Ohad Naharin

Ohad Naharin
Adi Cohen Zedek (עדי כהן צדק) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Ohad Naharin
Birth date	1952
Birth place	Givatayim, Israel
Occupation	Choreographer, dancer, artistic director, teacher
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Gaga movement language, leadership of Batsheva Dance Company
Awards	Israel Prize, Bessie Awards, Golden Mask

Ohad Naharin

Ohad Naharin is an Israeli choreographer, dancer, and teacher who served as artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Company and created the Gaga movement language. He trained and performed internationally with companies and institutions including the Bat-Dor Dance Company, Batsheva Ensemble, and Juilliard, and his work influenced contemporary dance communities linked to institutions such as the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, and the School of American Ballet. His choreography and pedagogy have been recognized by awards and festivals including the Israel Prize, Venice Biennale, and the American Dance Festival.

Early life and education

Born in Givatayim, Naharin studied ballet and contemporary dance before serving in the Israel Defense Forces where he danced with the Yaron Sharoni troupe and engaged with artists connected to the Israel Ballet and Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. He left Israel to study at the Juilliard School in New York, where faculty and alumni networks intersected with figures from the Martha Graham School, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and Cunningham's collaborators such as John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg. During this period he worked with members of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and engaged with choreographers linked to the Nederlands Dans Theater and Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal.

Dance career and Batsheva Ensemble

Naharin performed with and choreographed for ensembles including Bat-Dor, Batsheva Ensemble, and independent groups that toured venues like the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, and Sadler's Wells. Recruited to lead the Batsheva Dance Company, he transformed the troupe formerly associated with Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild and artistic directors such as Maurice Béjart into an internationally touring company appearing at the Venice Biennale, Jacob’s Pillow, Edinburgh Festival, and Paris Opera. Under his direction, Batsheva collaborated with musicians and institutions such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Klezmer ensembles, and contemporary artists linked to the New York Philharmonic and Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Gaga movement language

Naharin developed the Gaga movement language drawing on influences from Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Rudolf Laban, and Asian practices encountered through tours to Japan and India, as well as improvisational methods related to Contact Improvisation and Trisha Brown’s work. Gaga emphasizes sensory awareness, imagery, and the internal experience of movement, and was institutionalized through classes for both professional dancers and non-professionals at centers including Batsheva Dance Center, Les Archives de la Danse, and dance festivals like Dance Umbrella and the International Arts Festival in Jerusalem. Gaga has been adopted by performers from the Royal Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Alvin Ailey, and independent choreographers associated with institutions such as the Martha Graham School and Juilliard.

Choreography and major works

Naharin’s repertory includes landmark pieces presented at venues and events such as the Venice Biennale, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Sadler's Wells, and the Buenos Aires Teatro Colón. Notable works performed by Batsheva and guest ensembles include pieces that intersect with music by composers and groups like John Zorn, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and ensembles tied to the Israel Philharmonic, as well as collaborations with visual artists linked to the Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, and Guggenheim Museum. His choreography has been restaged by companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Paris Opera Ballet, and has been documented in films screened at festivals including Cannes and TIFF alongside documentaries aired on broadcasters like the BBC and Arte.

Awards and recognition

Naharin received major honors such as the Israel Prize, multiple Bessie Awards from the New York Dance and Performance Awards, and international prizes presented at festivals like the Golden Mask in Moscow and awards associated with the Venice Biennale and Edinburgh Festival. His leadership of Batsheva brought the company nominations and wins at awards connected to the Laurence Olivier Awards, Critics’ Circle, and national cultural ministries in Israel and France, and his pedagogical contributions have been acknowledged by academic institutions including Tel Aviv University and conservatories such as the Juilliard School.

Teaching, influence, and legacy

Naharin taught and lectured at institutions including Juilliard, Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, the Martha Graham School, and dance academies across Europe and North America, influencing generations of dancers associated with the Royal Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Alvin Ailey, and contemporary companies emerging from the School of American Ballet and the American Dance Festival. His Gaga method continues in international teacher training programs and community classes run by organizations such as Batsheva Dance Company, dance festivals like the Edinburgh Festival and Jacob’s Pillow, and cultural centers including the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ensuring his impact on choreography, performance studies at universities, and contemporary dance pedagogy worldwide.

Category:Israeli choreographers Category:Contemporary dancers