Sharon Vazanna

Sharon Vazanna
Born1982 (age 42–43)[1]
Dokkum, Netherlands
OccupationsDance, Dance teacher
Awards2009 - Recognized by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption as an Outstanding Artist for returning residents.

2012 - Winner of the Dancer Award at the International Choreography Competition in Copenhagen, Denmark. 2013 - Her creation "Red Fields" won the Audience Award at the MASDANZA Choreography Competition, Spain. 2017 - Her creation "Transparent Borders" won First Prize at the Choreography Competition at the Fringe Theatre in Be'er Sheva.

2019 - Winner of the Minister of Culture Award for Artistic Dance.
Websitesharonvazanna.com

Sharon Vazanna (born 1982) is an international choreographer, dancer, and teacher.

Early life and education

Vazanna was born in Dokkum, the Netherlands, and immigrated to Israel with her family at the age of three. She was drawn to dance from a young age, beginning her training at five with Shosh Gilad in Karkur and continuing her studies at the Hof Carmel Dance Studio. As a teenager, she created choreographies for school ceremonies and youth performances.[1]

Career

In 2000, at 18, Vazanna moved to the Netherlands and began her bachelor's degree at the Codarts Dance Academy in Rotterdam. In 2003, she joined the company of Dutch choreographer Anouk van Dijk. A year later, she participated in a project by Italian choreographer Veronica Riz in Bolzano.

From 2004 to 2006, she was a dancer with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company under the artistic direction of Rami Be'er. Culture critic Merav Yudelevich wrote about her performance in "Ekodom": "Vazanna's solo is one of the most beautiful moments in the show." Yudelevich noted that her "freedom of movement recalls the primality of Isadora Duncan."[2] In 2006, Vazanna choreographed her own piece for the company's Creative Dancers program, called "Layers".[3]

From 2007 to 2009, Vazanna danced with the Cullberg Ballet and participated in works by Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Mats Ek, and Alexander Ekman. She also performed in Ekman's dance film "40 M Under".[4] During this time, she had created her own solo and duet pieces for the company's Creative Dancers program.

In 2009, Vazanna returned to Israel. That year, she danced as a freelancer with Israeli choreographers Idan Cohen, Idan Sharabi and others. Also, she participated in the repertoire project of the Israeli Opera and the Suzanne Dellal Center, directed by Maté Moray, in works by William Forsythe and Jacopo Godani.[5]

In 2010, Vazanna began to create her own dance pieces. In 2012, she founded her dance company, "Speaking Bodies". That same year, she won the Best Performing Dancer award at the Cross Connection choreography competition in Copenhagen, Denmark.[6]

Vazanna developed a dance methodology called "Speaking Bodies", which translates an individual's inner and emotional experiences into physical expressions. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, her work explores femininity, motherhood, family, childhood, and the tension between the individual and society. Her artistic signature is characterized by stylized, surprising, and deliberate compositions that highlight the relationships between the dancing figures and space.

Her works have been performed both in Israel and abroad, and earned her several awards. In Israel, her pieces were presented at venues such as: Curtain Up Project,[7]  C.A.T.A.M.O.N. Dance Group in Jerusalem, the International Exposure Festival at the Suzanne Dellal Center, the International Choreography Competition at "Machol Shalem" in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Dance Festival. At the same time, her works have been presented at festivals, competitions, theaters and museums around the world, such as: Korzo Theater in the Netherlands, 92Y New York,[8] "Uffo" Theater in the Czech Republic, the International Solo Competition in Stuttgart, the International Choreography Competition in Hanover, the International Choreography Competition in Copenhagen, the MASDANZA Festival in the Canary Islands,[9] the HIGH Museum in Atlanta - as part of the CORE Dance Company Festival, the Bern Konzert Theatre Festival in Switzerland, and the Mambo Museum of Modern Art in Bologna.

Alongside her artistic work, Vazanna continued to pursue academic studies. In 2013, she began her M.DANCE degree in choreography and composition at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.[10] In 2015, she was accepted as a member of the Israeli Choreographers Association. In 2019, she was awarded the Minister of Culture Award in artistic dance for young choreographers. That same year, she received her teaching certificate from the Kibbutzim College.

Vaznna was invited to participate in artist residencies in dance in Israel and abroad: in 2013, she participated in a research and creative residency in Tenerife, Spain; in the same year, she also created her work "Transparent Borders" during an artist residency in Sweden, commissioned by ilDANCE;[11] in 2014, she participated in an artist residency in Bologna, Italy, where she created her work "HIGH" commissioned by the Running Up The Hill Residency Program;[12][13] in 2016, she was invited to an artist residency, creation, and teaching at Muhlenberg College, Pennsylvania, United States, on behalf of the Shusterman Foundation and the Israel Institute;[14] later, in 2023–2024, she was invited to a one-year artist residency for creation and teaching at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and in 2023–2025, she participated in an artist residency at the Menashe Dance House, where she created "The Swing"[15][16] and "Mother Work".[15][17][18]

Teaching

Alongside her artistic career, Vazanna teaches contemporary dance, repertoire, and workshops in various Institutions in Israel and abroad, and has published several articles and studies on the subject of contemporary dance teaching and creative processes in the magazine "Dance Now - Dance Diaries" edited by Ruth Eshel.[15][19]

Between 2009 and 2017, she taught and created in the dance department at the Academy High School in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Municipal High School of the Arts. Since 2019, she has been teaching contemporary dance in the dance department of the Telma Yellin National High School of the Arts. In addition, she has taught and created at universities, academies and dance training programs in Israel and abroad, including: The Maslool Dance Training Program (2010–2014); KSU Atlanta, USA (2016); MUHLENBERG College in Pennsylvania, USA (2016); the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem (2016); CODARTS Dance Academy, Rotterdam, Netherlands (2017); NOD Dance Training Program in Turin, Italy (2017, 2018); Boris Eifman Dance Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia (2018); Mannheim Dance Academy in Germany (2023); Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (2023–2024); and the Gert Flocka Dance Academy in Germany. (2025).

In addition, Vazanna has taught in dance companies in Israel and abroad, including: Aterballetto Dance Company, Emilia Romana, Italy; Fresco Dance Company under the artistic direction of Yoram Karmi; Inbal Dance Theater Company under the artistic direction of Eldad Gruppi; CCDC Dance Company in Hong Kong. In addition, Vazanna teaches open classes for independent dancers in the "Pro Mornings" program under the artistic direction of Tamar Son and Nitzan Margaliot at Suzanne Dellal.

Selected works

  • 2006 - "Layers" - The work was performed as part of the Kibbutz Dance Company's Creative Dancers and as part of the "Another Dance" festival at Suzanne Dellal Center.[3]
  • 2008 - "Erda, A Trio" - The work was performed as part of the Creative Dancers program at the Cullberg Ballet, Sweden.
  • 2009 - "Walking inside Water", solo. The work premiered as part of the Creative Dancers program at the Cullberg Ballet. The work was then performed as part of the "Miniatures" festival at the Interdisciplinary theatre - Hazira, in Jerusalem.
  • 2010 - "One to Tango", solo. The work premiered as part of the 2010 "Machol Lohet" festival at Suzanne Dellal Center.[20]
  • 2012 - "Red Fields", solo. The work premiered as part of the 2012 "Intimadance" festival at the Tmuna Theater. The work was performed in Italy, Germany, and Denmark.
  • 2012 - "The Feast", trio. The work premiered at the "Curtain Up" festival. The work was invited to perform in Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Germany.[21]
  • 2014 - "HIGH", duet. The work premiered at Jaffa to Agripas Events - C.A.T.A.M.O.N. in Jerusalem. The work was performed in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in 2022.[12][13]
  • 2014 - "Transparent Borders", duet. The work was performed in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and the Netherlands.[11]
  • 2015 - "BODIES", quartet - in collaboration with artist Tomer Sapir. The work was performed in Russia in 2017.[21][22]
  • 2017 - "TRACES", septet. Original work for the Delattre Dance Company, Mainz, Germany.
  • 2018 - "MONSTER", trio. The work was performed in Russia in 2018.[23][24]
  • 2019 - "Good Children", trio. The work premiered as part of the Curtain Up project. The work was performed in the Czech Republic in 2022.[7]
  • 2023 - "The Swing", quartet. Invited to festivals in Croatia and the Czech Republic.[16]
  • 2023 - "Body of Peace", duet. Performed throughout Israel and was invited to perform in Australia.
  • 2024 - "Human, Common Territory", created and performed at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.[25]
  • 2024 - "Universal Bodies Universal Souls", dance film directed by Maurice Lai. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.[26]
  • 2025 - "Mother Work", trio. The work premiered at the 2025 Curtain Up Project.[17][18]

Awards and scholarships

  • 2000 - Received Outstanding Dancer Status in the IDF
  • 2009 - Recognized as an Outstanding Artist by the Ministry of Immigration  as a Returning Resident
  • 2012 - Won the Best Dancer Award at the Cross Connection International Choreography Competition in Copenhagen, Denmark[6]
  • 2013 - Her work "Red Fields" won the Audience Award at the MASDANZA Choreography Competition, Spain[9]
  • 2016 - Her work "BODIES" won the Dudu Dotan Scholarship for Encouragement of Creativity from the Israeli Artists Association
  • 2017 - Her work "Transparent Borders" won first prize at the choreography competition at the Fringe Theater, Be'er Sheva
  • 2018 - Dana Zacharia won Best Dancer Award for her performance in Vazanna's work "MONSTER", at the Choreography Competition at The Fringe Theater, Be'er Sheva
  • 2019 - Won the Minister of Culture Award in Artistic Dance for Young Choreographers

References

  1. ^ a b "שרון וזנה, מחבר ב". עמותת הכוריאוגרפים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  2. ^ יודילוביץ', מרב (6 June 2006). "לוכד החלומות". Ynet.
  3. ^ a b "בידור - "מחול אחר" – רעננות עם מעט העזה". www.habama.co.il. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  4. ^ "40 M Under - Apple TV". 1 January 2012 – via tv.apple.com.
  5. ^ "Dance Review: The Project | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b "תיאטרון - 3 ישראלים זוכי תחרות מחול בדנמרק". www.habama.co.il. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b סוסליק, עידית (20 November 2019). "צורות נעות, אנשים רוקדים". the-contemporary-eye (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Out Of Israel at 92Y". www.dance-enthusiast.com. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  9. ^ a b "18MASDANZA – MASDANZA". www.masdanza.com. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  10. ^ "שרון וזנה". האקדמיה למוסיקה ולמחול בירושלים (in Hebrew). 25 May 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Borderless dancers | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Feathered friends | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  13. ^ a b Qumseya, Majd (17 June 2015). "Sharon Vazana and Noa Zuk Double Feature". CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  14. ^ "2016". Muhlenberg College. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  15. ^ a b c וזנה, שרון (2023). "הנדנדה – מבט לאחור ורפלקציה על תהליך היצירה" (PDF). מחול עכשיו. 43: 22–25.
  16. ^ a b Barnea, Reut (9 May 2023). "יוצרת המחול שרון וזנה מתנדנדת בין תפקיד האישה, האם והילדה". מגזין פורטפוליו (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  17. ^ a b פרי, נירה (25 May 2025). "מלאכת האימהות - כשהגוף מדבר את האימהות / שרון וזנה". סלונה (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  18. ^ a b Ishay, Yael Gal Ben (21 May 2025). "אף אחד לא לימד אותנו איך להיות אימהות בתקופה המשוגעת הזאת". אף אחד לא לימד אותנו איך להיות אימהות בתקופה המשוגעת הזאת | מגזין את (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  19. ^ וזנה, שרון (2022). "הגוף המדבר: אינטגרציה של שכלול גופני ואקספרסיביות בביצוע בהוראת מחול עכשווי" (PDF). מחול עכשיו (41): 24–29.
  20. ^ "קלאסי - מחולוהט 2010 - סוף הקיץ". www.habama.co.il. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  21. ^ a b "Body language | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  22. ^ "A fluid work | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  23. ^ Steinberg, Jessica (6 September 2018). "In 'Monster,' dance troupe channels innermost feelings about the female body". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  24. ^ Vazanna, Sharon (29 August 2018). MONSTER ON I24 NEWS. Retrieved 9 December 2025 – via Vimeo.
  25. ^ "School of Dance Summer Performances | HKAPA". www.hkapa.edu. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  26. ^ "Choreographing the Lens: The Art of Movement and Visual Storytelling * | School of Dance". www.hkapa.edu. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
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