Sasha Waltz & Guests

Was born in 1963 in Karlsruhe, Germany. She studied dance with Waltraud Kornhaas and also at the School for New Dance Development (SNDO) in Amsterdam. Waltz briefly worked in New York where she performed with Pooh Kaye,Yoshiko Chuma, and Lisa Kraus, among others. In 1993 she co-founded her company, Sasha Waltz & Guests, with Jochen Sandig. In 1996 she opened the critically acclaimed sophiensaele, a theater she co-founded with Sandig. She has worked with a myriad of contemporary artists, including Laurie Booth, Mark Tompkins, David Zambrano, Tristan Honsinger, and Frans Poelstra. Waltz has received numerous grants and awards including the 1994 prize for choreography at the International Choreographer’s Competition in Groningen and Berliner Zeitung critics’ prize for Travelogue–Twenty to Eight. In September 1999, Waltz was named one of the artistic directors of Berlin’s Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. Late in 2004, and independent once more, »Sasha Waltz & Guests« realised their first opera production »Dido & Aeneas« with music by Henry Purcell, which premièred at the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin. In 2007 Sasha Waltz presented, among other works, two music-theatre choreographies: »Medea« with music by Pascal Dusapin and text by Heiner Müller had its World Première in Luxemburg in May as a feature of the European Culture Capital City 2007. In addition the Opéra de Paris in October 2007 presented the choreography by Sasha Waltz to Hector Berlioz’ dramatic symphony »Roméo et Juliette«. In August 2007 she was awarded »Choreographer of the year« by the professional journal ballet-tanz. The music-based choreographic project »Jagden und Formen (Zustand 2008)«, music by Wolfgang Rihm, developed together with the Ensemble Modern was premiered in Frankfurt am Main in the spring of 2008. In March 2009 Sasha Waltz & Guests presented the choreographers latest project »Dialoge 09 – Neues Museum« in the New Museum in Berlin. In april she was awarded the french cultural fraternity »Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres«. »Dialoge 09 – MAXXI« by Sasha Waltz will inaugurate Rome’s new museum »MAXXI_Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo« in november 2009.

Short CV

Sasha Waltz was born in 1963 in Karlsruhe, Germany. She studied dance and choreography in Amsterdam and New York. In 1993 she co-founded her company, Sasha Waltz & Guests, with Jochen Sandig in Berlin. In 1996 she opened the critically acclaimed sophiensaele, a theater she co-founded with Sandig. In September 1999, Waltz was named one of the artistic directors of Berlin’s Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz where – amongst others– she created the pieces »Körper«, »S« and »noBody« as well as the choreographic installation»insideout«. In 2005 Sasha Waltz & Guests once again became an independent company, with Jochen Sandig as artistic director. In january 2005 her first opera-choreography »Dido & Aeneas« had its world premiere at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin. In 2007 Sasha Waltz presented, among other works, two music-theatre choreographies: »Medea« with music by Pascal Dusapin and text by Heiner Müller had its World Première in Luxemburg in May as a feature of the European Culture Capital City 2007. In addition the Opéra de Paris in October 2007 presented the choreography by Sasha Waltz to Hector Berlioz’ dramatic symphony »Roméo et Juliette«. In August 2007 she was awarded »Choreographer of the year« by the professional journal ballet-tanz. The music-based choreographic project »Jagden und Formen (Zustand 2008)«, music by Wolfgang Rihm, developed together with the Ensemble Modern was premiered in Frankfurt am Main in the spring of 2008. In March 2009 Sasha Waltz & Guests presented the choreographers latest project »Dialoge 09 – Neues Museum« in the New Museum in Berlin. In april she was awarded the french cultural fraternity »Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres«. »Dialoge 09 – MAXXI« by Sasha Waltz will inaugurate Rome’s new museum »MAXXI_Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo« in november 2009. In 2010 her new choreography »Continu« will be premiered in Zurich, Switzerland, followed by her next choreographic opera »Passion« composed by Pascal Dusapin at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris. Sasha Waltz was awarded the »Caroline-Neuber-Preis« 2010.