Inbal Pinto

Inbal Pinto. An Israeli choreographer, dancer, and visual theatre director renowned for her highly imaginative and visually stunning works that blend dance, physical theatre, and circus arts. She co-founded the Inbal Pinto Dance Company with her husband, Avshalom Pollak, creating a unique body of work that has garnered international acclaim. Her distinctive style, often described as surreal and poetic, has influenced a generation of creators in contemporary dance and performance art.

Biography

Inbal Pinto was born in 1969 in Tel Aviv and began her dance training at a young age. She studied at the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts before completing her mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. Following her military service, she pursued professional dance education at the Bat-Dor Dance Company's studio, a formative period where she trained under notable teachers. Her early artistic development was further shaped by her studies at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, immersing her in the burgeoning Israeli contemporary dance scene. She later collaborated extensively with her future husband and artistic partner, Avshalom Pollak, a graduate of the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio.

Career

Pinto began her performance career dancing for the Bat-Dor Dance Company and later joined the acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin. In 1992, she founded the Inbal Pinto Dance Company, with Avshalom Pollak joining as co-artistic director shortly thereafter. The company quickly gained attention with early works like *Oyster* (1999), which premiered at the Suzanne Dellal Centre and later toured internationally, including performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Her career expanded into opera direction, with notable productions for the Israeli Opera such as *The Cunning Little Vixen* by Leoš Janáček. The company has been presented at major venues worldwide, including the Joyce Theater in New York City, the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, and the Festival d'Avignon.

Choreographic style and influences

Inbal Pinto's choreographic style is a singular fusion of dance theatre, mime, and visual art, creating dreamlike, often grotesquely beautiful worlds on stage. Her work is heavily influenced by the physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the visual aesthetics of filmmakers like Federico Fellini and Tim Burton, and the theatricality of Pina Bausch. She frequently incorporates elements of clowning, acrobatics, and intricate, sculptural costume design, treating the human body as a malleable object of curiosity. This approach has drawn comparisons to the work of Mats Ek and Maurice Béjart, while remaining distinctly her own, contributing significantly to the global landscape of physical theatre.

Selected works

Pinto's repertoire with her company includes seminal works that have defined her career. *Oyster* (1999) is perhaps her most famous piece, a surreal exploration of isolated characters in a decaying world. *Boobies* (2002) continued her exploration of eccentric community dynamics, while *Shaker* (2006) premiered at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center and toured extensively. Other notable productions include *Goldfish* (2013), *The River* (2015), and *Wallflower* (2017). Her work for other institutions includes choreography for the Royal Swedish Ballet and directing the opera *L'Enfant et les Sortilèges* by Maurice Ravel for the Opéra National de Lyon.

Awards and recognition

Throughout her career, Inbal Pinto has received significant accolades for her innovative contributions to the arts. She is a multi-time recipient of the Israeli Ministry of Culture's Award for Outstanding Choreographer. In 2001, she and Avshalom Pollak were awarded the prestigious Landau Prize for Arts. Her production *Oyster* won the award for Best Performance at the International Theatre Festival in Zagreb. She has also been honored by the Tel Aviv Municipality and received critical praise from publications like *The New York Times* and *The Guardian* for her visionary stagecraft.

Category:Israeli choreographers Category:Israeli dancers Category:1969 births Category:Living people