Aug. 2007

Many of Israel’s most prominent dance companies are housed in The Suzanne Dellal Dance Center in the Neve Tzedek

neighborhood of Tel Aviv, including the world renowned Batsheva Dance Company. Classical ballet, modern, jazz and various kinds of contemporary dance are practiced within in the large complex of dance studios. It’s the perfect environment to rehearse, as well as create new dances. Recently, it was also the perfect place for The Jewish Federation’s Tel Aviv/Los Angeles Partnership to host an exciting Choreography Master Class.

The choreographers who participated came from the UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance. The effort was the creation of renowned Los Angeles choreographer Barak Marshall (son of famed Inbal Dance Company star Margolit Oved) and Chairman of the TA/LA Partnership Performing Arts Committee, Mickey Yerushalmi. (Yerushalmi also helped create the Federation’s Film Master Class and Opera Master Class exchanges between Los Angeles and Tel Aviv.)

“Art brings people together,” said Yerushalmi. “It creates a mutual understanding between different cultural backgrounds and exposes Israel in a very different light. This country has a lot of assets and the master class series we created is showcasing our best talents.”

Marshall and Yerushalmi’s idea was to bring some of the most talented choreographers in Los Angeles together in Israel to teach new styles of dance to professional Israeli dancers and choreographers. The two also put together a program for the choreographers to tour Israel during their visit.

Marshall asked his friend and colleague Judy Mitoma, who is an award-winning choreographer, UCLA professor and the director of the UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance to organize a group for the ten-day program. Mitoma’s group included UCLA Dance-Choreography professor Cheng-Chieh Yu, an expert in Asian dance incorporating traditional Tai Chi Chuan and Ba Gua Zhang. Iddie Saaka, an acclaimed choreographer from Ghana who specializes in traditional West African dance was also selected to participate along with D. Sabela Grimes, a creative American choreographer who fuses traditional modern dance with hip-hop.

“This is an exciting and creative project,” said Mitoma.  “It’s very important to understand different parts of the world. Dance is an expression of culture.  We learn each other’s culture through dance and all of the choreographers here have a lot to offer.”

Saaka said the Israelis were being exposed to styles they wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to in Israel. “The Israeli dancers are isolated from the rest of the dance world,” said Saaka. “They are hungry for new styles. They know this program is an opportunity.”

The Los Angeles choreographers had an opportunity to tour Israel as well. They visited the Western Wall, the old city in Jerusalem and Yad Vashem. “It is amazing to me how many people in Israel are open to dance,” said Cheng-Chieh, commenting on a dance festival the group visited in Northern Israel. “It is so alive here.”