Sharon Took-Zozaya
I'm a choreographer, dancer and physical theatre artist working both indoors and in the landscape. I'm passionate about the transformational power of artistic practices that enrich the lives of audiences, participants and performers, as well as expanding the concept of who can participate in art making. This has led to choreographing, performing and teaching in the USA, in Scotland and abroad across a wide variety of professional, educational and community contexts, working with dancers of all ages in inclusive environments.
Whether alone or in a collaborative group, I often begin movement research with improvisation, writing and drawing in order to access varied dimensions of authentic experience. Exploring fresh perspectives on life, relationships, belonging, and connections with the natural world inspire my curiosity. Whether the work is intended to be lighthearted or serious, my practice is informed by contemporary dance techniques, dance and theatre improvisation, yoga and somatic practices, as well as elements of character, narrative, text and more recently, video.
Based in the Findhorn Ecovillage since 2018, I've increasingly explored live outdoor performances since the first Covid lockdown, as well as producing live and hybrid performances in the Universal Hall. Finding Petunia LittleTree, my latest dance and physical theatre solo, premiered at the Findhorn Bay Festival in 2022, supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, Surge, Citymoves and The Work Room, with in-kind support from Dance North. In 2023 this piece is being presented at the Eden Court's One Touch theatre, Citymove's DanceLive festival and a school in Inverness.
Shadows and Dappled Light, a cross art form work responding to portrait drawings by Randy Klinger accompanied by live improvised music by Quee MacArthur, premiered at Citymoves' DanceLive Festival 2021. In 2019 I danced the Swan and was Assistant Choreographer for Buke of the Howlat at the Findhorn Bay Arts Festival, and also danced in and provided choreographic support for Bloom, a multigenerational piece at the Eden Court's Gala.
In California 2003-2017, several San Francisco Bay Area festivals presented my work: Santa Cruz Fringe Festival, Monterey Dance Fest; Discourses Off the Wall; sjDANCECO ChoreoProject Awards; West Wave Festival; So Wat Now? festival and the Irish Studies Conference at San Jose State University. While in California, I performed my own solo and group choreographies on tour with violinist Randy Cono; at the National Steinbeck Center and on tour; with Santa Cruz Chamber Orchestra; and in Any Gesture Used... at the 418 Project. Performance credits also include works by Nita Little, Gary Bates, Sara Wilbourne, Rudy Perez, Joanna Mendl Shaw and Kally Lloyd Jones.
I currently teach for Dance North, the Eden Court's Engagement programme and independently. To contact me: https://stzebradance.com/
