Saburo Teshigawara and Rocío Molina Win Venice Biennale Dance Awards

Japanese choreographer Saburo Teshigawara (born 1953, Tokyo) has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2022 Venice Biennale Danza. The Silver Lion for emerging talent goes to Spanish flamenco dancer Rocío Molina (born 1984). Teshigawara's choreography integrates classical and traditional dance with plastic arts, emphasizing sound, music, and spatial plasticity. His works, such as 'Flexible Silence' (2017) and 'Glass Tooth' (2009), feature synesthetic elements and solitary dance even in duets, reflecting Eastern traditions. Molina fuses flamenco with modern dance, collaborating with artists like María Pagés and Carlos Marquerie. Biennale Danza director Wayne McGregor praised Teshigawara's courage and ability to build artistic ecosystems, and Molina's radical freedom and technical virtuosity. The awards were announced in January 2022.