Michael Keegan-Dolan was born in 1969 and studied at the Central School of Ballet, London from 1988-1991. His first job as a dancer was in a new production of Carousel by Rogers and Hammerstein at the Royal National Theatre, London, choreographed by Sir Kenneth MacMillan and directed by Nick Hytner. This acclaimed production one four Olivier Awards in 1992. From his early thirties, Michael studied with Japanese Sword Master, John Evans and Yoga Guru, Shandor Remete.

Michael Keegan-Dolan was the artistic director of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre (1997-2015), creating three Olivier Award-nominated productions: Giselle (2003), The Bull (2005), and The Rite of Spring (2009). In 2004, Giselle won an Irish Times Theatre Award and The Bull received a UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award in 2008. Rian, created in 2011, won a Bessie Award (New York Dance and Performance Award) in 2013 for Best Production.

In 2012 he directed and choreographed a new production of Handel’s Julius Caesar at the London Coliseum, for English National Opera. In 2015 he created The Big Noise, for the GoteborgOperans DansKompani working closely with celebrated Nordic Folk Musician, Ale Moller.

As Guest Artistic Director of the National Youth Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells London for the 2015 – 2016 season, Michael created In-Nocentes. In March 2017, he devised a new work to Dvorak’s 8th Symphony for the Dance Company at the Gärtnerplatztheater, Munich.

Michael Keegan-Dolan founded his new company Teaċ Daṁsa in 2016. Its first production, Swan Lake / Loch na hEala, won the Irish Times Theatre Award 2017 for Best New Production and the UK Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Production 2018. He created MÁM in 2019. How to be a Dancer in Seventy-two Thousand Easy Lesson was created in 2022 and premiered at Dublin Theatre Festival; it was nominated for a Sky Arts Award in 2025. He created Nobodaddy in 2024 and 1975 – Naoi Déag Seachtó Cúig in 2025. 1975 is touring in 2026 / 27.

In 2024, Teaċ Daṁsa moved into a permanent home in Glaise Beag, on the cliffs of the West Kerry Gaeltacht.

Michael is a former associate at Sadler’s Wells London.