Teachers

Dance Teachers

Christina Gehrig

Creative Expression,  Improvisation & Composition

"I wish that our taZ students discover their creative potential through improvisation, with joy, passion and curiosity. That they find their personal language in dance and are able to assert themselves in the world as strong artists."

Nationality Switzerland
Education
Dance/dance education/ choreography, Codarts Rotterdam
Engagements
Dancer and performer at various international productions, among them: Swiss + sexy, Oona Project, Theaterhaus Gessnerallee Zurich; Streamextreme, Hideto Heshiki – Tanzhaus Zurich; Heaven, Tin Box Company Arhus, Kopenhagen
Choreographer for various international productions, among them: LessMess, Tanzhaus Zurich/ Machol Shalem Festival Jerusalem/Tel Aviv; Tiefenrausch, Lantaren Fenster, Rotterdam, Tour in NL; Peninsulae,Theater Korzo Den Haag
Scholarships & Awards
Cultural award, div. Dance, City of Zurich, 2008; artist laboratory CH & NRW, Dusseldorf, 2004; Choreographer at SiWiC Zurich, 2003; Dutch Award of the Prince-Bernhard Fonds, 2000    
Further experience
Guest lecturer, ZHdK Zurich; ance educator at various national and international institutions; co-founder, «Echt stark» dance projects for the Schule/Schule & Kultur Zürich/Schukulu Luzern; dance education team, dance festival “Steps”
At taZ since 2009

Christina Gehrig

Tina Goldin

Classical Dance, Pointe Dance, Repertoire

"It is my goal in life to pass on my own knowledge and experiences. I hope to be a role model for our students, perhaps also give them some orientation for their future lives."

Nationality Russia
Education
Perm Opera Ballet Theater, Russia
Moscow State Academy of Choreography, diploma as ballet master and instructor
Engagements / Positions
Dancer:
Tscheljabinsk Opera House, Russia
Ballett Yevgeny Panfilov, Perm, Russia
Israel Ballett, Tel Aviv
Stadt Theater Bonn (Guest)
Stadt Theater Trier
Ballet instructor:
State Ballet School, Perm, Russia
Methodical coaching for instructors, seminars in Italy and Israel.
At taZ since 2007

Image: portrait of Tina Goldin

Gabor Kapin

Classical Dance, Variations and Pas de deux

Arlette Kunz

Contemporary Dance, Graham, Improvisation

«I would like to show our students, that each movement always has to spring from a strong inner motivation. Dancer personalities need a clear focus paired with curiosity, passion, courage and resilience. »

Nationality Switzerland
Education
CH-Tanztheater Zurich
London Contemporary Dance School
Engagements / Jobs
CH-Tanztheater Zurich
Arc Dance Company London
Ventura Dance Company, London, Madrid, Zurich
Other experience
Project management, Ventura Dance Company
Costume design, Ventura Dance Company
Artistic director, GAB, ABO, K&S JP & OC / Tanzwerk 101
At taZ since 2003

Arlette Kunz

Roberta Martins

Classical Dance, Pointe Dance, Classical Repertoire

“Everything our students learn will be the base for their future as a dancer and as a person. I want to inspire them to cherish every moment spent dancing.”

Nationality Brasil
Education
Ballet School Opera Leipzig
Engagements
Leipzig Ballet; Soloist Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe; Soloist National Ballet of Portugal; Soloist Ballet Zurich; Principal guest artist West Australian Ballet
Choreography
Ballet Zurich, «Romance für Alice Herz-Sommer»
Zurich Dance Academy, «G‘s Joy»
Zurich Dance Academy, « Symphony »
Zurich Dance Academy, « Shadow Dance»
Accomplishments
Stipend, Royal Academy of Dance, Winter Course
Stipend, Leipzig Ballet School
Bronze, V International Wettbewerb Brasil
2019 Preparation of two prize-winners for the Prix de Lausanne
At taZ since 2015

Roberta Martins

Lorenzo Rufo

Contemporary Dance

Àkos Sebestyén

Classical Dance, Pas de deus, Repertoire, Body Conditioning, preparation for competitions

“Through dance, I have experienced many beautiful moments – on and off-stage. I hope to pass on this passion for dance to my students.”

Nationality Hungary
Education
Hungarian State Ballet School
Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg
Master of Advanced Studies in Dance Education, focus on Classical Ballet, ZHdK Zurich
Engagements / Jobs
Györi Ballet
State Opera Vienna
Soloist, Ballett Zurich
Accomplishments
Scholarship, Vaganova Ballet Academy, 1991
Choreograph, “Feelings” for the Young Choreographers, Zurich Opera House
Choreograph, taZ summer performance “fussspuren” – “Und dann und wann eine Lilie weiss ...”
Jury member and guest instructor at various competitions, companies, and schools.
At taZ since 2009

Picture: Portrait of Akos Sebestyen

Lawrence Rigg

Classical dance, Variations, Pas de Deux

«I aim to inspire dancers to find their own voice through confident technique, nurturing curiosity, resilience, and a hunger for learning, while always celebrating the joy and fun of dance.»

Nationality British
Education
Middlesex University - Bachelor of Art (Honours)
The Royal Ballet School – Diploma of Dance Teaching
The Royal Ballet School – Diploma of Dance (Honours)
Professional Engagements
Teacher
Conservatoire Populaire de Genève – Ballet Teacher and Administrator, Dance Department
Ballettschule Theater Basel – Ballet Teacher
L’Association pour la Formation des Jeunes Danseurs, Lausanne – Ballet Teacher
Dancer
Béjart Ballet Lausanne – First Soloist
Victor Ullate Ballet, Madrid – Soloist
Ballet du Capitole, Toulouse – Demi-Soloist
Zurich Ballet – Corps de Ballet
Further Experience
Selected to participate in Positioning Ballet: Future Leaders Conference, hosted by Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam 2025
Member of the Executive Committee, Danse Transition Association
Guest Teacher with leading companies and institutions, including The Royal Ballet Company & School, San Francisco Ballet, English National Ballet, and Conservatoire Supérieur de Danse, Paris
At taZ since 2025

Lawrence Rigg

Risa Yajima-Boisnon

Classical Dance, Pointe Dance, Repertoire

"I would like to teach to my students the classical step material and its meaning. Once they know these basics by heart, they will gain so much freedom for their personal artistic development. "

Nationality German
Education
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, Cologne
Royal Ballet School London
Ballettschule des Hamburg Ballett
Dance Education, Nachdiplom FH, Classical Dance, Zurich
Master of Advanced Studies ZFH in Dance Education, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
Engagements
Theater Bonn
Deutsche Oper am Rhein
Royal Ballet of Flanders
Solistin, Ballett der Sächsischen Staatsoper Dresden
Leipzig Ballet
Zurich Ballet 
Further experience
Guest instructor at various companies, schools and courses
2010 preparation, Prix de Lausanne
Guest ballet master for Alexei Ratmansky`s Rekonstruktion Schwanensee (students)
At taZ since 2022

Image: Portrait of Risa Yajima-Boisnon

Theory Teachers

Stefanie Fischer

Dance History

Roman Glaser

Music History, Music Theory

„I am very passionate about what I teach. I would like to share this passion with my students. I  instill in them a curiosity and encourage them to have a positive work attitude. 

Nationality Switzerland
Education
Studies in Music and German, Zurich University
St. Gallen Jazz School
Further studies, flute, with Alexandre Magnin, Conservatorium Zurich
Engagements
International performances across Europe and the United States as a flautist.
Written music for various ensembles, incl. string quartet, choir, chamber music and orchestra.
Collaboration with various choreographers and film directors.
Writes and produces music for contemporary dance and theatre and film.
Other experience
Cultural assignments, such as workshops for families at the Zurich Opera House; performances specifically for a young audience; artistic collaboration with institutions that work with people with disabilities.
At taZ since 2010

Roman Glaser – teacher of Music Theory at Zurich Dance Academy

Anna Schnyder

Nutrition Education & individual Nutrition Coach

«I want to encourage our students to learn about their nutrition, as well as their physical and mental well-being, so they will be able to enter their professional careers as healthy and confident dancers.”

Nationality Switzerland
Education
Classical stage dancer, Schweizerische Ballettberufsschule (SBBS); Heinz Bosl-Foundation Munich
Apprenticeship as theater seamstress, Bavarian State Opera, Munich
Costume assistant at various theaters in Germany and Switzerland
Certified Nutrition-Psychological Coach, IKP Zurich
Engagements
Dancer, Bavarian State Opera Munich
Costume design for theater and dance at various theaters as well as independent productions in Germany and Switzerland
At taZ since 2008

Anna Schnyer

Claudia Toggweiler

Vocational studies

"In my vocational classes, I prepare the students to stand on their own two feet, so that the application process and later the everyday work at the theatre will be easier for them."

Nationality Switzerland
Education
Ballet studies, Schweizerische Ballettberufsschule (SBBS), Zurich
Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grâce, Monte-Carlo
Master studies, dance pedagogy (Vaganova method) at Zurich University of the Arts
Master studies, arts management at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Engagements
Ballet junior de Genève
At taZ since 2008

Claudia Toggweiler

Daan van den Akker

Anatomy

«I would like to inspire our students to utilize their knowledge, skills, and experiences to take charge of their own health and to remember that they are inherently strong individuals.”

Nationality 
Netherlands
Education
BA Dance – Royal Conservatory The Hague
BSc (hons) Physiotherapy – European School of Physiotherapy Amsterdam
MSc Epidemiology – London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Professional Experience
Lead Physiotherapist at Hamburg Ballet and the Hamburg Ballet School
At taZ since 2023

[Translate to English:] Daan van den Akker

General education

Lecturers from ABZ (Allgemeine Berufsbildungsschule Zürich)

ABZ lecturers are Rita Madeleine Loewenthal, Gabriela Meier, David Schwaninger and René Pfister.