An interview with choreographer Jasmin Vardimon
Credit: Tristram Kenton
An interview with…
Choreographer Jasmine Vardimon
I have always admired Jasmin Vardimon for her cutting-edge approach to performance-making, one that continually challenges audiences politically and invites deep compassion towards the stories of others. Her way of combining powerful storytelling, bold themes, and striking movement has always stuck with me.
Although busy schedules prevented us from having an in-person conversation, I was fortunate enough to connect with Vardimon via email, offering an opportunity to delve deeper into her creative process and discuss her latest production, NOW, that she is presenting at Sadler’s Wells.
Jasmin Vardimon’s latest production, NOW, marks the 25th anniversary of her company by revisiting defining moments from her extensive repertoire; not to dwell nostalgically, but to engage critically and freshly with them through today’s lens. “I started by reflecting on the company repertoire and the moments that left a mark on me,” Vardimon explains. “I wanted to revisit them with a current lens, making them relevant for today. The production is really about re-examining how we experience time, memory, and movement in the present.”
Throughout her career, Vardimon’s creations have consistently challenged and engaged audiences deeply with their provocative immediacy and emotional intensity. Her unique style fuses dynamic physicality with theatrical storytelling, often balancing narrative clarity with abstraction. Vardimon describes this intersection clearly: “My work has always existed in the gap between the universal and the personal. The subject matters I explore sit within this tension, shaping my artistic practice profoundly.” This approach enables her to tackle timeless and urgent themes like war, border conflicts, social divisions, and the enduring desire for reconciliation and compassion.
Credit: Tristram Kenton
A particularly innovative feature of NOW is its strategic use of technology to alter traditional audience-performer dynamics. Cameras placed throughout the performance space capture multiple perspectives, weaving digital imagery into the live experience. Vardimon emphasizes, “As we live in a digital age, much of the information shaping our viewpoints is mediated by screens.” This digital dimension invites the audience to reconsider perception itself, highlighting how our understanding evolves with context and perspective.
Inside Vardimon’s rehearsal space, the creative process is marked by imagination, collaboration, and experimentation. “Each member of the company brings their own perspective, understanding, and imagination,” she says. “The process of creation is playful, allowing even the most serious subjects to be infused with elements of humour.”
Vardimon’s distinctive choreographic language is deeply informed by her upbringing on a kibbutz in Israel, in an environment steeped in collaborative creativity and politically engaged theatre. Her father’s work directing a politically charged, left-wing venue, which involved co-created performances with Israelis and Palestinians, profoundly influenced her artistic ethos. “I grew up believing that, through theatre and art, we could reveal multiple perspectives, build awareness, and foster understanding toward others,” she reflects. This formative experience has continually inspired her commitment to exploring complex narratives and human dynamics through performance.
NOW, rather than delivering fixed interpretations, actively invites audiences into a shared space of meaning-making. “In the show, we have a moment to celebrate our shared NOW,” Vardimon offers. “I’m curious to know what you will make of it and what you might celebrate with us.” This open-ended invitation perfectly encapsulates the essence of her artistic philosophy, underlining dance as a dynamic, fluid art form in continuous dialogue with its audience and moment.
Credit: Tristram Kenton
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