Sara Zalek (aka saratonin) is an interdisciplinary artist, Avant-garde maker of situations and curious objects. Rooted in physical investigations of trauma, resilience, and transformation, their work is intimate, raw, poetic. They create learning situations, workshops, and sensing environments to encourage thoughtful interpersonal connections.
Zalek performs often in both live and online situations; they most currently took residence at Elastic Arts Foundation, they were a 2015 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist, a 2017 3Arts Make a Wave Awardee, and Ragdale Foundation Fellow. The City of Chicago named them an Esteemed Artist in 2022. They have performed and curated performances at the Chicago Cultural Center, High Concept Labs, Elastic Arts, Experimental Sound Studio, Links Hall, Lumpen Radio, DFBRL8R, No Nation, Big Marsh Park, Urban Guild in Kyoto, Japan, and so many more.
Through Butoh Curious / Butoh Chicago, Zalek connects national and international teaching artists with Chicago art makers across genres in the independent and fringe arenas (including dance, butoh, physical theater, experimental and improvisational music). They create opportunities for positive communication and arts integration using workshops, performances, and conversations about personal and collective body. Butoh Curious / Butoh Chicago
