Lenka Dřímalová, a native of Ostrava, holds a degree in Dance Pedagogy and Choreography from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU). During her studies, she participated in scholarship programs at the London Contemporary Dance School and the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance.
Lenka’s choreographic and pedagogical work in contemporary dance has involved numerous projects in collaboration with international artists, for which she has received several awards for both choreography and original creations. In 1998, she founded and shaped the Ostrava Dance Theatre ZÓNA, which organized the Tanec Ostrava Festival. The theatre also hosted seminars with Czech and international artists, alongside conferences, workshops, regular classes, and performances under the title Dance in ZÓNA. Between 2001 and 2016, Lenka served as the artistic director of the Festival of Contemporary Dance Tanec Ostrava.
In 2007, Lenka assumed the role of Artistic Director of the Ballet at the National Theatre in Brno, where she successfully staged numerous premieres and co-productions over six seasons, cooperating with internationally recognized choreographers and creators. Between 1997 and 2012, Lenka taught at the Janáček Conservatory and Grammar School in Ostrava, and from 2006 to 2010, she was a guest lecturer at HAMU Dance Department. She used to teach at Brno Conservatory of Dance from 2012 to 2013 as well. Before taking over as Artistic director of Ballet at the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre, Lenka choreographed a ballet called OUT (part of the Ballet Concert) and served as a movement director for several productions of the NMST drama ensemble (Love in the Crimea, The Entertainer, Man of La Mancha, Blood Wedding, The Beggar’s Opera, The House of Bernarda Alba, and An Inconvenient Indian).
Since July 2013, Lenka has served as the Artistic Director of the Ballet at the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre, also known as NDM Ballet. Under her leadership, the company has staged notable productions, including La Sylphide, choreographed by Karina Elver; Homecomings by Pavel Šmok, Jiří Kylián, and Nataša Novotná; Ballads by Hana Litterová; and Barocco & Carmina Burana. More recent works include Chaplin, choreographed by Mario Schröder, and the program Two Worlds / One World, featuring choreography by Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, and Itzik Galili.
In 2021, Lenka Dřímalová received the Divadelní noviny Award for her contributions during the pandemic, notably for the projects Ballet Outside and Dancing Bridges. In the years following the pandemic, the NDM Ballet has continued to flourish under her direction, with collaborations involving prominent choreographers such as Giorgio Madia (Coppélia), Jo Strømgren (Memories of Mahler and The Cello), Jiří Pokorný (Carmen), and Ohad Naharin, whose Hora premiered in Ostrava during the 2022/2023 season. These collaborations have introduced fresh creative influences, showcasing diverse trends in contemporary dance. Lenka’s artistic vision continues to attract dancers from around the world, many of whom are regularly nominated for the prestigious Czech Thalia Award for their performances.
