Hai Cohen

Instructor

A native of Beer-Sheva, Israel, Hai found his passion for dance through dancing with noted Israeli folk dance company Aylot Anegov, traveling around the globe presenting this rich cultural heritage at festivals for five years. He then went on to study ballet at the Bat Dor Professional Dance School. During that time, Hai was awarded the American-Israel Cultural Scholarship, given only to the top dance students in the country. Upon graduation, his achievements in dance were honored by the Israeli government, which allowed him to continue his professional career while simultaneously fulfilling his mandatory 3-year national service commitment in the IDF. After leaving Bat Dor, Hai’s training continued with Batsheva Dance Company as an apprentice.

He was a member of Kamea Contemporary Dance Company and joined Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (under the direction of Rami Be-er) in 2007, with whom he traveled the globe touring their acclaimed dances at major venues. Because of the demand for Kibbutz technique, Hai currently teaches Kibbutz repertoire throughout the world. After emigrating to the US, Hai was a member of the acclaimed Los Angeles-based dance company BODYTRAFFIC from 2010-2013. Mr. Cohen shares his passion for dance with the next generation of dancers as a faculty member of the Idyllwild Arts Academy, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where he teaches modern dance and ballet and choreographs multiple student pieces. Hai’s dance courses are unique in their combination of multiple dance techniques, giving his students a thorough foundation from which they can develop their individual voices as dancers and share their passions as fully-developed artists. In addition to teaching at Idyllwild and LACHSA, Hai is featured regularly as guest faculty, choreographer, and clinician at schools across America.