Hagit Yakira
Førsteamanuensis
Avdeling for jazz, dans, PPU og musikkproduksjon
Bio
AWARD WINNING Israeli choreographer Hagit Yakira founded Hagit Yakira Dance Company in 2007 and has since gone on to tour the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and Israel. So far she has created nine works for my company amongst many other commissioned works for other dance companies and institutions around Europe, Scandinavia and the UK. Besides working with professional dancers she leads performance projects for the community and non-professional dancers as well.
Two of her company works were awarded: first prize for 'Oh Baby' in the 'Kajaani Choreography Competition', Finland 2009, and second prize for 'Somewhere between a self and another' in the 'Burgos New York Choreography Competition' (New Dance Trend Category), Spain 2007.
Alongside her work as a choreographer Hagit is a teacher. She has been developing a personal style and way of teaching and her workshops for professional dancers and the community are constantly in demand around the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and Israel with many dedicated followers. She was employed by Trinity-Laban, The Place (London Contemporary Dance School), Birkbeck University, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Wingate Higher Education Institution Israel. As well as freelancing for many different dance festivals, dance companies and dance institutions around the world.
Hagit received her PhD from Trinity Laban/City University. Her thesis is titled: Relational Autobiographical Choreographies - on a new choreographic practice. These days and alongside her freelance work and her company she is an Associate Professor at the University of Stavanger, Norway and the Pro Dean for research and innovation at the faculty of performing arts. where she teaches improvisation, contact improvisation, contemporary technique and choreography and where she creates new choreographic work with the students. As well as in charge of the EU connection of the performing arts faculty.
Her training commenced at the Music and Dance Academy in Jerusalem, Israel where she gained a BA and a teaching certificate. After qualifying as a Dance Movement Therapist in 2004, she relocated to London where she completed an MA in European Theatre Dance, specialising in choreography (2005). In January 2019 she received my Doctorate degree.
Hagit's work has been commissioned by Sadler's Wells, The Place, Greenwich Dance, Trinity Laban – London, the Respond project, Yorkshire Dance, University of Leeds, Breakfast Creative – Leeds, Dance4 – Nottingham, and supported by Arts Council England and Arts Council Norway.
Hagit's aim is to develop a personal approach, which is based on close collaboration with various artists working within different art forms. In her work she explores different aspects of human relationships, by playing with fiction and reality, emotion and feeling, and by shifting between drama and humour. Her approach in general, as well as to the movement research, is based on autobiography, and different physical exploration of emotions; she is being informed by her background as a dance movement therapist alongside her background as a performer and a choreographer.
Audiences engage with the work because of its empathic nature that draws out the feelings and emotion in the dancers that are identifiable to all. Her warm approach enables her to talk to people through her work in a way that is compassionate and relevant to a wide age rand from diverse background.
