BIOGRAPHY
Cassandra Clarke is a dance artist from Zürich of Swiss-Jamaican descent. She could never sit still as a child, and on her fourth birthday, after blowing out her candles, she said, “Now I want to start dancing!” She began with classical ballet at the age of four, trained at various ballet schools, and later received her EFZ Diploma Bühnentänzerin at Ballettschule Theater Basel. In 2023, she began her studies at ZHdK, transitioning into contemporary dance.
- Date of birth: 9 June 2004
- Height (in cm): 166
- Languages: German, English
CONTACT
- cassandra.clarke@gmx.ch
- https://www.cassandraclarke.com
- https://www.instagram.com/cassie.clarke_
DANCE EXPERIENCE
2025-2026
- Internship with Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, “Anima Obscura” by Nanine Linning, toured across The Netherlands & internationally
- “Waxes” by Sarah Baltzinger and Isaiah Wilson
ZhdK Shows at Gessnerallee, Zürich
2025
- Excerpt of “Dive” by Edouard Hue
- “Almost Home” by Antonin Rioche
2024
- “Where is Mike?” by Nadav Zelner
- “Lust” by Caroline Finn
- “We live in a Society” by Lida Doumouliaka
- “Siren Song” by Phoebe Jewitt
2023
- “Hesitation” by Antonio Ruz
- “Know Hope” by Dor Mamalia
“In Motion”, Video-Project with ZhdK Film Students
Kurtheater Baden: Project “Origami” by Christina Szegedi
FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS
Bühnentänzerin EFZ, Ballettschule Theater Basel
DIPLOMA PROJECT / THESIS
- Project title: Dear Inner Child
- Description: “Dear Inner Child” is a personal video work reflecting on my connection to dance and my inner child. It is inspired by early ballet memories, moments filled with freedom, imagination, and confidence, before comparison or overthinking became part of it.
The work explores how this feeling can fade over time, and how it can be rediscovered through reflection and movement. It is a reminder to stay present, grateful, and to see the positive side of things, especially in moments of pressure or comparison. At its core, it returns to the simple joy of dancing, which continues to shape me as an artist today.
The video combines contemporary dance with AI-supported visual storytelling. Childhood footage is transformed into an on-screen avatar, bringing past and present versions of myself together in a shared, dreamlike space. AI-generated imagery adds a playful visual layer and supports the narrative, while the focus remains on emotion and dance.
- Choreographer / Copyright: Cassandra Clarke
- Additional Persons / Contributors: Directed by: Cassandra Clarke / Dancer: Cassandra Clarke / DOP: Sylvan Steiner / Edited by: Sylvan Steiner / Music by: Michael Kiwanuka “Cold Little Heart”
Q&A WITH CASSANDRA CLARKE
What does dance mean to you?
- Movement brings me inner peace and a sense of freedom, allowing me to truly connect with myself and process different emotions. Sharing energy with other dancers inspires me deeply, it feels like one of the purest and most honest connections we can experience, and I truly cherish those moments.
What memory will you take with you from your time at ZHdK?
- Having the chance to meet such incredible people and grow together as artists has been truly meaningful. I’m grateful to have shared this journey with my peers. These three years at ZhdK have broadened my perspective, allowed me to explore many ways of moving, and helped define what I want as an artist, something I truly value.
Which work or choreographer particularly inspires you, and why?
- “Cathedral” by Marcos Morau was deeply inspiring to watch, the scenery, movement quality, and underlying message made it especially powerful and touching for me. I would also love the opportunity to work one day with choreographers such as Sharon Eyal, Ohad Naharin, and Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal, among many others.