From Tilburg to Madison Square Garden: Dancer Mauro shares the stage with Troye Sivan and Charli xcx

By the end of his bachelor’s degree, Mauro van de Kerkhof already knew he wouldn’t pursue a master’s: he was going on a world tour with Troye Sivan and Charli xcx. Now, he travels the world as a professional dancer. ‘If you’ve already done a world tour at twenty-two, you think: okay, what’s next?’

When he was three years old, he spent hours in front of the TV practicing dance moves from global icons like Michael Jackson. A few years later, his mother signed him up for dance lessons, where his talent quickly became apparent. Mauro van de Kerkhof (22) grew from a small dance school in the Brandevoort neighborhood of Helmond to a competitive team in Eindhoven, winning multiple world championship titles and even taking home the Holland’s Got Talent trophy in 2017.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship & Business Innovation, a standard office job wasn’t in the cards for him; instead, Van de Kerkhof embarked on a world tour with Troye Sivan and Charli xcx. Today, he works as a dancer in campaigns for brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Calvin Klein and is both a choreographer and dancer at the Eindhoven-based dance company CDK Company.

He also travels the world teaching dance workshops. Yet, despite his busy schedule, he still finds time to sit down with Univers to discuss his rapid rise in the dance industry.

You were already a successful dancer as a child—why did you decide to study anyway?

‘I debated for a long time whether I should go to university. My passion was always dance, but at the end of high school, I wasn’t ready to fully commit to it. I had some paid gigs, but not enough to make a living. Plus, I looked young, and in professional dance, a more mature appearance is often needed.

‘During my final year of high school, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As a dancer, there wasn’t much you could do besides posting videos on social media. So, going to university was the logical choice, especially with online classes. If I happened to be abroad or in the studio, I could still keep up with my studies. That way, I could develop my dance career while earning a degree, so I’d be ready to transition into dance full-time afterward.’

Did that work out?

‘Haha, not really. Dance is an unpredictable career. By the end of my bachelor’s, I still wasn’t at the point where I could fully support myself through dance. That’s why I briefly considered a master’s degree.

‘But while writing my thesis, I got a message from American director Gordon von Steiner. He asked me to choreograph Rush, the new music video for Troye Sivan. Together with Sergio Reis, my mentor, I jumped on the project immediately and created the choreography.’

And suddenly, you’re face to face with Troye Sivan?

‘I remember being in Berlin for the Rush video shoot. In the morning, I was dancing half-naked around Troye, and in the evening, I was writing my thesis. The contrast was funny, but honestly, I had to get used to all the nudity and sensuality. It was a completely different world from my university life.

‘After the Rush shoot, my career skyrocketed: the choreography went viral on social media and was even nominated for an MTV Video Music Award (VMA). Troye and the director loved our work, so a few months later, we filmed the Got Me Started music video with Troye in Bangkok.

‘After that, Sergio and I created campaigns for GAP, Calvin Klein, and Charlotte Tilbury. We also had our first discussions about the possibility of joining Troye on a world tour. That’s when I thought: I could do a master’s, but I doubt I’d ever finish it.’

What is it like to go on a world tour?

‘Insane. It’s a whirlwind. In seven months, we performed 51 shows in massive arenas across Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. It was especially special because, as dancers, we were genuinely part of the show.

‘Normally, dancers fade into the background, but Troye and Charli saw dance as a vital part of the tour. I could feel that in the way we were treated and in how fans reacted on social media. After every show, there were always people tweeting about me.

‘It was also surreal. I had gone viral before with dance videos on TikTok or Instagram, but you don’t really grasp how many people are watching. When you’re standing on the Madison Square Garden stage, you see how big that audience actually is.’

What is your most memorable moment from the tour?

‘The Madison Square Garden show stands out—but not for the best reasons. During the first song, I tore my meniscus. I had to dance through the entire show, gritting my teeth in pain. And of all shows, this was the only one where my family was in the audience…’

What was the hardest part of the tour?

‘Sleeping on the tour bus! You’re constantly moving, and the space is tiny, so you just roll around all night. Plus, you live out of a suitcase, which is extra difficult for me because I lose everything.’

Is it hard to adjust to normal life after such an intense period?

‘Yeah, definitely. After finishing my bachelor’s, I was thrown into this rollercoaster. At the beginning of the tour, I came out, and shortly after, I was on stage every night kissing Troye.

‘You also find yourself in this wild world where you’re partying with celebrities and visiting the biggest cities on the planet. Now I’m back in my childhood home in Brabant. That’s quite an adjustment, haha. But hey, I made it happen from here once before.’

Do you worry about the future?

‘Absolutely. You always want to go bigger and better. If you’ve already done a world tour at twenty-two, you think: okay, what’s next? I constantly feel the pressure to do something even more amazing.’

What are your goals for the future?

‘Troye Sivan and Charli xcx are big names, but they’re not Beyoncé. Artists like her, or Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, or The Weeknd, have a certain legacy. I’d love to contribute to something like that.

‘I also want to spend more time in Los Angeles. In the Netherlands, you can only go so far, but in LA, there are more opportunities to grow as a dancer. You’re surrounded by talent and people who have also come there to become the best at what they do.

‘In the distant future, I hope to combine my dance and choreography knowledge into another role, like a movement director—helping artists and models with their movement. But for now, I still get so much joy from dancing.’