Susanne Linke studied German expressive dance with Mary Wigmann in Berlin and contemporary German dance theatre at the dance department of the Folkwang School in Essen founded by Kurt Jooss. From 1970 – 1973, she danced with the Folkwang Dance Studio which she then directed in collaboration with Reinhild Hoffmann from 1974 and alone from 1978. During this time she began creating her own work and gained widespread international recognition and awards for her solo and group dances which have been performed all over Europe as well as in India, South and North America. From 1985 onwards, after ten years of directing the Folkwang Dance, she began working freelance and in 1994 founded a new company in Bremen with her partner Urs Dietrich which she co-directed until 2000. From 2000 –2001, she was the designated artistic director of the Choreographisches Zentrum NRW. Since then she has continued working as a freelance choreographer and dancer and has been invited to create works with international ensembles including the Limón Company in New York, the GRCOP at the Paris Opera and the Nederlands Dans Theater. In 2003 und 2004 Susanne Linke presented her Solo-Duo work ›Tanz-Dis-tanz‹  with Urs Dietrich at PACT Zollverein where a surprise gala was also held in her honour in 2004 on the occasion of her 60th birthday.

In April 2007 Linke will receive the German Dance Prize 2007 in recognition of  her life’s work.