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
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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
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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
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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
Soloist at: Leipzig Ballet; Volkstheater Rostock; Anhaltisches Theater Dessau; Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe; National Ballet of Portugal; Ballet Zurich; West Australian Ballet
Choreography
Ballet Zurich, «Romance für Alice Herz-Sommer»
Accomplishments
Stipend, Royal Academy of Dance, Winter Course
Stipend, Leipzig Ballet School
Bronze, V International Wettbewerb Brasil
At taZ since 2015

Roberta Martins
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Christopher Powney

Teacher in residence until summer 2025
Classical Dance, Variations, Pas de Deux

“I look forward to returning to the studio and to teach a new generation of talented students from the ZHdK, working with them to build strong foundations technically and artistically. My hope is to ignite their curiosity in the learning process, encouraging them as confident, versatile artists ready for the profession.”

Nationality
British
Education
Alumni, Windsor Leadership Programme 
Harvard Leadership (short course) 
Diploma in Dance, Middlesex University 
Diploma in Professional Dance teaching, The Royal Ballet School 
Engagements / Jobs
Artistic Director & CEO, The Royal Ballet School, London
Artistic Director, Nationale Ballet Academie, Amsterdam 
Artistic Director, Dutch National Ballet Academy, Netherlands
Graduate Teacher, Royal Conservatoire, Netherlands
Teacher, The Royal Ballet Upper School, United Kingdom
Assistant Artistic Director, Central School of Ballet’s graduate touring company
Accomplishments
Co-founded The Dutch National Ballet Junior Company 
Managed the Dutch National Ballet Academy into the Prix de Lausanne Partnership programme
Launched the inaugural aDvANCE conference, bringing together international directors to address dance cultural challenges 
Olivier Award, shared with dancers of Rambert Dance Company
At taZ 
for the school year 2024/2025

Christopher Powney
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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
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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
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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