Dance Review: International Exposure

Madrid events attract dozens of dance professionals, mainly festival and dance centers’ directors from various countries.

By ORA BRAFMAN
Rocio Molina 370 (photo credit: Ora Brafman)
Rocio Molina 370
(photo credit: Ora Brafman)
A few weeks before Suzanne Dellal hosts its own International Exposure on December 4-8, Madrid showcased its own internationally-oriented event, the Ventana de la Danza, based on a similar format.
Both the Tel Aviv and Madrid events attract dozens of dance professionals, mainly festival and dance centers’ directors from various countries. Suzanne Dellal’s artistic director Yair Vardi has a particular interest since he brings over dancers and companies for his own project MadriDanza which takes place in Tel Aviv each year.
The Ventana is the main source for introducing new Madridian talent, and Vardi, who attended, most likely already had his eye on some interesting choreographies that may be seen in Tel Aviv in the next few months.
Four days and 20-some works later, the picture gets clear; although contemporary dance may not be the preferred genre of dance for the masses and Flamenco is deeply embedded in its culture, Madrid has its share of very talented dancers and quite interesting choreographers, as well as a world class national repertoire company.
The most likely to be invited to Israel are two unique young dancers/choreographers with strong performance skills and different artistic agendas.
Rocio Molina follows the expanding trend of contemporary work based on flamenco energy, and takes it further than most. She danced her solo piece in a winery among the barrels, to every one’s delight. With her innocent face and impish smile, the audience was putty in her hands as she shifted from tight muscular control to blazing spontaneity.
Her serious rival was Jannet Novac, a strong willed, confident, gutsy and somewhat wild artist with intriguing imagination and true sophistication.
A major player in the dance field of Madrid is Sharon Fridman, an Israeli now living in that city.
The Elephant in the Black Box company, with brilliant dancers formerly of Nacho Duato’s company, showcased two works by J.P.
Dury, the director, and one captivating duet by Israeli Idan Sharabi.
Another highly respected Israeli choreographer now resident in Madrid, Itzik Galili, commissioned a piece for seven male dancers by the National Dance Company to be performed next to Ohad Naharin’s creation.