The big picture

The Tmuna Theater in Tel Aviv hosts four up-and-coming female choreographers.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
guy jumping 521 (photo credit: Courtesy)
guy jumping 521
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Last week, millions of individuals took a moment to consider the X chromosome during the 100th International Women’s Day. Female artists performed in major cities around the globe, exhibitions went up and were reviewed by panels of well-informed, well-educated women.
And though we will have to wait a full year to officially celebrate the prettier half of our species, this coming week will present three great opportunities to keep the appreciation flowing.
During the coming eight days, the Tmuna Theater in Tel Aviv will host the works of four up-and-coming choreographers.
This unofficial women’s week will kick off this evening with a repeat performance of Maya Levi’s hit piece Net Work. A duet for two dancers on a huge trampoline, Net Work is a charming and delightful work. Levi and her life partner Hanan Anando Mars began working on this piece last year during a residency in Germany.
After an initial creative process, the duo decided to replace themselves with a new cast and extend the work from 20 to 55 minutes. They premiered the full-length version of Net Work in November in outdoor spaces around the country. The gorgeous execution of dancers Noa Paran and Uri Shafir adds wonders to the insightful and clever choreography of Mars and Levi.
The second event in Tmuna’s week of dancing women is an evening of works by Iris Erez. Over the past several years, Erez has made a name for herself first as a noteworthy performer and subsequently as a gifted choreographer. She began with solos, performing and creating the work herself. As her confidence grew, she began to create works using other performers, taking herself out of the staged equation.
During her evening, which will take place on Friday night, Erez will present two pieces: Homesick (pictured on the cover), and Temporary. The former premiered during the 2010 Curtain Up Festival at the Suzanne Dellal Center. In Homesick, three dancers search the space and one another for a sense of belonging. Set in a space that is both alien and familiar to them, the dancers huddle together, shimmying into each other’s clothing and break apart to find a comfortable corner. Danced by Asaf Aharonson, Ofir Yudilevich and Tami Leibovich, Homesick is honest and moving.
Temporary is an older work of Erez’s, originally shown in 2007 in Italy. In Temporary, Erez invites the audience into the personal space of a woman who is seeking to understand the notion of time. She plays with destruction and reconstruction in an attempt to make sense of herself and her surroundings. This week, for the first time, Maya Weinberg will replace Erez herself in this powerful solo.
Finally, on Saturday night, Dafi Eltabeb presents Double Parking, a shared evening with Gali Kener.
Kener’s piece Family investigates the bond between family members.
Danced by three women, Family portrays the union of individuals to form a cohesive group.
For the past several years, Eltabeb has gained momentum and recognition in the local dance community. Her piece Airline received rave reviews during the 2009 Shades of Dance Festival. Later that year, Eltabeb was selected to participate in the Curtain Up Festival, where she premiered Under the Carpet. She has hosted several evenings in Tel Aviv since, inviting other choreographers to share the stage with her.
On Saturday night, Eltabeb will show her solo From a Second Choice, executed by British dancer Rosalind Nector. This work has been in Eltabeb’s repertoire for more than a year and was originally performed by Eltabeb herself. Nector brings softness to Eltabeb’s hectic and dynamic choreography.
For more information or tickets, visit www.tmu-na.org.il.