Yair Vardi

(1948-2025)

Born in Kibbutz Kfar Blum, Vardi studied dance in his youth in the Tel-Hai Studio with Ariella Peled, in the Dance Company of the Kibbutzim’s ‘Hativat Haichud’ and in local companies.

In 1966, at age 18, he joined Batsheva, initially as an apprentice dancer and then as a company dancer, where he danced for a year until his enlistment in the IDF. After his military service he returned to the company and danced with it from 1971 to 1975. In 1975 he moved to Bat-Dor, and in 1976 he returned to Batsheva for one year.

He danced in Baroque Concerto No. 5 and Moves (1969); Ein Dor, Percussion Concerto (1970); Pace & Step Together, Ebony Concerto, Martha’s Vineyard, Ami-Yam Ami-Ya’ar (Song of My People – Forest People) (1971); Lyric Episodes (1972); Corners (1973); Puppets of Death, Taltela, Errand into the Maze, Diversion of Angels, Dream (1974); The Garden of Kali, Mountain of Spices, The Great Variation, Fantasia, Rainbow Round My Shoulder, Voices (1977). In 1977, Vardi choreographed his first work for Batsheva: the duet As I Wish, which he danced together with Tamar Tzafrir. This choreography won him the Kinor David Award. In 1981, he created the dance Devil People for Batsheva.

In the summer of 1977 Vardi was invited by Christopher Bruce to join the Rambert Dance Company in London as a solo dancer, and he danced there until 1983. During his stay there he danced  with Rudolph Nureyev and with leading choreographers as Christopher Bruce , Lindsay Kemp , Glen Tetley and more . In 1983, he established the Dance City center in Newcastle.

In 1988, he returned to Israel and was appointed the first Director of the Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance and Theater in Tel Aviv. In this capacity, he also acted as the center’s artistic director and organized many international and local festivals, including the Suzanne Dellal International Dance Competition, Children’s Fairytale (Kesem Shel Agada), Only Men Dancing, Two by Two, International Exposure, Tel Aviv Dance, Dance Europa, Hot Dance (Maholohet), and Other Dance (Mahol Aher).

In addition, Vardi serves as artistic consultant for the Karmiel Dance Festival, and has previously served as a consultant for the “Mahol Ba’Mishkan” series, and a member of the Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation and international judging panels.

Vardi headed the Dance School of the Jerusalem Music and Dance Academy in 2004-2012.

In 2019, Vardi partnered with Ohad Naharin in establishing the Batsheva Dance Company’s School.

Vardi won many awards including the ALMA NGO Award for Director of an Art Institute Excelling in Contacts with the Business Community (1997-1998), Gottlieb Performance Arts Award (2003), Tel Aviv Municipality Rosenblum Award (2003), Emet Prize for Culture (2009), Chevallier de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, by the French Government (2009), and the Shield of Honor for exceptional contribution to the exporting of Israeli Culture by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2010, the Suzanne Dellal Center under his management won the Israel Prize. In 2014, he received the Cruz al Mérito Civil from King Felipe VI of Spain, for his contribution to the strengthening and promotion of cultural relations between Spain and Israel.

Yair Vardi died in 2025.