Fernando Suels Mendoza was born in Venezuela in 1968. In 1987 he began his dance studies in Caracas with José Ledezma, complementing his training at the Instituto Superior de Danza and Danzahoy Dance School.
He participated as a dancer in productions directed by choreographers Jose Ledezma, Luis Viana and Luz Urdaneta.
From 1991 to 1995 he studied at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany. After completing his studies he was selected to participate in Jean Cebron’s masterclass.
From 1995 to July 2018, Fernando Suels was a permanent member of Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal, participating in almost all creations during this period, including Pina’s final work in 2009, “…como el musguito en la piedra, ay si si si…”.
In 2018 Fernando embarked on a freelance career as artist, choreographer, dancer and dance instructor, and continues to dance with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch as a guest. He choreographed and danced in the production Al Igual Que Tú with the flamenco company Eva Yerbabuena. Fernando has most recently been a guest teacher and choreographer at Tampa City Ballet, USA.
2021 / 2024 “Al Igual Que Tú” Flamenco company “Eva Yerbabuena”
2021 / 2023 “White&Black” solo and duo dances in production co-created with Giorgia Maddamma
2020 / 2022 “In Perpetuum” solo dance
2018 / present Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Guest performances with the company
1995 / 2018 Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Participated in the creation of 14 pieces by Pina Bausch, and took on roles in many repertory pieces.
2024 / 2025 Pina Bausch Foundation & Taipei National University of the Arts, School of Dance, Taipei,Taiwán. Rehearsal director for “The Rite of Spring”, a piece by Pina Bausch (1975).
2021 / 2022 Pina Bausch Foundation & Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp, Belgium. Rehearsal director for “The Rite of Spring”, a piece by Pina Bausch (1975).
2019 Pina Bausch Foundation & Semperoper Ballet, Dresden, Germany. Rehearsal director for the role of Pilades in the Dance / Opera “Iphigenie auf Tauris”, by Pina Bausch (1974).
2016 Pina Bausch Foundation & Bayerisches Stadtballet, München, Germany. Rehearsal director for the role created by Fernando within “Für die Kinder von gestern, heute und morgen”, a piece by Pina Bausch (2002).
2024 / 2025 Pina Bausch Foundation & Taipei National University of the Arts, School of Dance, Taipei,Taiwán. Rehearsal director for “The Rite of Spring”, a piece by Pina Bausch (1975).
2021 / 2022 Pina Bausch Foundation & Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp, Belgium. Rehearsal director for “The Rite of Spring”, a piece by Pina Bausch (1975).
2019 Pina Bausch Foundation & Semperoper Ballet, Dresden, Germany. Rehearsal director for the role of Pilades in the Dance / Opera “Iphigenie auf Tauris”, by Pina Bausch (1974).
2016 Pina Bausch Foundation & Bayerisches Stadtballet, München, Germany. Rehearsal director for the role created by Fernando within “Für die Kinder von gestern, heute und morgen”, a piece by Pina Bausch (2002).
Fernando Suels Mendoza’s teaching practice began at the end of the eighties whilst he was part of the cast of the company Taller de Danza de Caracas, directed by Jose Ledezma. He taught modern dance classes at the school of Ballet Arte de Caracas, under the direction of Lidija Franklin, and at the Instituto Superior de Danza de Caracas.
Since establishing himself in Europe, and in conjunction with his activities as a dancer with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, he has been teaching regularly for the past twenty years at →
COLOMBIA DANZAMED, Medellin. COSTA RICA Taller Nacional de Danza, Conservatorio El Barco (San Jose). EGYPT Danssabeel, Cairo. FRANCE Ecole du nord (Lille). GERMANY Guest teacher Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch (Wuppertal). GREECE State School of Dance KSOT (Athens). ITALY Associazione Europea Danza (Livorno), La Luna Dance Center (Ancona), Accademia Poliarte di Ancona-Corso Professionale de Danza (Ancona), Studio76 (Brescia), Palermo in Danza (Palermo), Bari, Associazione di Danza Arabesque (Caserta), Ekodance International Project, UNITANZ (Lecce), Pompea Santoro (Torino), Russian Nazionale di Danza (Rome), Ballet (Scafati), MP3 project, Accademia. ISRAEL Jerusalem, Kibutz Gaton, Leziyyon, Tefen, Kibutz Misra, Inkfar Yasiif, Rishon. SPAIN IBstage, Barcelona. USA Janet Panetta Movement Center (New York), Tampa City Ballet (Tampa). VENEZUELA Instituto Superior de Danza (Caracas).
During his time at Tanztheater Wuppertal, Fernando taught several workshops organized in conjunction with the company’s tours in Madrid, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Taiwan.
Fernando Suels Mendoza’s teaching practice began at the end of the eighties whilst he was part of the cast of the company Taller de Danza de Caracas, directed by Jose Ledezma. He taught modern dance classes at the school of Ballet Arte de Caracas, under the direction of Lidija Franklin, and at the Instituto Superior de Danza de Caracas.
Since establishing himself in Europe, and in conjunction with his activities as a dancer with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, he has been teaching regularly for the past twenty years at →
COLOMBIA DANZAMED, Medellin. COSTA RICA Taller Nacional de Danza, Conservatorio El Barco (San Jose). EGYPT Danssabeel, Cairo. FRANCE Ecole du nord (Lille). GERMANY Guest teacher Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch (Wuppertal). GREECE State School of Dance KSOT (Athens). ITALY Associazione Europea Danza (Livorno), La Luna Dance Center (Ancona), Accademia Poliarte di Ancona-Corso Professionale de Danza (Ancona), Studio76 (Brescia), Palermo in Danza (Palermo), Bari, Associazione di Danza Arabesque (Caserta), Ekodance International Project, UNITANZ (Lecce), Pompea Santoro (Torino), Russian Nazionale di Danza (Rome), Ballet (Scafati), MP3 project, Accademia. ISRAEL Jerusalem, Kibutz Gaton, Leziyyon, Tefen, Kibutz Misra, Inkfar Yasiif, Rishon. SPAIN IBstage, Barcelona. USA Janet Panetta Movement Center (New York), Tampa City Ballet (Tampa). VENEZUELA Instituto Superior de Danza (Caracas).
During his time at Tanztheater Wuppertal, Fernando taught several workshops organized in conjunction with the company’s tours in Madrid, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Taiwan.
2024 Oma (solo – in creation), with Ephrat Asherie, New York, USA.
2024 Carte Blanche (group piece – in creation), with dancers from Eko Dance International Project Pompea Santoro, Turin, Italy,
2023 Toccata e Fuga (quintet) ARB Dance Company, Caserta. Italy.
2023 El Sahl el Montanea (group piece) with the participation of dancers and musicians from the Medhat Fawzy Center for Stick Arts. Cairo, Egypt.
2022 CRACK (duo). Choreography and dance: Giorgia Maddamma and Fernando Suels Mendoza. Lecce, Italy.
2021 Al Igual Que Tú. Flamenco company Eva Yerbabuena. Spain.
2021 In Perpetuum (group piece), with dancers from Eko Dance International Project Pompea Santoro, Turin, Italy.
2020 Il silenzio dei fiori v.2, Palermo in Danza Decima Edizione, Palermo, Italy.
2020 Un passo di danza (11 dancers). Giorno della memoria, Ancona, Italy.
2019 In Perpetuum (solo), Fernando Suels Mendoza. Premiere Teatro Massimo, Palermo, Italy.
2015 Mezzo Nero, Rosso Mezzo (6 dancers). ARB Dance Company, Caserta. Italy.
2013 Es waren drei Königskinder (trio), with Irmke von Schlichting (singer), Mi- chiko Tashiro (piano), Fernando Suels Mendoza. (dance). Music: Kindertoten- lieder, Gustav Mahler. Wuppertal, Germany.
2010 Lost something on the Hill (solo), with Fernando Suels Mendoza. Wuppertal, Germany.
2010 Non ci fasciamo la testa (trio), with Ryan Beck, Cassandra Taylor and Fernando Suels Mendoza. Ancona, Italy.
2011 / 2020 Education program at La Luna Dance Center with school students.
• Il silenzio dei fiori Group piece 2020
• Fuogo Piece for 8 dancers (6 breakdancers) Original music by Paul Pavey 2014
• Bird’s lament Group piece 2013
• I would like to Mark Group piece 2012
• You and eye Solo danced by Kgi Giaccaglia 2012
• Nessuno lo sa Group piece 2011
Das Erbe der Pina Bausch. Arte, Anne Linsel, 2021.
MOVEment. Prada X dancers of Tanztheater Wuppertal. 2015.
PINA Directed by Wim Wenders. 2011.
Pina Bausch – ein Film von Anne Linsel, 2006.
Hable con ella. Directed by Pedro Almodovar, 2002.
Pina Bausch, Der Fensterputzer (The Window Washer) directed by Peter Lindbergh, 2001.
