A sneak peak at Vertigo

The Vertigo Dance Company brought in renowned Spanish choreographer Roberto Olivan to work with the company's dancers.

By CHAYA MINKOWITZ
vertigo dance company 88 (photo credit: )
vertigo dance company 88
(photo credit: )
The Vertigo Dance Company gave the public a sneak peak this month at a new piece that will debut in December. Only five days old and five minutes long when shown at the Gerard Behar Center in Jerusalem, the unfinished and still unnamed piece proved extremely energetic, with a near acrobatic approach. Dancers seemed to fly out from every direction. "Our dancers are working so hard that they can barely walk anymore," said Vertigo artistic director and choreographer Noa Wertheim. "But they love it." Vertigo brought in renowned Spanish choreographer Roberto Olivan to work with the company's dancers. Olivan works with the Rosas Dance Company in Belgium and tours internationally. This is his first time in Israel. "[Olivan] brings with him the top quality of Europe with Spanish energy," said Wertheim. "Whatever he does is full of passion, full of life." Working with outside choreographers is something Vertigo likes to do every few years, Wertheim said. "It's enriching and refreshing to bring others together, to see their differences and similarities," she said. Olivan, who worked with the dancers for several days before the performance at the Behar Center, was pleased with the preview performance and called it a good practice run before the December debut. Olivan will return to Israel in November, at which time he and the dancers will complete and name the piece. Vertigo dancer Yaron Shamit is excited about the new piece and considers it a privilege to work with outside creators. "This piece has a totally different approach to movement and music," he said. "The combination between physical and acrobatic movement into soft movement creates a ton of exploding energy. It's very intense." When completed, the piece will be performed at the International Exposure Festival in December at the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv. An additional showing of Vertigo's new piece will take place at the Gerard Behar Center in December.