Batsheva Dance Company has been critically acclaimed as one of the foremost contemporary dance ensembles in the world. The company, together with the Batsheva Young Ensemble, hosts a team of 34 dancers, pulled from Israel and abroad. It is choreographed by Ohad Naharin, who has been hailed as one of the world’s preeminent contemporary choreographers. Batsheva uses the innovative movement language, Gaga, a creation of Naharin, which has revolutionized the company’s training. Since its inception Batsheva Dance Company has boasted a world-class reputation, and although its style and structure has changed drastically over the years, it never disappoints.
The Israeli dance scene has made impressive contributions to Israeli culture for decades now. For nearly thirty years, Israel’s most preeminent contemporary choreographer and Gaga guru, Ohad Naharin, has transformed Neve Tzedek’s Suzanne Dellal Center into a dancing dreamland, while kibbutzim companies and Jerusalem’s Vertigo continue to surprise their audiences. From modern performances on the periphery to traditional dancing in Jaffa, these five dance companies go above and beyond the Israeli art form, paving their way towards international fame. Get your culture junky fix this month.