Ora Brafman

translation: Daniella Berman

 Lior Tavori is one of the more interesting choreographers active in the Israeli dance arena of recent years, perhaps because his path to the current creators associated with personal expressions in contemporary dance, has not followed a clear, predetermined route.

Looking back at his recent works, one can identify his traces on the way to his goals, yielding original solutions both in the thematic content and aesthetics of his creations and their compositions and his ability to transcend expectations and bring together genres that do not always find a comfortable place next to each other.

The opening image of the creation is dim and unsettling. The first act is shrouded in fog and semi-darkness, creating a sense of desolation.

Like many artists since the outbreak of the horrifying October 7th Hamas war, including Tavori,  responds with a brief statement about the dark and tumultuous period we've endured, expressing hope that dance will allow his community to reach catharsis.

But Tavori did not make it easy for his audience. One had to wait until the very end of the Crust to understand that Tavori chose to reach his goal by crossing a long and winding path. A path that strengthens and fills him with light as he arrives at beauty and love.

The dance begins on a dark, almost dark stage.  A cold neon light hangs from the ceiling above an old Oriental carpet at the center's stage. A single dancer crosses the space from wall to wall, and it is not always possible to detect the details of the movements, though it's evident that he is a highly skilled performer. He jumps high, spins around himself, and for long minutes challenges the audience that seeks to capture the movement's details against the dense, foggy air.

Eventually, the space becomes clearer. Within a split second. rows of stage lights illuminated the walls dramatically from right to left. In retrospect, this strong impact may not last too long. 

It turned out to be rather challenging to take the fragmented structure of the work and tailor abstract musical or sound support or even a murky 'white noise'/ Later, various choices will emerge as background. This could come as the tolling of a heavy bell, a rhythmic fragment, or Christmas carols, superimposed by chilling news from an old television news station far removed from us in time and place.

Tavorii weaves a series of occurrences and collisions that refuse to follow a single, clear narrative; he unravels compositions to extract a dancer or more to perform solo roles, revealing a lineup of performers who excel in enriching their roles beyond the expected. As the evening progresses,  the familiarity with the seven dancers- performers- reveals their ability to embody the characters they had developed. 

It isn't easy to define the stylistic boundaries, as it may oscillate between fluid freestyle and meticulous execution of stylized movement, bordering on breathtaking acrobatics. Yet the dancers are more than adequately challenged and capable. 

With passing time, an interesting process occurred; the dancers who performed solo segments increasingly occupied more volume. If initially, most were busy executing their roles, dance sections featuring interactions multiplied, and specific dance segments they focused on became more complex and layered than earlier parts.

Nonetheless. Throughout the work, a thin thread that occasionally ran through it lent a ceremonial dimension, albeit not clearly, to the movement material. 

It takes time to find a common denominator for the secondary images and arrange them in order, but one can think of the entire work as being complete by pairing various colorful pieces of fabric, akin to an elaborate old handcraft known as 'quilting', where remnants of fabric were painstakingly sewn together to create a useful object and strengthen community bonding..

 The work also revealed segments of group transition moods, providing an opportunity to perform sequences that did not rely on dazzling physical abilities or more demanding performances. Such was a touching scene where the dancers lay on the carpet at a diagonal,  creating a powerful silent scene, which was surprisingly effective.

The evening was composed of various scenes performed by a group of seven dancers.  Numerous interactions yielded breathtaking moments. One duet was particularly striking performed by a strong, impressive male dancer paired with a stunning female dancer, showcasing exceptional cooperation. Both managed to convey feelings and thoughts in a restrained yet precise manner. At one moment, the dancer was on his back, holding his partner above him. Their eyes opened in wonder as he managed to lift her very slowly, horizontally, in his arms.

Towards the end, we received a delightful scene on the floor, filled with camaraderie and sensitivity. The dancers were lying down, and silently, together, they raised one hand forward and up, lifted a leg, and struck it while resting their heads on their free hand. Simultaneously, they turned their backs, rose together on their knees, bent forward, and effortlessly achieved a perfect headstand.

By now, the mood had changed. Tavori decided to remind us that we're living in an unstable time. The past year was heartbreaking and nerve-wracking. A stable existence was hard to find. Tavori had found a sensitive way to hint at the warped reality back home. So he decided to go back to 'Silent Night' and superimposed some harsh text, to wake us up to reality.  What a horrific existence we faced.