We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gion Treichler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gion below.

Gion , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started dancing as a child but started taking it seriously at around 11 when I began my pre-professional dance training at Zurich Dance Academy (taz). I completed the basics study program and furthered my dance training at the Ballet School of the Opera House Zurich. This is where I first fell in love with contemporary and modern dance.
This then led me on to Zurich University of the Arts where I did a BFA in contemporary dance.
The program there was really laid out to resemble the daily life of a professional dancer in and to prepare you for this very demanding career.

I think having even more of exposure to various dance styles at an earlier stage might have been helpful to become a more versatile dancer quicker.
I think above all skills a dancer needs to have, discipline and determination are the most important.
It is a very hard career to pursue and there is a lot of competition too. So one really has to want it, and I think my best skill was determination not to give up when things get tough and also to have good discipline to show up every day even when there are times when it feels like taking steps backward.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My Name is Gion Treichler and I am originally from Zurich, Switzerland. I am a professional dancer and currently reside in New York City USA where I dance and work for different dance companies.

I started dancing classical Ballet at around 7 years old and knew pretty much back then that this is what I wanted to do. I have always loved dancing and the dance world. As I said, I started off training in Classical Ballet as a lot of dancers do. Before different styles were added and before I discovered contemporary dance.

During my studies at Zurich University of the Arts, I got introduced to the Graham technique by Martha Graham and fell in love with it. It was the first time I really danced in classically modern dance and really enjoyed it. In 2021 I had a chance to audition for Martha Graham Dance’s second company, Graham 2. I danced at Graham 2 for two years.
I got in and first moved to the United States in the fall of 2021.
During my two years with the company, I got to perform Graham’s masterpieces such as Dark Meadow Suite, Diversion Of Angels, and Appalachian Spring among others, and also got to dance in works by Bradley Shelver, Yoshito Sakuraba and Virginie Mecene.
Continuing my dance career I had the chance to dance in Indianapolis with Dance Kaleidoscope. Where I got to perform in Pieces by Joshua Blake Carter, David Hochoy, Janice Rosario, Stuart Lewis, and Mariel Greenlee-Lungu among others.

I love dancing here in NYC and to grow further as an artist. The wide variety in dancers from all around the world is what makes this city so special and I am excited to further grow my artistry and explore different choreographers and companies.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think the perfect example would be the Pandemic for me. Just as so many dancers all around the world.
When the first lockdown hit I was in my first year of my Studies at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and It was very rough. Not knowing what was going to happen and what our new reality would be. Going fully remote was very hard for everyone I knew, but having to dance remotely truly felt impossible.
Finding space to dance in was a huge challenge, and taking a dance class via Zoom was difficult. But being disconnected from fellow Artists was the hardest. I realized how much I needed to connect to others and to share and express myself in a room with others. Dancing felt irrelevant with not much purpose, if there wasn’t a way and reason to perform, what were we working for?
I think I as so many others truly persevered during that time and I kept going. Taking virtual dance classes and working on my craft. Trying to do turns on my living room carpet and jumping on the hard floor of the office. Finding spaces outside to dance in and to film myself dancing and improvising to create a digital dance movie. Hoping that we would over come this global pandemic.

I think looking back on it now, I had a chance to profit of it in so many different ways and definitely feel like the perseverance has paid off and I am more happy than ever to still be dancing and to get to do what I love most.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a dancer in New York City is the incredible opportunity to do what I love every day. While it’s widely recognized that being a professional dancer is one of the toughest professions, the joy of pursuing my passion in such a vibrant city makes every challenge worthwhile.

Living and working in NYC, I am surrounded by a diverse array of artistic influences that continue to inspire me. Every day I have the chance to explore different choreography, collaborate with talented artists, and push my boundaries. The dynamic nature of the dance scene here means that no two days are the same; I’m constantly learning and growing, both as a dancer and as an individual.

Additionally, the sense of community among fellow dancers in the city is truly special. Whether in rehearsals, performances, or casual meet-ups, the connections I’ve made with other artists create a supportive network that enriches my journey.

Ultimately, it’s the combination of personal growth, artistic exploration, and the thrill of sharing my passion with others that makes being a dancer in NYC so rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @giontreichler

Image Credits

Jennifer Katzmann
Isabella Pagano
Lora Olive
Melissa Sherwood
Jaqlin Medlock
Brian Pollock