me, is a beautiful give and take.

Hannah Chandra Mahler

Hannah Chandra Mahler is a professional contemporary–urban dancer, teacher, choreographer, and curator whose personal experience has been shaped by her upbringing across India, Burkina Faso, and Germany. Her journey—from a bilingual high school in Saarbrücken to dance training in Bielefeld, and later a Bachelor’s degree from Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg, Netherlands—reflects her deep commitment to a life in dance.

She received the Kulturpreis Tanz für Künstlerinnen in Saarlouis (Germany), and her choreography Innerer Konflikt was selected for the Berliner Jugendfestspiele. In 2022, she became the artistic director of the international youth dance theatre project Ohne Stimme, which premiered in France and toured through Germany until 2025.

Collaboration and exchange lie at the core of Hannah’s work. She has performed for diverse international contemporary choreographers including Kyra Jean Green (Canada), Donna Chittick (Netherlands), Cie Willi Dorner (Austria), Tony Adigun (UK), and Blennard Azizaj (Germany), and has contributed to interdisciplinary productions with orchestras, choirs, and quartets.

Since 2025, Hannah has been part of the Tilburg Dance Platform as a project manager. She was commissioned to develop and serve as artistic leader of a two-year international workshop program in Tilburg titled IDW013 — International Dance Workshops, which brings internationally recognised dance training to the local dance community and supports the development of young and emerging dancers.

In addition to IDW013, Hannah has been actively building cultural bridges between the South Korean and Tilburg dance communities since 2023 curating street dance style workshops and creating exchange opportunities that foster connection across cultures.