Dancing desert

For the first time in almost a decade, Israelis will have the opportunity to see American experimental dance troupe MOMIX.

By RORY KRESS
momix 88 (photo credit: )
momix 88
(photo credit: )
For the first time in almost a decade, Israelis will have the opportunity to see American experimental dance troupe MOMIX perform in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Opus Cactus, the 2002 brainchild of artistic director Moses Pendleton, premieres in Tel Aviv on Monday, an exciting departure from the last production MOMIX brought to Israel, Baseball, which was a kinetic tribute to the American pastime. Pendleton derived his inspiration from more natural roots with his anthem to the desert, Opus Cactus. In 2003, Pendleton served a more celestial urge though his acclaimed Lunar Sea, performed in black-light as an "homage to the moon." His early successes ranged from his work for the Paris Opera Ballet to his own groundbreaking Tutuguri based on the writings of Antonin Artaud, founder of the notorious Theater of Cruelty. MOMIX's Opus Cactus continues in Pendleton's tradition of demolishing the boundaries between athletics, gymnastics and dance. MOMIX will be performing from Monday through next Sunday at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center - (03) 692-7777. They'll be at the Jerusalem Theater from July 24 to 26, and at the Haifa Auditorium from July 28-29.