Students, autumn semester 2017

  • My name is Sami and I come from Heidelberg. My passion for dance has grown daily, ever since I discovered it as a complete beginner in the United States. A year ago, I started to think seriously about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, or at least for as long as my body will allow me to work hard without becoming ill. I then realized that dancing was not only a hobby for me; it also offered me everything I was looking for. I am really grateful for having the opportunity to study at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), even though I am not as experienced as my colleagues – I will enjoy every second of it!

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Sami Charfeddine

  • My name is Alfonso and I come from Italy. I am studying at ZHdK so that I can progress as a dancer. I aim to develop a strong technique and gain a greater understanding of my body so that I make clever use of it in contemporary dance. I am sure that I will achieve this at ZHdK. I want to develop both as a dancer and as an artist. My goal is to work for a contemporary dance company. I would like to take advantage of the opportunities to travel all over the world as a dancer and get to know a wide range of styles so that I can keep improving my dancing.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Alfonso Cuomo

  • My name is Bérénice Durozey and I come from Cannes in France. I cannot imagine doing anything other than becoming a dancer. I had already decided to focus on studying contemporary dance years ago because I really enjoy it. I think the BA in Contemporary Dance will help me to become a professional dancer. It offers me the opportunity to learn about different styles and to work with different choreographers so that I will be ready to work as a dancer. At ZHdK, I also have the opportunity to find out about other art forms.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Bérénice Durozey, © Caroline Minjolle

  • Hello, my name is Tristan El Mouktafi.  I come from Nice in France. I have come to ZHdK to explore my skills and interpretation through contemporary dance as well as other contemporary art forms.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Tristan El Mouktafi

  • I come from Turin in Italy. I started dancing when I was 17 – I taught myself electro dance and hip hop. I completed my school leaving exams at the «Liceo Classico Cavour» in Turin when I was 19. I had a scholarship at the time and started going to dance lessons for ballet and modern dance at the «Arké» school.  After that, I was awarded a scholarship for the N.O.D. contemporary dance programme in Turin. I came to ZHdK to study contemporary dance because I really want to turn my passion for dance into my profession. 

    Alex Ferro. Photo: Caroline Minjolle

  • My name is Phoebe and I come from England but I have been living in Switzerland for 16 years. Although it was rather late when I started learning ballet, I have been dancing for as long as I can remember. I was able to complete my school leaving certificate while specializing in sport at the “Alte Kantonsschule” grammar school in Aarau, in addition to training to be a dancer at the Ballet School for the Zurich Opera House. During this time, I trained in classical ballet as well as modern dance every day. I became more and more passionate about it. I really value the opportunity the BA in Contemporary Dance at ZHdK offers so that I can train as a professional dancer and I am really looking forward to the future experiences, learning processes and challenges.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Phoebe Jewitt

  • I have been passionate about ballet since I was a child. I want to continue to develop my passion and work for a dance company one day. I want to improve my technique and different styles here in Zurich, which I really love. For dancers, technique is important because it enables them to express their own personality to the full. Here, I will be able to meet people who share this interest and my choice of profession.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Francesca Lapadula

  • Hello, my name is Rozemarijn Louwerse. I come from a small town near Amsterdam. I have been going to dance classes since I was four – first of all at the “Dans en Balletstudio Jolein” ballet studio, then at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague and I spent the last few years at Codarts in Rotterdam. I came to Zurich because ZHdK offers me new international opportunities and challenges. I am looking forward to what the next few years here will bring for me.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Rozemarijn Louwerse

  • Hello. My name is Anna and I come from Pisa (I). I studied dance in Livorno at AED, which is linked to Codarts and ZHdK. After visiting Zurich for a week, I decided on this university – especially because I really liked the teachers and the programme really appeals to me. I can learn a lot of different things here and I can expand on my knowledge of dance so that I can become a stage dancer.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Anna Manetti

  • My name is Lara and I come from Zurich. I took my first dance class when I was four. I started with ballet; later on, I also went to the Zurich Dance Academy and completed the basic training there. After that, I spent two years at the Zurich Dance and Theatre School (ZTTS). This is when I discovered my passion for contemporary dance. It was clear to me that I wanted to complete further training with a focus on contemporary dance. The Contemporary Dance course at ZHdK is the right programme for me, as I can benefit from the diversity of teachers and choreographers here.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Lara Müller

  • My name is Sofie and I come from Soest (NL). I have been dancing for as long as I can remember. When I was 11, I went to the National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam and switched to a preparatory dance training course at ArtEZ in Venlo when I was 14. The BA in Contemporary Dance at ZHdK is exactly what I was looking for.  Not just because it has lots of fantastic lecturers, but also because of the large numbers of renowned guest choreographers who work with us.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Sofie Oldenboom

  • Hi, my name is Anna Pesetti and I come from Italy. I studied for two years at AED in Livorno; it was a preparatory course which enabled me to spend time at ZHdK last year. The programme impressed me because of the fantastic structure and teachers, as I want to become a professional stage dancer. I feel this is the right programme for this.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Anna Pesetti

  • My name is Tanaka. I was born in Zimbabwe in 1996. I want to become a professional dancer with a good sense of rhythm, a distinct feeling for music and the ability to express myself creatively through my physical movements. I am determined to do what it takes and take risks to achieve greatness. The scholarship from the Ambrosoli Foundation is supporting me in this.

  • My name is Gloria and I come from Italy. I have been dancing for as long as I can remember – I started with contemporary dance; ballet came later. My relationship with dance has changed over the years. This course allows me to pursue my passion while working with people who share the same passion. It will also enable me to start working as a professional. I am not only thinking about the necessary technical skills here, I am also referring to the artistic diversity that is being taught.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Gloria Tonello

  • I come from Prinsenbeek, a small village in the Netherlands. I started dancing when I was six; I started with ballet and then I was introduced to other dance styles and soon realized that I wanted to be a professional contemporary dancer. This is why I decided to do the preparatory training course in Rotterdam. While I was there, my passion kept growing like an addiction; the more I did, the more I wanted. Studying contemporary dance at ZHdK offers me the opportunity to develop even further; I think it will enable me to start working as a professional.

    [Translate to English:] Foto von Suzanne Vis