The School of Visual Theater - staff

Yoga instructor and literature scholar

Graduated the Wingate Institute program for Yoga teachers in the Vijenana method, under the guidance of Orit San Gopta. Has studied Sanskrit, Indian philosophy and literature in the Hebrew University and in southern India. Is also engaged in Victorian and modernist English literature studies.

A Graduate at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem; completed her Master and PhD at the Theater Arts Department, Tel-Aviv University; teaches at both Universities. Her research deals with theoretical and conceptual thought on art, theatre and performance art, focusing on aesthetic and ideological aspects of meta-language and the concept of artistic void. Her teaching expertise includes plays and performance analysis, meeting points between contemporary theories and theater, cinematic expressions of theater and the role of the viewer. Her PhD was titled: "Disbelief for the Moment: The Problematics of Aesthetic-Theatrical Illusion and its Breaking". She also published articles on different topics, including on reception models, the concept of delusion, the functions of an empty space, theatrum mundi, dual aspects in Brecht's thought, the director Robert Wilson, the dramatic image of the Golem, the director Ruth Kanner, and the Zik Group.

A Graduate at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem; completed her Master and PhD at the Theater Arts Department, Tel-Aviv University; teaches at both Universities. Her research deals with theoretical and conceptual thought on art, theatre and performance art, focusing on aesthetic and ideological aspects of meta-language and the concept of artistic void. Her teaching expertise includes plays and performance analysis, meeting points between contemporary theories and theater, cinematic expressions of theater and the role of the viewer. Her PhD was titled: "Disbelief for the Moment: The Problematics of Aesthetic-Theatrical Illusion and its Breaking". She also published articles on different topics, including on reception models, the concept of delusion, the functions of an empty space, theatrum mundi, dual aspects in Brecht's thought, the director Robert Wilson, the dramatic image of the Golem, the director Ruth Kanner, and the Zik Group.

Teaches at the Theatre Department in Tel Aviv University and at the School of Visual Theatre in Jerusalem. Holds a Ph.D. (with distinction) in Theatre Studies from Tel Aviv University, and an M.A. from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Winner of the Dan David Prize Scholarship for the academic year 2005-2006, for the Present Time Dimension in the Field of Performing Arts. His fields of interest and research include twentieth-century performance (avant-garde theatre, performance art and postmodern performance practice), political theatre, critical theory and theories of self and subjectivity.

Gabi Kricheli a.k.a Gabi LALA, musican and artist, live and work in Tel-Aviv.

Director and musician. Has taught at the Ecole de beaux arts in France and at Central Saint Martins College in London. Recently he has been working as director-creator, performer and sound and space designer in performance works and experimental theater in Israel and in England. Among his works as director and writer: Hotel Metuselah, A Pipe Dream, Home Haunted, Well Tempered, Buffa (jointly written with Pete Brooks). Participated in Ensemble 209 with Tamar Raban in "The Second Law of Thermodynamics" and "Grandma Stories". In recent years he has taught at the School of Visual Theater, Jerusalem, at Shenkar College, and at Central Saint Martins College.

Graduate of the New York Lee Strasberg Acting School. Further studies in movement theater workshops and various acting techniques. Holds a Bachelor's degree in film from the New School University. Acted, directed and produced on New York stages, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway, among others in the New York Fringe Festival, the Richard Forman Festival and independent productions. Was member of the New Directions Theatre group. Currently working towards his Doctorate in the Tel Aviv University Theater Department.

B.A. and M.A. (summa cum laude) from the inter-disciplinary arts program at Tel Aviv University. Devoted her studies to researching the theory and aesthetics of the art of dance, specializing in Spanish dance and culture. Presented her MA thesis on the subject: "The Representations of the Spanish Dancer in the Classical Ballet of the Nineteenth Century". Lectures regularly on the art of Flamenco at various academic institutions. Flamenco dancer and teacher. Studied with the best teachers in Spain and continues to expand both locally and abroad in courses and workshops. Performs as a dancer in the "Ritmo" Flamenco company with choreographer Shiri Wild, and as a soloist with guitar-artist, Baldi Olier.

MA in Philosophy and MFA in Theater Directing, Tel-Aviv University. Directs, is currently involved in several theater projects, and writing his dissertation on dramatic dialectics and its application as a reading-method of philosophical texts. Teaches theater and philosophy in various institutions

Video, animation and commix artist, as well as illustration, photography, editing and post production. Graduate of the animation department at the Bezal'el Academy of Art and design, 2006. Sharet Foundation Scholar in animation, 2006. His first project "Circles", a short experimental animation film, won a prize at the Re Stick International Animation Festival in the US. Participated in several international film and animation festivals, most prominently at Annecy, France.

Stage designer, M.A from the Theatre design department at Tel-Aviv University. Teaches at Shenkar College and at the school for Visual Theatre since 2002. Has designed for theater productions in Israel and abroad. Among her productions; "Anna Karenina", "Beloved and Pleasant", "Black Box" (at the National Theatre ‘Habimah’), "pangs of the Messiah" (at Theatre J Washington D.C.),"Mike" "Rainman","Mikveh"(at Beit Lessin Theatre).

Graduate of the dance department at Thelma Yellin Arts High School, danced in the Liat Dror and Nir Ben Gal company, graduate of the School of Visual Theater, Jerusalem, and B.Ed. in education for art. Since 2004, has worked as an independent choreographer. Her works have been shown at venues such as the Gevanim Dance Festival, the Ma'abada Theater, A Genre at Tmuna Theater, and Thin Line Project. Currently curating the dance arena at Ha'zira, Jerusalem, and premiered a new joint project with Ha'ma'abada and Curtain Up Festival 2007.

Singer and multi-disciplinary artist. Graduate of the Jerusalem Rubin Academy o Music, vocal department. Specialized in medieval music in France and Italy, and in classical Arabic singing at he Jerusalem School of Eastern Music. Founded and takes part in various ensembles of early and contemporary music. Has performed often in France in the duo "Virga" – a musical-theatrical performance with singer Yael Tai. Has participated as soloist in the disk "Yedid Nefesh (Jewish music from the Sepharadi diaspora) under the French label Alpha; composes and performs works of contemporary composers. Teaches singing and voice discovery in the Werbeck method.

Studied composition and conducting at Catholic University of Argentina. Active in education and art in Argentina, later migrated to Israel in 1980 and has since been teaching music theory at the Jerusalem Institute of Contemporary Music, conducts numerous youth orchestras and chamber music and jazz ensembles. Has participated in international festivals, such as New York and Budapest. In recent years has composed music for films and Israeli television ("Tekuma" dramatic series and several documentary films).

Director and screenplay writer, studied film and television at N.Y.U. and animation at the School of Visual Art in N.Y.; directed documentaries and children shows for Public T.V. Currently directs and writes dramas and independent documentaries. Her Drama "Chalva", which she wrote and directed, won first prize in the short film competition. In the last year wrote and directed the drama "To take a breath" which participated in the Jerusalem film festival 2008. Teaches directing, creative writing, screenplay writing and animation.

Graduate of the Thelma Yellin Arts High School, the School of Visual Theater, Jerusalem and the David Yellin Teachers' College (B.Ed.). Awarded the America-Israel Culture Foundation Prize for outstanding dancer (1995) and choreographer (2001, 2003, 2007), granted the Sonia Grodzensky study scholarship (2003), Jerusalem Mayor Scholarship for the outstanding student (2000). Worked in Israel with various artists such as : Yosi Berg, Anat Danieli dance group, Ronit Ziv, Yael Cramsky, Sheli Gonen, and various choreographers in New York, among them repertoire by Meredith Monk (1999). Since 1999, working as an independent artist; her works have appeared in various festivals in venues such as Suzanne Dellale Center, Tmuna Theater, Khan Theater, The Arab-Hebrew Theater, Ha'zira, Hama'abada, and the Kibbutz Seminar. She has also choreographed for various theater productions at Beit Lessin, the Arab-Jewish Theater – Haifa, and the Acco Festival. Teaches composition, movement, classical ballet, modern dance and repertoire professionally in various venues in Israel, such as the Thelma Yellin High School and the Tel Aviv Municipal Bikurei Ha'itim Center. In 2005, initiated and founded the dancers' union in EMI and is active in its administration.

Puppeteer, has worked in the Train Theater, Jerusalem since 1983; graduate of the Theater Department in Tel Aviv University; studied puppetry with Hadass Ofrat in Israel, and with Philippe Genty and Henk Boerwinkel in France. Roni has written, adapted, designed and performed many solo shows in Israel and abroad; written and directed shows for other performers as well; created a special puppet-work on TV; has taught at the School of Visual Theater since its foundation. Recently wrote a book with Marit Ben Israel about artistic puppetry, which is about to be published soon. Roni is practicing hands-on bodywork.

Ruth Wieder-Magan is best known for her pioneering work integrating sacred Hebrew texts into contemporary music and theater. Her unique approach to the transcendental aspects of voice, text and spatial perception is deeply rooted in Jewish oral tradition. Her innovative work has enriched voice study introducing it as evolving vibrational sculptures, or a kind of scanner of dimensions. 
.Ruth's collaborative research of sacred Hebrew texts has served as a foundation for over ten original contemporary works of music and theatre produced with Theatre Company Jerusalem, of which she is a founding member.
Ruth performs world wide.She has twice been invited By H. H. the Dalai Lamma to represent Jewish Prayer in Festivals of Sacred Music in Bangalore and in New Delhi.
Ruth has initiated a number of collaborations with artists interpreting Sacred Music and Text from all over the world- India  Japan, Korea and Moscow. These collaborations are pioneering a cross cultural understanding of the transcendental and sacred elements in art and are exploring a trans –religious experience through art.

Vocal-dancer, has studied philosophy and English literature in Tel Aviv University, danced in Roni Segal's dance theater in Switzerland, studied with Patricia Bardi (vocal dance), Ruth Zaporah (action theater), taught dance, movement and improvisation techniques in the Kibbutzim Teachers' College Drama School, rhythm and breath in movement at the Tel Aviv University Theater Arts Department, worked on multi-focal approaches to bodymind work with therapists and performers, currently combines vocal, percussion, poetic and movement performance and teaches Combined Techniques at the School of Visual Theater.

Has taught literature, art history and appreciation as well as criticism for many years. Among others, at the pre-academic courses. Bezal'el Academy of Art, Hadasa Institute, Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, and at the Kerem Institutem, Jerusalem. Participated in projects and student exhibitions. Completed graduate studies in Art History at the Hebrew University Jerusalem, and Stage Design at the University of Michigan, US.

Artist, member of the "Zik" performance group. Teaches sculpture and sculpture for the stage at the school since its founding in 1986. Graduate of the Art and Design Department of Bezalel Art Academy.
Participated in group exhibitions of sculpture, one-man shows, and has installed outdoor sculptures in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Was a member of the Dutch performance group Dogtroep for 5 years. In 1985 founded "Zik" performance group together with his peers. "Zik" has won the Minister of Culture Award for 2001, and is active in Israel and abroad. At the same time, he continues his work in sculpture and in architectural project designs.