We recently connected with Shimon Braun and have shared our conversation below.

Shimon , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?

I found my way into the Batsheva Dance Company through a chance encounter. After finishing my university studies, I was on my way to visit my parents in Ramat Gan when I ran into my friend Ehud on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv. He told me that Martha Graham herself was in Israel auditioning dancers for a new branch of her New York company, which would later be known as the Batsheva Dance Company.

Without any preparation, I found myself auditioning for Martha Graham. I took my first-ever Graham class, and, to my surprise, passed the audition. I became a member of the first cast of the Batsheva Dance Company, chosen by Martha Graham herself, with financing from the Baroness Batsheva Rothschild.

Prior to my dance career, I had been a gymnastics champion. My background in gymnastics not only shaped my physicality but also honed my sense of discipline, timing, and the importance of control and flexibility—all of which I later infused into my dance work.

One day, I was rushing to an important rehearsal with Martha. She had seen a dance by Robert Cohan and wanted me to create an opening act for it. While riding my scooter to the rehearsal, I accidentally crashed into a tomato basket that an older woman was carrying across the street. The tomatoes spilled everywhere, and a commotion followed. A policeman eventually showed up, and after confirming the woman wasn’t hurt, he let me go. But I was late for my meeting with Martha.

When I finally arrived, I expected her to show me exactly what to do, but instead, she said, “Go to the other side of the studio.” I did. “Now come to me,” she instructed. I started walking toward her, and she immediately stopped me. “Is that the best way to cross?” she asked. “Go do something imaginative.”

So, drawing from my gymnastics training, I decided to cross the studio with backflips and a salto. “Good,” she said. And with that, we began building the opening for Robert Cohan’s piece.

This rehearsal taught me a powerful lesson: how to trust dancers by giving them the opportunity to create. Martha trusted my creative input, and in turn, I learned to trust my dancers’ creativity. Allowing them to be a part of the creative process, to see and acknowledge their abilities—and even beyond them—became a cornerstone of my own approach to choreography and leadership.

Having a diverse group of dancers allowed us to appreciate and celebrate our collective creativity on stage. It was through this collaboration and trust that we truly created something greater than the sum of its parts.

Shimon , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born at the time and place when World War II began—Lodge, Poland, in 1938. My childhood was defined by a series of escapes, crossing through five different countries, attending five different schools, and learning five languages—all in an effort to evade the Nazis. These formative experiences of survival and loss profoundly shaped my worldview and influenced my approach to life, art, and human diversity.

I was always looking for unity among my dancers and tried to harmonize diversity. Unite people, unite styles, find some shared experience and use art as a means to a unification of contrasts, doing all of this with love.

The values we found through working with my dance company, Waves, and through our lives—love, peace, unity, and togetherness—are the very same values we need now, more than ever. These are the principles that can help us forge ahead and expand the possibilities of life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the satisfaction of being involved in the search for beauty—whether it’s through my paintings or my choreography. It’s the journey of exploring, creating, and discovering new expressions that bring beauty to life in ways that can resonate with others. The process itself is deeply fulfilling, as it allows me to connect with the world in a meaningful and personal way.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The goal that has driven my creative journey is to achieve the highest quality in whatever format I am working, whether it be in painting, choreography, or any other medium. I strive for excellence in every aspect of my work, and the most rewarding part is seeing the creative process come to life—when ideas and concepts materialize into something tangible and meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shimonbraun.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shimonbraun_artist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shimon.braun.98

Image Credits

Peggy Peterson Photography for Shimon’s portrait in his studio and photographs of his paintings.