Parekh Annemarie

Annemarie Parekh began her dance career with gymnastics and received her first dance lessons from Harald Kreuzberg and Hilde Baumann. Her encounter with the Graham technique with Alain Bernard shaped her further career. In 1963, she went to the renowned Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York and became a soloist in the Yuriko Dance Company.

‍

After returning to Switzerland, Annemarie Parekh dedicated herself to teaching the Graham technique and taught as a guest teacher, including at the SBTG summer courses. She founded the Akar Studio and later the Akar Modern Dance Company in Bern, for which she choreographed and developed interdisciplinary projects.

‍

In addition to her artistic work, Annemarie Parekh was also involved in cultural policy for the promotion of dance in Switzerland. She was a member of the board of trustees and dance expert at Pro Helvetia and president of the Swiss Dance Theater (SDT). With her tireless commitment, she has significantly shaped and sustainably promoted the development of modern dance in Switzerland.