Elise Schaap
Actress, presenter, speaker and chairperson
Elise Schaap is an indispensable fixture in the Dutch television landscape, and thanks to Netflix hits like Undercover and Amsterdam Empire, far beyond it as well. Actress and producer, awarded the Televizier-Ring for Best Actress three years in a row. Fifteen years in front of the camera, from drama series and feature films to her own show on RTL 4, have made her completely at home on any stage. As one of the Netherlands' most sought-after moderators, she has an unparalleled ability to read a room: knowing when to keep things light and when silence itself is the most powerful tool. She now translates that experience, combined with her degree in communication science, into a keynote on communication, voice use, and body language. A field she masters like few others, as evidenced by the spot-on precision with which she portrays other well-known Dutch personalities.
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Biography
From Communication Science to Drama School
Elise Schaap was born in 1982 in Rotterdam. She studied communication science at the University of Amsterdam and subsequently attended the Theatre School and Kleinkunstacademie in Amsterdam, graduating in 2009. During her studies, in her third year, she already landed one of the lead roles in the feature film Bride Flight.
Two tracks at once
Her career developed along two lines: the actress who makes people laugh and the actress who captivates them. On television, she appeared in Het Klokhuis, Welkom bij de Romeinen, Koefnoen and De Familie Kruys. But it was De TV Kantine where her comedic talent showed its full scope, with parodies of among others Sylvie Meis, Nikkie Plessen, Queen Máxima and Britt Dekker.
Undercover and the prices
Her breakthrough to a broad audience came in 2019 with her role as Danielle Bouman in the Netflix hit Undercover and the Ferry franchise. The character was originally intended to appear in just one season, but proved so beloved that she returned in both follow-up seasons and the prequel as well. She won the Televizier-Ring for Best Actress three years in a row, previously received the Golden Nymph in Monte Carlo, and was nominated for a Golden Calf for Mijn Vader is een Vliegtuig.
Also behind the scenes
Over the past years, Elise expanded her work as a creative producer. In 2024, she led projects such as Dood Spoor and De Z van Zus, and co-created the family film Superkrachten voor je hoofd, which earned a Golden Film award. In 2025, she starred alongside Famke Janssen in the crime series Amsterdam Empire. This makes her not only an actress, but someone who actively shapes the Dutch film and television landscape.
Expertise
The producer's perspective
As a creative producer, Elise evaluates work from the other side of the camera: does it land, is it credible, does the audience believe it? That judgment about what resonates and what doesn't with viewers translates directly into the guidance she provides to speakers and professionals who need to convince an audience.
Fifteen years in the fields
From drama school and cabaret academy through TV series, feature films and live television to her own programme. Elise had to deliver time and again when the camera was rolling and there was no second chance. That experience taught her how tension takes over your voice and posture, and how to prevent it. Knowledge she didn't gain from a book but acquired on set.
Communication Science as a Foundation
Before attending drama school, Elise studied communication science at the University of Amsterdam. That background gives her a language and a framework for understanding what she discovered in practice. She can explain why something works rather than just being able to demonstrate it, and that makes her insights transferable to people who are not actors themselves.
The craft of imitating as an observation school
A successful impression doesn't begin with the voice but with observation. Elise has trained herself for years to notice what others miss: how someone breathes, where someone hesitates, which word is held just a little longer. That attention to detail is the foundation of everything she shares. Those who learn to observe don't just see how others communicate—they also discover what they themselves unconsciously project.
Themes
Voice Use
How your voice determines how you come across, often more powerfully than what you say. About pitch, pace and the small adjustments that make the difference.
Body language and posture
What you radiate before you say anything, and how you consciously direct that without striking a pose.
The first impression
What happens in the first seconds and how you shape those moments — with clients, on stage or in a job interview.
Communicating Effectively in the Workplace
Concrete guidance for professionals who represent their organization or want to collaborate more effectively within a team.
Relaxing Under Pressure
Keep calm and maintain control of your resources at precisely the moment when something is expected of you.
Why Elise
Recognizable for everyone in the room
From Undercover to De TV Kantine to Amsterdam Empire: virtually every audience knows her. That gives your program immediate appeal.
Interactive instead of frontal
Her keynote revolves around exercises, examples and anecdotes. The audience participates instead of just listening, which makes the content more memorable.
Humor and sobriety
Her tone is light without becoming casual. This makes her equally effective as a chair or host as she is for the keynote itself.
Tailored work
Elise aligns with the theme, message, and target audience of the event, with connections to the audience's field of work so that examples are immediately recognizable.
A subject that is about communication
Imitation is observation: why does someone sound the way they do, and what does that do to you? Elise doesn't turn this into a trick but into a lesson that participants can apply to themselves.
Three times the Televizier-Ring
In 2019, 2020 and 2021 awarded Best Actress, plus a Golden Nymph in Monte Carlo and a Golden Calf nomination. Her craftsmanship has been recognized multiple times.
Talks
You can learn by imitating
45 - 60 minutesObserving the subject or Looking over the subject's shoulder
Elise takes the audience along in her impressions: how does such a character come into being, what does she hear and see that others miss? With examples and anecdotes from her own work.
Voice and Body Language in Practice
Through interactive exercises, participants discover how to use their own voice and posture more consciously. Concrete techniques for a rock-solid first impression and more effective communication.
Relaxing Under Pressure
Finally, the skill that holds everything together: how do you stay calm and maintain control when things get exciting? Practical tips that are applicable both at work and in your personal life.
Moderator or host of your event
Half day to full dayRoutine of fifteen years of television
Elise presented her own show on RTL 4 and stood in front of the camera for years in various formats. She knows what happens when a guest runs over, a segment falls away or technology fails, and she solves it without the audience noticing that anything has changed.
Interviews and interaction
She engages in conversations with guests on stage and initiates humorous interaction with the audience, ensuring the public remains involved rather than disengaged.
Light where possible
When humor is called for, Elise links the sections of your program together with precisely the right tone. Her down-to-earth nature ensures it stays light without becoming superficial.
Reviews
“As chair of the event, I am deeply impressed by Elise Schaap's professional expertise, reflected in her evaluation score of 9.1! With a high degree of accessibility, ease, and her well-known humor, she takes the audience on a journey through her story about the impact of voice and posture in connecting with others. It is not only a pleasure to have this charming performer on stage, but her message is also highly relevant and immediately applicable for the participants.”
“Elise was exactly the closer for our knowledge festival that I was hoping for: warmth, energy, humor, authenticity and a message that sticks with you. She got the entire room (literally) moving and captivated everyone from start to finish.”
“Elise Schaap made a highly positive impression during our event. We were very enthusiastic about her contribution. What particularly stood out was her strong improvisational skills. She effortlessly responded to situations that arose during the program and naturally connected with the audience. Additionally, she proved to be remarkably resourceful and initiative-driven, which allowed her talents to shine and brought considerable energy to the session. Beyond her professional contribution, Elise was also very pleasant to work with. The collaboration was relaxed and approachable, which was greatly appreciated both during the preparation phase and at the event itself. All in all, we look back with great pleasure on her contribution and would wholeheartedly recommend her for similar events.”
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