Ted Brandsen, born in Kortenhoef in the North of the Netherlands, is the current Director of the Dutch Het Nationale Ballet since 2003. Brandsen studied at the Scapino Dance Academy and launched his career in 1981, joining the Het Nationale Ballet. A decade after establishing himself as a dancer, he quit dancing to focus his attention on his work as a freelance choreographer. He found almost immediate success with his piece for Het Nationale Ballet Four Sections and continued to create an impressive and long-lasting career in the world of dance.    

His career was first immortalised in 2014, as Brandsen received the Award of Merit from the Dansersfonds '79 Foundation, which also dedicated its 21st Dutch Ballet Gala to him four years later, as a tribute to his significant work for the Dutch National Ballet. He also received in 2019 the Amsterdam Prize for the Arts in the category Proven Quality, and was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2022.