Mehdi Kerkouche began his career as a professional dancer before the age of 18, and his passion for dance led him to embrace the art of choreography. He quickly became a teacher, for example at the AID (Académie Internationale de la Danse), Studio Harmonic, and Lax Studio in Paris, and has been invited to take part in many festivals in France and abroad.
In 2017, having worked with leading performers such as Christine and the Queens and directed for TV, cinema and advertising, he set up his own company, EMKA, with the aim of connecting different bodies and styles through energetic and poetic gesture. He carried out several creative initiatives during the first lockdown, making videos and setting up the festival On Danse Chez Vous. These initiatives earned him the accolade of Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite awarded by the French Ministry of Culture.
In 2020, Aurélie Dupont, who was director of the Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, gave him carte blanche to create a choreographic piece. On 1 January 2023, Mehdi Kerkouche was appointed director of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne. In this role, he continues to develop his own original work, supports the emergence of young choreographers, and aims to set up a digital studio to support artists in the constantly changing world of dance. He continues to work with leading artists such as Angèle, while also working with his company. His recent show PORTRAIT was successful in France and abroad, while the latest edition of the festival On Danse Chez Vous was seen by 6,500 people at the Chaillot National Dance Theatre.
360 is his latest creation.
