ASYLUM

Choreography : RAMI BE’ER

Kibbutz Contemporary
Dance Company

Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (KCDC), one of the leading dance companies in the world, is identified with the work of Artistic Director Rami Be’er whose exclusive and unique choreographic character has become the company’s trademark both in Israel and abroad. With its technically strong and physically eclectic cast of dancers and its dynamic sensibility, KCDC characterizes Israeli dance at its best and performs regularly in the most respected theaters and at leading festivals worldwide. KCDC was founded in 1973 by the late Yehudit Arnon who laid the foundation for today’s thriving International Dance Village which was developed and continues to evolve into a first-class center for dance under the leadership of Rami Be’er and KCDC’s management and staff.

The dance company along with the International Dance Village are situated atop the rolling hills of the Western Galilee in northern Israel in Kibbutz Ga’aton. The Int’l Dance Village is the heart and home of the company and is comprised of a total of nearly 100 Israeli and international dancers.

These dancers make up the Main Company, the Second Company (KCDC 2), and the 5-month & 10-month International Study Abroad Dance Program known as ‘Dance Journey.’ The company also hosts an annual Summer Intensive Dance Program and Workshop during July and August for high school and university age dancers from all across the world.

Rami Be’er, Artistic Director

Rami Be’er, the Artistic Director of Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (KCDC), was born to family of musicians in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel. He began playing the cello at an early age and later undertook dance studies with Yehudit Arnon, the founder of KCDC.

Be’er joined KCDC as a dancer and choreographer in 1980 and took over the company’s artistic direction in 1996. Since then, he has choreographed over 50 works for the company and has credited both the company and himself with an impressive list of original creations, as well as some delightful and highly popular children’s works. His creations have become internationally acclaimed and Be’er has been awarded prizes both in Israel and abroad.

Be’er has been commissioned by numerous international companies abroad. Amongst the companies for which Be’er has created original works are Gratz Opera Ballet (Austria), Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Hungarian National Ballet, New Danish Dance Theatre (Denmark), Staatsballett Berlin (Germany), Croatian National Ballet Theatre, Reykjavik National Ballet (Iceland), Tanzcompagnie Oldenburg (Germany), Ballett Basel (Switzerland), Poznan Opera House Ballet (Poland), National Theatre Ballet Brno (Czech Republic) and more.

For Be’er, the performance is a ‘unity’ composed of various elements. Therefore, apart from his choreographies, Be’er designs the sets, the lighting and at times also the costumes. Be’er’s work invites viewers to participate in a journey through which they can connect to themselves. Although in his work, Be’er offers an imaginary-real picture of the world, audiences remain free to accord it their own interpretation and meaning through their personal experience.

ABOUT ASYLUM

In his work ‘Asylum’, Be’er examines concepts such as identity, foreignness, oppression, freedom, belonging, homeland, longing, and home. According to him, these concepts are ones that are relevant to every human being from an existential view, wherever he or she may happen to be situated in place and time. The quest for a place that is identified as a home is part of the human existential experience.

PRESS QUOTES

“One of the best modern dance companies in the world! A refreshing, radical, virtuoso and magical experience!””
Ma’ariv

Rami Be’er favors a language of modern dance that uses the entire body, a language in which his company is particularly well trained …/… The committed performance of the dancers and the purity of the choreography will seduce you.
The New York Times – Jack Anderson