myVariables={"var1","var2"}
Map[Symbol[#]&,myVariables]
Manipulate[Map[Symbol[#]&,myVariables],Grid[{{Control[{var1,0,1}],Control[{var2,0,1}]}}]]
Map[Control[{Symbol[#],0,1}]&,myVariables]
Manipulate[Map[Symbol[#]&,myVariables],Grid[{Map[Control[{Symbol[#],0,1}]&, myVariables]}]]

vList = {var1, var2};

With[{v=vList, controls = Grid[{Control[{#, 0, 1}]& /@ vList}]},
    Manipulate[v, controls]
]