Sigal Bergman (1966) was born and raised in Israel. She holds a BA in psychology from the Hebrew University, studied dance at the Rubin Academy for Music and Dance Jerusalem, Israel, and at the European Dance Development Center in Arnhem, Holland. In 2002 she became a certified Alexander Technique teacher (ACAT). As a therapist she specializes in breath and voice work. She works extensively as a dancer choreographer teacher and as a therapist, letting those fields feed each other.

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From 1995-2009 Sigal lived in New York City, performing and attending a variety of workshops and classes at Movement Research which have impacted her approach to dance making until today. From her experience in NYC she developed a taste for the ease and complexity of released based dance techniques combined with a deep listening to the subtle nuances of physical expression. For the past nine years she has been practicing Martial Arts learning to transmit the strong force of chi through her body, allowing her to work with forces larger than herself.

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Since moving back to Tel Aviv in 2009, Sigal created choreographies for the stage, site specific work and a number of videos. She is part of the improvisation collective ’Octet’- nine performers who meet regularly to explore large group improvisation structures and dynamics. In recent years her work finds ways to combine her two passions: the Alexander Technique and dance. As a therapist she is skilled in creating change in her patients by combining movement, touch and words into one experience. This combination creates new and surprising connections between the mind and the body expanding the possibilities not only of movement but of thought. In her performative work she aims to do a similar thing by combining words with movement in ways that mine the gap between body and language. At times they both tell the truth, other times the language contrasts or questions the movement exposing the dissonance and possible clash between the physical and mental and between realism and fantasy.

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Sigal received numerous grants to support her choreography including repeated grants from the Pais institute and the Rabinovitch foundation. In 2024 she was awarded the Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship. Since 2019 she is annually supported by the Israeli Ministry of Arts and Culture.

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Sigal taught improvisation for 11 years to people who began dancing late in life, at ‘Hakvutza’ dance school. She teaches composition regularly at the Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance and gives workshops in most major Israeli dance centers.

She is a member of the Independent Choreographers Association in Israel, and for the past two years serves on the Association’s artist advisory committee. From 2015-2019 she took part in Störung/הפרעה, an interdisciplinary project initiated by the Freiburg Theater and choreographer Yasmeen Godder that brought scientists, professional dancers and choreographers together with people with Parkinson’s Disease, to explore human movement and movement disorder. She is part of the steering committee of ‘Moving Community’ a program that developed from Störung/הפרעה. Her most recent work ‘Revert to Manual #2’ is a physical memoir based on her personal experience dealing with her mother’s diagnosis with Parkinson and her own coming to terms with the vulnerability of her body.

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Education

Art of Breathing, certificate in a yearlong advanced Alexander Technique development course, NYC, 2004
Certified Alexander Technique teacher, ACAT, NY, 2002
Classes in Release technique, improvisation and composition, New York City,1995-2001

EDDC -European Dance Development Center, Arenhiem, The Netherlands, 1994

BA in psychology, (cum laude), Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel,1992 The Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance, Jerusalem, Israel, 1992

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Teaching Experience

2019-2023 composition course, media for dance, Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance 2002-2023 Alexander technique teacher, private practice, NYC, Tel Aviv
2010-2019 improvisation teacher for the yearly dance course at Hakvutza in Jaffa, Israel

2007 Alexander Technique for actors, Juilliard school for performing arts, NYC
1999-2008 workshops in improvisation and Alexander Technique, Movement Research, NYC

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Selected Choreography

Heart Scenarios (25 min group piece) | Commissioned by Studio Yasmeen Godder for Moving Communities A mixed group of people with Parkinsons and without | Premier at Mandel Center Gafa, Israel 2024

Revert to Manual #2 (50 min, duet) | Premier at The House Theater, Jaffa, Israel 2002

Nervus vagus (25 min trio) 2021 | Premier at Room Festival, Suzanne Dellal, Tel Aviv, Israel

Red Bitter (15 min interactive performance) 2020 Premier at The Day After festival, House theater, Jaffa

Revert to Manual (50 min, solo) | created though the "artist in residence program" at Kelim Center Premier at Diver festival, Tel Aviv, Israel 2018

Oktet improvisation collective (nine performers collective) |An 9 member improvisation ensemble that meets and performs regularly 2009-2022 Performances include: The Garden a site specific work for playgrounds, Reunion, Intercity a site specific work in a bus station.

Pale Fire (duet) | created though the "artist in residence program" at Kelim Center Premier at Kelim canter, Bat Yam, Israel 2017

Hadassah (10 min, video) | Premier at Freiburg theater, Germany 2015

Losing Ground (25 min, trio) | Premier at Tmuna theater, Tel Aviv, Israel 2013

Backtrack (8:20 min, video) | Premier at Museum On The Seam, Jerusalem, Israel 2012

A Cause Des Garcons (20 min, solo) | Premier at Suzanne Dellal, Tel Aviv, Israel 2011

Circuit (a full evening dance for six dancers) | created though the "artist in residence program" at Movement research 2000-2001 Premier at Washington Square Church, NYC, 2000

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Work as a dancer

Anat Danieli | Soft Temples, 2023, Tel Aviv, Israel
Yasmeen Goder | Simple Action, 2018, Tel Aviv, Israel
Justin Lynch | Middle of Man, 2009, The Kitchen, NYC
Sally Silvers | Dereamsdocometrue, 2004, Danspace Project, NYC
Osmany Tellez | Out, 2005, Danspace ProjectDescending Matter Landing course, 2004 NYC, DTW, NYC
Alejandra Martorell | The Are Not Falling, 2005, P.S. 122, NYC
Anat shamgar | Summer, 2000, Tmuna theater, Tel Aviv, Israel
Linda Austin | Nightwork, 1996 Arts at University Settlement, NYC
Linda Austin | Pig, 1998, Danspace Project, NYC
Deborah Hay | Lamb at the Altar, 1995, Saint Mark's church NYC