became world famous as a choreographer and ballet danser. From 1971 to 1991 he was artistic director of the dutch National Ballet. He published biographical sketches of Nourejev and the dutch graphic and resistance fighter Willem Arondéus as well as the novels Voor een verloren soldaat (1986) en Afgrond (1996). In 2005 he received the Zilveren Penning-award from the city of Amsterdam.