Ahmad Joudeh is a dancer and choreographer. He was born in 1990 in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus, Syria. From a very young age, he felt a deep connection with dance, and after seeing a ballet performance for the first time at the age of eight, he decided to pursue this dream with the unconditional support of his mother.
He trained in classical dance at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus, and from the start of his career combined his artistic development with teaching in social and humanitarian projects, offering classes to children living in vulnerable situations.
Despite the war and threats he received from radical groups for dedicating his life to dance, Ahmad never abandoned his vocation. As a symbolic act of resistance and commitment to his art, he tattooed the words Dance or Die on the back of his neck.
In 2016, he was the protagonist of the documentary Dance or Die, produced by Dutch public television and directed by Roozbeh Kaboly. The film narrates his story, from the conflict in Syria to his arrival in the Netherlands, and won an International Emmy in 2019. That same year, he moved to Amsterdam with the support of the Dutch National Ballet, where he continued his professional career, performing on stages across Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East.
He currently lives in Amsterdam, where he obtained Dutch citizenship in 2021. He collaborates with organisations such as UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) and SOS Children’s Villages International on initiatives focused on children’s rights, social inclusion, and peacebuilding through art.
He is the author of the autobiography Dance or Die: From Stateless Refugee to International Ballet Star (2021), and in 2024 he was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.