Gideon
Oborzanek

Benois de la Danse nominee

Gideon Obarzanek studied at the Australian Ballet School and, after graduating in 1987, danced with the Queensland Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company. He has choreographed for Australian companies, the Sydney Dance Company, the Australian Ballet, the West Australian Ballet and Tasdance. His internationaql choreographic credita include commissions for Graz Opera Ballet (Austria), Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (Israel), Nederlands Dans Theater (Holland)and the Repertory Dance Theatre (USA).

In 1995 Gideon Obarzanek founded Chunky Move, and took on the role as Artistic Director. Since then, Chunky Move has secured its position as the leading Australian contemporary dance company.

In 1994 Gideon Obarzanek was awarded the Sir Robert Helpmann Scholarship by the New South Wales Ministry of Arts. In 1996, he received the Prime Minister's Young Creative Fellowship and, in 1997, his choreography for “Bonehead“ was nominated for Russia's Benois de la Dance Prize. „Bonehead” also gained Gideon the 1999 Mo Award for Best Male Dancer — Choreography.