Samuel Wuersten
artistic director of the ZHdK Zurich and Artistic Director Holland Dance Festival
Samuel Wuersten’s life in dance is multifaceted. He enjoyed a diversified career as a contemporary repertory dancer, created self-produced as well as commissioned work as a choreographer and is a sought-after teacher of contemporary dance around the world. He is the artistic and executive director of the renowned Holland Dance Festival, as well as the artistic director of the Bachelor and Master Dance programs at Zurich Arts University in Switzerland, which he helped develop from scratch. For twenty years he was affiliated with Codarts Rotterdam, first as director of its dance programs and later as member of the arts university’s executive board
He regularly serves as a jury member and consultant to various dance and arts organizations. For over a decade, he was the artistic co-director of the Steps International Dance Festival in Switzerland as well as a member of the artistic committee and the official contemporary dance teacher of the Prix de Lausanne. From 2013 to 2018, he has been curating the international CONTEXT festival in Moscow and St Petersburg for the Russian ballerina Diana Vishneva.
Samuel Wuersten was born and raised in Gstaad, Switzerland. He started his dance studies with Michaela Pavlin in Bern and had his formal dance training at the Hamburg Ballet School as well as at Codarts Arts University Rotterdam (formerly Rotterdam Dance Academy). He is currently based in The Netherlands.
