ZAK RYAN SCHLEGEL is a choreographer, rehearsal director + performer with Shen Wei Dance Arts, creative director of cross-genre salon CONGRESS (Legalizedance) and educator at The Joffrey Ballet School, Zeitgeist Dance Theatre + CLI Conservatory. The New York Times calls him “a star” & Wall Street Journal “eye-catching & effortless”. He believes dance has the power of cascading epiphany, spiritual sublimation and cultural transcendence. 

Zak was inaugural dance curator + producer in 2024 launch of Ryan Heffington’s residency DESERTRADE, collaborator on two Emmy-Awarding winning choreographic teams for HBO (Euphoria and The Idol), created the touring evening-length performance installation “Liminal” with Sigur Ros and was voting member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Nominating Committee for the 2026 Actor’s Awards. His solo work has been presented at The Juilliard School in NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA and he is a three-time Outstanding Choreographer of the Youth America Grand Prix.

On stage, Zak has performed and toured globally with Shen Wei Dance Arts for a decade, formerly with Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, Yin Yue Dance Company and Backhausdance. Highlights include BAM, The Guggenheim Museum, Art Basel Miami and Hong Kong, Asia Society NY and Hong Kong, Arcosanti’s FORM Festival, and the Rockefeller Brothers’ Pocantico Center. Zak can be seen in the feature film Babylon, TV’s Euphoria, The Idol and Ransom Canyon, and is the featured artist in Lexus’ global L5 campaign. He has worked with directors Damien Chazelle, Sam Levinson, Jon Watts, Edgar Wright, Jonus Åkerlund, Melina Matsoukas, Floria Sigismondi, Amy Seimetz, Sebastian Strasser, Ryan Heffington, Nina McNeely, Dugan O’Neal, Kitty McNamee, Greko Sklavounos, Eliot Lee Hazel, WIFE, Lita Albuquerque and GMUNK.