This Nov. 4-5 the Batsheva Dance Company will present "Three," a new work by Ohad Naharin.
"This is not dancing that you will see anywhere else..." —The New York Times
UCLA News
Date: October 27, 2006
Contact: Holly Wallace ( hawallace@arts.ucla.edu )
Phone: 310-825-5202
UCLA LIVE presents one of the world's most outstanding and innovative dance troupes, Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, in "Three," the Los Angeles premiere of a bold new work by artistic director Ohad Naharin, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, and at 7 p.m., on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. This event runs approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes with no intermission. For tickets call (310) 825-2101 or visit www.UCLALive.org.
Since its inception in 1964 with the personal assistance of Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild, Batsheva has evolved into one of the world's most outstanding dance companies, internationally renowned for pushing the boundaries of cutting-edge dance with intense energy, rich sensuality and a culturally diverse dance language. Its repertoire comprises works by dance's leading innovators.
Naharin's latest work, "Three," has three parts: "Bellus" (Beauty), "Humus" (Earth) and "Secus," which translates as both "this" and "not this."
"Bellus" is set to the Glenn Gould's recording of the Goldberg Variations of Bach and is an exploration of the silence between the musical notes. "Humus," for female dancers, is set to the music of Brian Eno. "Secus," which involves the entire company, is set to an eclectic collage of music ranging from the Beach Boys to Kid 606, Seefeel and Chari Chari.
Says Naharin about "Three," "There are three parts to the piece … Any further explanation is okay, but the best place for me to be in my work is with my feelings. And I wish for (the audience) to be in that place too."
Naharin's work blends beauty, anger, serenity and sarcasm to reflect life in his homeland. An outspoken critic of the current Israeli government's conservative policies and an advocate of Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation, Naharin has come under fire in recent years from prominent politicians in Israel who disagree with his avant-garde, provocative style.
Artistic integrity and innovation have earned Batsheva its reputation as one of the most inspirational and sought after dance companies — a true champion on the global map of performing arts and one of the most influential cultural role models in Israel. Batsheva's main inspiring force, Naharin was appointed artistic director in 1990, launching the company into a new era of creativity.
International in nature, Batsheva is made up of individually unique dancers from Israel and abroad who are encouraged to affirm their distinct creative gifts either in the rehearsal process or in the creation of their own works during the annual Batsheva Dancers' Workshop series. Batsheva operates throughout the year with its two companies and 40 dancers. With 250 annual performances in Israel and around the world, the company is considered Israel's leading cultural ambassador.
Many of Batsheva's dancers developed their skills during an extensive training period in the junior company, the Batsheva Ensemble. The ensemble serves as a greenhouse for the next generation of dancers and choreographers, dedicating the majority of its time to Batsheva's comprehensive outreach and education program.
Tickets to Batsheva Dance Company are available for $48, $38 and $26 at the UCLA Central Ticket Office at the southwest corner of the James West Alumni Center, online at www.UCLALive.org and at Ticketmaster outlets. For more information or to charge by phone, call (310) 825-2101. UCLA students may purchase tickets in advance for $15. Student rush tickets at the same price, subject to availability, are offered to all students with a valid ID one hour prior to show time.
Batsheva Dance Company is part of UCLA Live's dance events, which also include Sankai Juku on Nov. 17-18; The Stephen Petronio Company on Feb. 2-3, 2007; Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras on Feb. 21-22, 2007, and Sylvie Guillem with Akram Khan on May 2-3, 2007.
UCLA Live is an internationally acclaimed producer and presenter of music, dance, theater and spoken word, bringing hundreds of outstanding and provocative artists to Los Angeles each year.
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