Jorma Elo is a Finnish choreographer who has created over eighty original works for ballet and contemporary dance institutions globally. Born in Helsinki, he received his foundational dance education at the Finnish National Ballet School, followed by specialized training at the Kirov Ballet School (Vaganova Academy) in Leningrad from 1979 to 1980. His performing career spanned twenty-six years, featuring tenures with the Finnish National Ballet (1978–1984), the Swedish Cullberg Ballet under Mats Ek (1984–1990), and Nederlands Dans Theater (1990–2004), where he collaborated closely with choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, and Ohad Naharin.

Retiring from the stage in 2004 to focus exclusively on choreography, Elo was appointed Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005. For Boston Ballet, he has generated over fifteen world premieres, including Plan to B (2004), Carmen (2006), Le Sacre du Printemps (2009), and Bach Cello Suites (2024). As a freelance choreographer, Elo has executed commissions for American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and the Finnish National Ballet. His full-length narrative productions include A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010), Alice in Wonderland (2016), and the biographical ballet Sibelius (2022). Operating frequently as a multidisciplinary designer, Elo regularly dictates the costume, lighting, and video projection designs for his ballets.

Elo is the recipient of numerous international awards, most notably the 2011 Prix Benois de la Danse for best choreography. He has also received the Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award (2006), the Prince Charitable Trust Prize (2006), and the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Choreographic Prize (2005). The Finnish government has recognized his cultural contributions by awarding him the Dance Artist Prize in 2012 and the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2015. Elo frequently serves as an adjudicator for international competitions, including multiple tenures on the jury of the Benois de la Danse.