Three's a charm

Batsheva Dance Company newbies and oldies are back in action.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
three shalosh 224 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
three shalosh 224 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
These past few weeks the Suzanne Dellal Center has felt empty. It could be because the summer months took so many Neve Tzedek inhabitants to cooler, shadier locations. It may be because the number of tourists being led around by guides in funny hats has dwindled. Or, most likely, it's because the Batsheva Dance Company was on vacation. Even when the dancers themselves are not seen, the music of Max, Mamootot or whatever piece the company is rehearsing can be heard throughout the beautiful courtyards of the Center. Upon returning to their comfortable nest, Ohad Naharin and his posse embark on yet another ambitious season. Three, which starts this week, consists of three segments, Bellus, Humus and Secus, with no deliberate connection other than they are all performed on the same stage in the same evening. Bellus is performed by ten dancers to the well-known Glen Gould recording of Bach's Rosenblum Variations. The quirky section Humus, opens with a male dancer holding a television screen in which his own smirking face appears to explain to the audience how to spell and pronounce humous, as in the food. Finally Secus, danced by the entire cast, explodes into many duets and trios, each touching on different sentiments, together comprising a hypnotizing whole. Three plays with the relationship between performer and audience and is devoted to "the pure pleasure of the moment" as Naharin puts it. The coming season promises to be an interesting one for Batsheva. Over the past year several of the group's most experienced dancers left the company and almost the entire ensemble (young company) was promoted to fill their places. While Batsheva fans will miss the presence of dancers such as Yaara Moses and Anderson Braz, there is plenty of new talent to take over the ranks. Three is a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the new generation of Batsheva dancers. Three runs from September 16-20. For more information visit suzannedellal.org.il or call (03) 510-5656.