Ihsan Rustem

For me personally, the Prix is one of a kind and offers a unique opportunity and springboard for these young talents, within a healthy and open atmosphere. Every participant is observed and coached by an esteemed group of professionals and exposed to so many new qualities, adding a rich layer to the development of their potential.
It is a great honour to join the Jury of the Prix de Lausanne, especially during this current climate in which so many cultural opportunities are being lost. I have great respect for the values in which the Prix represent and the format of the week. I am truly inspired by the next generation of dancers and look very much forward to contributing here, at such a pivotal moment of their journeys.

Zurich-based British Choreographer Ihsan Rustem is the Resident Choreographer for the NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon USA, where he has created nine works for the company since 2010.

Further works include commissions for the Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, National Ballet of Chile, Ballet Moscow, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2,Istanbul State Ballet MDT, Tanz Luzerner Theater, Konzert Theater Bern, Ballett Augsburg, Kazan State Opera and Ballet, Whim W’Him Seattle, Koblenz Ballet, Ballet Regensburg, Thüringer Staatsballett, Siberian State Ballet, Salt Contemporary Dance USA, Arts Umbrella Dance Company Vancouver, amongst others. He was a featured choreographer for Russia’s popular TV show ‘The Bolshoi Ballet’.

Rustem was the winner of the 2012 Sadler’s Wells Global Dance Contest as well as the Public Prize at the 25th International Competition for Choreographers Hannover, Dance Magazine‘s 2017 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Collaboration and the 2014 recipient of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s International Commissioning Project.

From 2000-2014 Ihsan Rustem was a dancer with the Ballet Theater Munich, Introdans, State Theater Bern Ballet, TanzLuzerner Theater and Adventures in Motion Pictures. He originated roles in creations by Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Matthew Bourne, Stijn Celis, Patrick Delcroix, Cayetano Soto, Felix Landerer, Cathy Marston and worked with choreographers Mats Ek, Jiri Kylián, Paul Lightfoot / Sol Leon, Hans van Manen and William Forsythe, amongst others.

In 2020, together with Cathy Marston, Ihsan set up Cie. La Ronde – a Swiss based dance company which will have its inaugural performances in 2022.

He is the former Artistic Director of the Dance Art Studio Ballettschule Luzern.

Further info www.ihsanrustem.com