LLOYD MAYOR (NYC)
Graham-Technique and Repertory
Former soloist with the Martha Graham Company in New York City.
Co-president of the Clive Barnes Foundation.
summerdance
summerdance is a specialized talent development program for dancers ages 12 and up, aimed at students in arts & sports programs or in pre-professional training who practice at least 10 classes per week. The week-long program will take place from August 10-16, 2025, at the dance studios of the Zurich University of the Arts, in cooperation with BA Contemporary Dance, ZHdK. summerdance will thus become a platform for talent development in dance, linking to the Talentscouting Days and building a bridge to professional dance education.
As the date for summerdance is outside school vacations in some cantons, you may contact Danse Suisse to get a dispensation from school lessons.
Registration opens on March 2nd! (see below)
Attention: The number of participants is limited; registrations will be considered in the order of receipt.
The course fee is due upon registration.
The deadline for applications is 1 June 2025.
Refund of course fees:
No course fees can be refunded. In exceptional cases such as illness or accident, a medical certificate must be presented.
A processing fee of CHF 150 will be charged.
Participants from outside of Zurich have the possibility to stay overnight at the Wollishofen Youth Hostel in Zurich. The participants will be accompanied by a team of caretakers for the entire duration of the course.
Contact: summerdance@dansesuisse.ch
Gifted dance talents aged 15-21 from the tri-national region around Basel have the opportunity to apply for financial support from the "Marianne Forster Memorial Tanzförderverein" (MFMT) with regard to participation fees. For more information, please visit www.tanz-mfmt.ch.
Please read the document → SD Conditions carefully before registering!
Our teachers
SALOMÉ MARTINS (CH/PT)
Contemporary and repertoire
Salomé Martins, dancer and choreographic assistant for dance & art Königsfelden, as well as coordinator of the residency centre tanz+ in Baden, sponsored by the association Tanz & Kunst Königsfelden.
FILIPE PORTUGAL (CH/PT)
Choreography and repertoire
Filipe Portugal, former soloist with the Zurich Ballet, choreographer and artistic director of Tanz & Kunst Königsfelden.
GALINA GRIGORYAN-MIHAYLOVA (BG/CH)
Ballet and pointe
Galina Grigoryan Mihaylova, principal dancer at Zurich Opera House from 2007 to 2019, ballet teacher at the Ballet School for Zurich Opera House.
ARMAN GRIGORYAN (AM/CH)
Ballet for boys
Arman Grigoryan: former soloist with the Zurich Ballet and Berlin State Opera, dance teacher and rehearsal director at BA Contemporary Dance at ZHdK.
STEPHANE KINGUE (CH)
Hip Hop/ Street Dance
Active in the Swiss hip-hop scene for over 20 years. Has taken part in and won numerous national and international battles. Judge at various events.
DAAN VAN DEN AKKER (NL/CH)
Body Conditioning
Daan van den Akker, physiotherapist and epidemiologist, member of the health team at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). Former ballet dancer.
ROBERT ASHBY (NYC)
Pianist
Robert was a pianist for the American Ballet Theatre (NYC), the Broadway Dance Center (NYC) and with Marika Besobrasova in Monte Carlo. He worked as an accompanist at the Zurich Dance Academy (taZ) of the Zurich University of the Arts and has been a member of the Danse Suisse team for summerdance and the Talent Scouting Days for many years.
FLORIN FARCAS (ROU)
Pianist
Florin has been a pianist at the Zurich Dance Academy since 2010 and has also been an accompanist for the Ballet Basel. He has been a member of the Danse Suisse team for summerdance for many years.