Who Are We?

The Choreographic Institute works to support, develop, and expand dance and choreographic practices. Based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, the Institute provides opportunities for artistic research, development, and sustainability for local professional dance artists and the broader field of dance. 

The Institute serves as a space for expanding notions of contemporary dance and choreography through residencies, professional classes and workshops, choreographic development and artist resource programs, peer mentorship, international exchanges, and discursive formats. 

 

The first of its kind in Israel, the Institute values process and experimentation, inviting dance artists to deepen their artistic practices, facilitating engagement with the public, and exploring how choreographic thinking-making-envisioning may transform the place(s) we live. Placing the dance artist at the center of the work, the Institute creates contextualized, discursive and critical spaces for artists in various stages, roles, and incarnations of their careers.
 

The Choreographic Institute harnesses vast institutional knowledge, resources, and networks, and engages in constant dialogue with active dance professionals locally and internationally in order to support dozens of dance artists each year. The Institute is a flexible structure, working in a variety of institutional and independent dance spaces, and strives to establish a new long-term home for dancers and dance makers.


Context

The Choreographic Institute was established to respond to the needs of local professional dancers and dance-makers who operate in a highly saturated and competitive field that lacks adequate platforms for development and advancement.
 

Unlike other flourishing dance scenes that provide a growing and diverse landscape of institutional opportunities and professional milestones, Israel has few meaningful opportunities for dance and choreographic development, mentorship, and skills-building.

Drawing inspiration from national choreography centers and dance-research institutions around the world, The Choreographic Institute brings a new model for creative and professional development to Israel, one committed to building a healthy, thriving dance ecosystem. 


Background
 

The Choreographic Institute was founded by Sarah Holcman, Nitsan Margaliot, and Tamar Sonn who came together around their shared values and vision for the field, commitment to empowering and advocating for dance artists, and belief in the change-making potential of dance when done in a non-hierarchical environment. 

For almost two decades, Sarah Holcman has worked with and for dance artists. Her body of work includes being active as a dancer/performer/collaborator as well as an artistic director, curator, stage/tour manager, writer, international connection-maker, organizer, producer, advocate, and dance mom to many. She has a deep passion and expansive track record for supporting choreographers, developing and initiating supportive frameworks and opportunities for dance artists, and offering artistic and strategic thinking around how to best serve and support the dance community.
 

Tamar Sonn is a professional dancer, assistant in creative processes and initiator. Nitsan Margaliot is a professional dancer, choreographer, curator and initiator. In 2020, Tamar Sonn and Nitsan Margaliot founded The Platform for Independent Dancers in Israel, an organization creating sustainable conditions for local freelance dancers. Gathering input from hundreds of local dancers, they developed communal frameworks for professional growth and allyship across the field. The Platform initiated the PRO MORNINGS classes for professional dancers at Suzanne Dellal Centre as well as The Mentorship Program of the Tel Aviv Municipality and Perspectives From The Field, a residency for developing dance practices. 

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Together, Sarah, Nitsan, and Tamar are working to create new platforms, programs, and collaborations in order to have meaningful and long-lasting impact on the local dance community.