DANCE/ CHOREOGRAPHY
As a dancer & choreographer, Shai has explored styles from ballet to burlesque, & back! They are trained in Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hiphop, & West African dance styles. Shai spent the summer of 2018 at the American Dance Festival as both an intern and a dancer, training intensively with faculty such as Ramon Flowers, Nia Love, Leah Cox, and Sherone Price.
As a dance teacher, Shai aims to promote joy and inclusivity, as well as emphasizing strong technique and healthy self-image. They hope to boost students flexibility and strength, artistry, and appreciation for movement. Shai has 5 years of experience teaching dance in jazz, tap, ballet, creative movement, hiphop, and contemporary to dancers of all ages.
As a choreographer, Shai enjoys playing with the intersection of theatricality and expression, drawing from a mix of styles. For 3 years, Shai ran a dance company devoted to augmenting the accessibility of ballet to those traditionally marginalized in the field.
Dance / Choreography Reel
WORKS
"How to Train Your Dragon: the Ballet", 2017
Kind words:
In the village of Berk, "twelve days north of Hopeless", lies a young viking who stands out from the rest of his clan. In this whimsical balletic production, choreographed, directed, and designed by Shai Wolf, the classic movie, and John Powell's gorgeous soundtrack are brought to life. "How to Train Your Dragon: the Ballet" is a story of true friendship, unearthing self-trust, and the world-changing magic of following your own path to what only you can know is right.
"Choreographically, the ballet managed to preserve and translate both the humor and touching emotion of the film. For example, the characteristic moment where Toothless’ eyes open as Hiccup stands over him, ready to kill, was instead represented by the two of them catching eye contact mid-dance with startling tension.
The dancers, who of course never spoke, attacked all of their movements with theatricality and expression. There were vikings with furry stoles and weapons, and dragons flapping in glittery leotards — needless to say, it was a lively ensemble."
- The Oberlin Review
"Corps", 2017
A quasi-balletic conversation between injury, gender, and existential angst
"Eclectic Nutcracker", 2016
A genderbent Clara and Nutcracker dance their way through a disco party, tap dancing soldiers, violin playing albino squirells, and a Mother Ginger on stilts! The Nutcracker like you've never seen before.
"Sleeping Beauty: Reimagined", 2016
A sapphic, alt-rock balletic retelling of the classic sleeping beauty story.