Sharon Vazanna

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]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

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]

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.^{[citation needed]} That same year, she received her teaching certificate from the Kibbutzim College.^{[citation needed]}

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]

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]