Choreographer & Multidisciplinary Artist — Tehran, 1991
Social engagement · Participatory performance · Community-based creation. Pina Bausch Fellowship 2024.
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Biography
Morteza Zarei is an Iranian choreographer and multidisciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in social engagement and collaborative creation. Born in Tehran in 1991, Zarei began his artistic journey as a theatre actor before expanding into performance and dance, participating in a wide range of projects as a performer and dancer.
His work spans choreography, participatory performance, and community-based art, with a focus on amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals and communities. He has collaborated with a wide range of groups, including individuals affected by leprosy, children with cancer, child laborers, people with Down syndrome and autism, the d/Deaf community, and athletes such as volleyball players.
His work aims to reconnect diverse social groups through movement and shared creative experience — creating inclusive spaces where every participant is recognized as an artist.
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Performance & Choreography
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2019
A choreography based on Persian Sign Language, developed in close collaboration with d/Deaf performers. The piece explored the relationship between sound, silence, language, and poetry — investigating what remains when voice is removed from communication. Recipient of the Best Performance Award at the 37th International Fadjr Festival and selected for multiple international festivals.
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2024
An ongoing research project developed through the Pina Bausch Fellowship, in collaboration with choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The project investigates how performance can serve as a bridge across social divides — constructing inclusive spaces in which every participant is recognized and affirmed as an artist.
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Community & Participation
Zarei's practice centers on creating work with, not about — bringing together communities whose voices are rarely amplified through contemporary performance.
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d/Deaf Community
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Children with Cancer
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Individuals Affected by Leprosy
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Child Laborers
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Down Syndrome & Autism
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Athletes & Volleyball Players
Statement
"Performance as a bridge across social divides — creating inclusive spaces where every participant is recognized as an artist."
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Contact
For project collaborations, residency inquiries,
festival invitations, and press.
Based in Tehran · Available for international projects.