Dorothea Rust

Dorothea Rust obtained a business diploma in 1974 and initially encountered gymnastics before studying expressive dance in the tradition of Rudolf von Laban with Elisabeth Oppliger at the Vorbühne in Zurich. She subsequently attended a wide range of courses, including with Eileen Nemeth in Zurich, at the Zurich Opera House, and in somatic practices and voice training. From 1983 to 1991, she lived in New York, where she immersed herself in the postmodern dance scene and performed in Deborah Gladstein's company, among others.

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From 1999 to 2006, she studied fine arts at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and has since worked as a freelance artist, performer, choreographer, and lecturer. She works primarily with live performances, text, and performative interventions, presenting her work in exhibitions, performance festivals, and on music and art stages across Europe, North and South America, and Asia. From 2004 to 2006, she also completed a postgraduate course in Cultural and Gender Studies at the ZHdK.

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Dorothea Rust has received numerous grants and residencies in Switzerland, India, Iceland, and Scotland. In 2007 and 2016, she was awarded the Swiss Performance Art Award. She is a member of performance networks such as PANCH and the GNOM group for new music, and has initiated several platforms and performance series. She teaches at various art schools (ECAV, ZHdK, HKB, FHNW).