Biographies: Igal Perry

Igal Perry joined the Bat-Dor Dance Company, based in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1968. He left to study with the Netherlands Dance Theater and while in Holland worked as a ballet master with the Rotterdams Danscentrum. In 1972, he returned to Bat-Dor as rehearsal director and choreographer.

In 1976, Mr. Perry came to the United States and joined Dennis Wayne's Dancers as ballet master and choreographer. He also staged John Butler's works for the New York City Opera, The Opera of Munich, Caracas Ballet and Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, where he also directed the world premiere of Krysztof Penderecki's opera, Paradise Lost.

In 1981-1982, he headed the ballet department at Jacob's Pillow and in 1983 opened his own school, The Peridance Center in NYC. A year later he founded his company, Peridance Ensemble. In the past four years, Mr. Perry has been a guest choreographer for the Julliard Dance Ensemble, and his works are in the repertories of companies throughout the world such as the Batsheva and the Bat-Dor companies in Israel, Companhia de dance de Lisboa in Portugal and the Alberta Ballet in Canada.