Born in Tel Aviv to a family of immigrants from Eastern Europe, she started studying classical ballet with Mia Arbatova, and later also modern dance with Rena Gluck, in whose company she also danced. During her military service she continued with her studies and performed in Bimat Mahol (Dance Stage). In 1959, she received a scholarship from Martha Graham and support from the Ministry of Education and travelled to New York to study in Graham’s School as well as in Juilliard. During her years in New York, she studied with the leading teachers of that time, including Louis Horst, Antony Tudor and Margaret Craske, and also performed in the Metropolitan Opera and with Pearl Lang’s company. In 1963 she returned to Israel and joined Anna Sokolow’s Lyric Theater Company for a short period. At the same time, she also started an independent company which performed her works. At the end of that year, she responded favorably to Batsheva Rothschild’s suggestion to return to New York and study dances from Martha Graham’s repertoire in preparation for the founding of the Batsheva Dance Company.
Schenfeld was one of Batsheva’s founding members, and worked with it until 1978. As the years went by, she became a leading dancer in the company, a teacher and choreographer, and also was artistic consultant in different periods. As a dancer, she took part in the following works: Celebrants, Herodiade, Errand into the Maze, The Learning Process, The Pass (1964); The Mythical Hunters, Jephthah’s Daughter, Saraband, Diversion of Angels, Embattled Garden (1965); Psalms, Side Show, Cave of the Heart (1966); Voices of Fire (1967); The Road of the Phoebe Snow, Come and Get the Beauty of It while It’s Hot (1968); Sin Lieth at the Door, Curtains, Moves, Neither Rest Nor Harbor (1969); Percussion Concerto (1970); Voices from a Far Place, Ami-Yam Ami-Ya’ar (Song of My People – Forest People), Transitions (1971); Moon Full, Lyric Episodes , After Eden (1972); Eclipse (1974); The Burning Ground, Monodrama, Trek (1975); Album Leaves, Poems of Ecstasy, Echoes of a Night Sky (1976); The Dybbuk (1977).
Schenfeld choreographed the following dances for Batsheva: Jephthah’s Daughter (1965), Blind Man’s Buff (1967), Curtains (1969), Corners (1973), Elegies (1974).
In 1978, Schenfeld left Batsheva to found the Rina Schenfeld Dance-Theater, which was both a company and a school. She went on to choreograph more than 60 programs for her company and solo performances, staged in Israel and performed worldwide.
Schenfeld won multiple awards and commendations, including Connecticut College 1960 Young Choreographer Award, the Paris International Ballet Competition Gold Medal (1971), three Kinor David Awards (1979, 1980, and 1982), Na’amat Lifetime Achievement Award (1994), the Ministry of Education and Culture’s creativity Prize (1997), Israel Festival of Jerusalem Prize (2000), the Landau Prize for Stage Arts (2001), the EMET Prize for Culture and Art (2003). In 2009, she received an honorary doctorate from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
In 1998, she published her first poetry book, You’ll Dance, I’ll Tumble. Notes for Pina Bausch is her most recent work, staged throughout Israel and worldwide.
Repertoire
-
The Dybbuk
Rina Yerushalmi
1977 -
Album Leaves
Donald McKayle
1976 -
Echoes of a Night Sky
Christopher Bruce
1976 -
Poems of Ecstasy
Anna Sokolow
1976 -
Monodrama
Mirali Sharon
1975 -
Trek
Norman Morrice
1975 -
The Burning Ground
Gene Hill Sagan
1975 -
Eclipse
Robert Cohan
1974 - Load More
-
Elegies
Rina Schenfeld
1974 -
Corners
Rina Schenfeld
1973 -
In Memory of No. 52436
Anna Sokolow
1973 -
Lyric Episodes
Mirali Sharon
1972 -
After Eden
John Butler
1972 -
Song of My People Ami-Yam Ami-Ya’ar (Song of My People-Forest People-Sea)
John Cranko
1971 -
Voices from a Far Place
Brian McDonald
1971 -
Transitions
Mirali Sharon
1971 -
Percussion Concerto
Norman Morrice
1970 -
Moves
Jerome Robbins
1969 -
Sin Lieth at the Door
Moshe Efrati
1969 -
Curtains
Rina Schenfeld
1969 -
Neither Rest Nor Harbor
Sophie Maslow
1969 -
The Road of the Phoebe Snow
Talley Beatty
1968 -
Come and Get the Beauty of It while It’s Hot
Talley Beatty
1968 -
Voices of Fire
Pearl Lang
1967 -
Blind Man’s Buff
Rina Schenfeld
1967 -
Cave of the Heart
Martha Graham
1966 -
Psalms
Glen Tetley
1966 -
Side Show
Norman Morrice
1966 -
The Mythical Hunters
Glen Tetley
1965 -
Jephthah’s Daughter
Rina Schenfeld
1965 -
Embattled Garden
Martha Graham
1965 -
Saraband (from
1965 -
Diversion of Angels
Martha Graham
1965 -
The Pass (A rehearsal of Evil)
Robert Cohan
1964 -
The Learning Process
Martha Graham
1964 -
Herodiade
Martha Graham
1964 -
Celebrants
Robert Cohan
1964 -
Errand into the Maze
Martha Graham
1964
Photos
-
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rahamim Ron ,Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rahamim Ron ,Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Roger Briant, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David and the company | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
In the center: Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Center: Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Center: Nurit Stern, Right: Hugh Appet, Gabi Barr, Yair Lee, Ehud Ben David, Eve Walstrum, Rina Schenfeld, Esther Nadler, Robert Pomper, Yael Lavy, Yair Vardi, Laurie Freedman, Rahamim Ron | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Yair Vardi | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Yair Vardi | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David, John Jones | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Pamela Sharni, Esther Nadler, Rina Schenfeld, Yacov Sharir, Yona Koch | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Linda Hodes, Yael Lavy, Moshe Efrati, Dalia Dvir, Tselila Goldstein | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Yael Lavy, Dalia Dvir, Laurie Freedman, Tselila Goldstein | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld with seamstress Jehudith Levy | Photographer unknown -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Ruth Lerman, Moshe Romano, Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld and the company | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld and the company | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld and the comapny | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld and the company | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Linda Hodes | Photographer Unknown -
Moshe Efrati, Rina Schenfeld, Rahamim Ron | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Alex Benraf -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Rena Gluck | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Galia Gat, Ehud Ben David, Linda Hodes, Moshe Efrati, Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Romano | Photo: Alex Benraf -
Left: Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Yacov Agor -
Ruth Lerman, Rina Schenfeld, Danny Binstead, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David, Gideon Avrahami | Photo: Yacov Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rena Gluck, Rina Schenfeld, Yacov Sharir, Moshe Romano, Rahamim Ron, Gideon Avrahami | Photo: Alex Benraf -
Ehud Ben David, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Moshe Efrati, Galia Gat, Rina Schenfeld | Photographer Unknown -
Galia Gat, Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photographer Unknown -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Galia Gat | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Derek Linton, Esther Nadler | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Galia Gat, Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Galia Gat, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Galia Gat, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Linda Hodes, Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Galia Gat, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati, Ehud Ben David, Rina Schenfeld | Photographer Unknown -
Rahamim Ron, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Ehud Ben David, Rina Schenfeld | Photo:Mula Eshet -
Ehud Ben David, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David, Galia Gat | Photo: Brian G. Long -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David, Linda Hodes, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati, Galia Gat, Ehud Ben David | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Ehud Ben David, Galia Gat, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Linda Hodes, Ehud Ben David, Moshe Efrati, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Robert Cohan, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Arik Dichne -
Oshra Elkayam Ronen, Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Arik Dichne -
Rina Schenfeld, Oshra Elkayam Ronen | Photo: Arik Dichne -
Rina Schenfeld, Ruth Lerman, Ahuva Anbari, Rena Gluck, Galia Gat, Oshra Elkayam Ronen | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Judith Wahl, Galia Gat, Rina Schenfeld, Oshra Elkayam Ronen, Ahuva Anbari, Rena Gluck | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rena Gluck, Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld, Yair Vardi | Photo: Jacob Agor -
Rina Schenfeld, Moshe Efrati | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Mula Eshet -
Rina Schenfeld | Photo: Jacob Agor
Films & Audio
-
Curtains / Rina Schenfeld (00:00-3:10), Voices from a Far Place / Brian McDonald (3:11-6:44), The Pass (A rehearsal of Evil) / Robert Cohan (6:45-10:26)