The Centre was established in 1989 by the Dellal Family of London, England, in honor of their daughter Suzanne, as well as the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo, the Tel Aviv Foundation, and the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Education.

The Centre is located in the center of historic Neve Tzedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, located south of the Yemenite Quarter, just minutes from the Mediterranean Sea. Three late nineteenth century school buildings, designated for preservation, were reconstructed and restored to create the performing arts center which was intended to give a home to contemporary dance in Israel and rejuvenate the neighborhood.

In 1986, a plan was formed to revitalize the Neve Tzedek neighborhood and rehabilitate the compound to build the Suzanne Dellal Centre, a dance center the likes of which had not been seen in Israel. Most of the buildings were empty and in derelict condition and the Lewinsky Seminar building had collapsed. The Girls’ School was empty except for a theater group run by Oded Kotler and Miki Yerushalmi. In between these the buildings ran Yechieli Street.

In the “backyard” was a small building where the Inbal Dance Company, founded by Sara Levi-Tanai, held rehearsals.

The Suzanne Dellal Centre has embarked on a historic renovation of one of the original nineteenth-century buildings upon which it was built.

The construction includes the rehabilitation and expansion of two existing dance studios and offices, a refurbished Yerushalmi Theater for emerging and alternative artists, and the construction of a new outdoor stage with seating to hold 300 guests.

The centrepiece of the renovation is the addition of an entirely new third floor and the Zehava & Jack Dellal studio, a state-of-the-art flexible studio/performance space, named after the late founders of the Centre.

Mr. Yair Vardi
Center founder and CEO
1989-2020

was born on May 1948, in Kibbutz Kfar Blum in the upper Galilee. He is a dancer and choreographer, and a member of the second generation of the Batsheva Dance Company. In 1977 he was awarded the Kinor David Prize. He danced with Ballet Rambert in London and later started his own company, English Dance Theatre, as well as a centre for dance called Dancity in Newcastle, England. After 12 years away from Israel, he returned to become the Director of the Suzanne Dellal Centre.

Yair has been awarded numerous distinctions, among them: The Tel Aviv Municipality Honor and Achievement in The Arts (2002), Shield of Honor for exceptional contribution to the exporting of Israeli Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2009), Chevallier de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, by the French Government (2009), EMET Prize for Science, Art and Culture, sponsored by the Prime Minister of Israel (2010).

Contact Us

Suzanne Dellal Centre, Yehieli St 5, Tel Aviv-Yafo 65149
Tickets: 03-5105656 | Office: 03-5105657 | Fax: 03-5179634 | info@sdc.org.il

The Home for
Dance in Israel

Suzanne Dellal Centre nurtures, supports, and promotes the art of contemporary dance in Israel.
Your support will enable us to continue investing much-needed resources into the dance community.

We invite you to take part with us in ensuring the future of dance in Israel.

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