Project Manager

Valgerður Rúnarsdóttir does not remember herself as anything other than a dancer and believes that dance can work miracles. She has worked as a choreographer and dancer both in Iceland and abroad since 1998, following her graduation with a BA degree in contemporary dance from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Additionally, she completed a master’s degree in performing arts at the Iceland University of the Arts in 2022 and a master’s degree in project management (MPM) at Reykjavík University in 2023.

Early in her dance career, Valgerður began creating her own works and found ways to produce and showcase them across the city. She has collaborated with other artists and worked with enthusiasts of all ages, from children to seniors. She frequently utilizes unconventional spaces, creating works in settings such as art museums, abandoned houses, fish processing plants, and transforming Reykjavík and rural towns into dance-driven narratives. She has also worked in traditional theater spaces and has choreographed for events like the Reykjavík Dance Festival, the Iceland Dance Company, stage productions, films, and advertisements. Valgerður has led numerous projects and received various accolades, including multiple nominations for the Gríman Awards, winning the Gríma Award twice as Choreographer of the Year.

For many years, Valgerður was a principal dancer with the Iceland Dance Company until she was invited to work with one of contemporary dance’s leading choreographers, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui from Belgium, and his company, Eastman. She participated in creating and performing Cherkaoui’s works worldwide for over a decade, while also collaborating with Damien Jalet and Erna Ómarsdóttir in projects that have been showcased internationally. Valgerður has performed in productions by the Reykjavík City Theatre, the National Theatre of Iceland, and numerous independent projects both locally and abroad.

In addition to her creative work, Valgerður has also taught dance. She has taught at arts universities, dance schools, and led workshops in primary schools across Iceland, giving thousands of children an introduction to the world of dance.

Valgerður has been an active advocate for fair working conditions and the development of the dance scene in Iceland. She has served on the boards of Dansverkstæðið (The Dance Workshop), the Reykjavík Dance Festival, the Icelandic Association of Professional Dancers, and the Icelandic Actors’ Association.