Dance Journey FAQ

Yes you can! Despite the fact that Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s International ‘Dance Journey’ Program is technically not an accredited academic program, all current and past Dance Journey program participants who have requested that their university or dance academy recognizes the courses taken with us, have received course credit for both dance-related courses (i.e. contemporary, ballet, choreography, etc.) as well as Hebrew language and cultural immersion credits.
Visit our Course Description page at www.kcdc.co.il/en/dancejourneycourses to learn more about courses we offer that can be credited as a study abroad program.

You will receive a tourist or student visa. A student visa is usually only for dancers who receive a grant or scholarship from MASA. All others dancers enter Israel with a tourist visa. You will receive a 1-3 month tourist visa automatically once you arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. After 1-3 months in Israel, we will go with you to extend your tourist visa at the Israeli Ministry of Interior. We do recommend that you try to get a student visa from the Israeli Embassy in your home country before you depart to Israel.

You will need to have with you the letter of acceptance to the Dance Journey program , a confirmation letter of the scholarship you received from MASA (for those of you who have received it) and a print out of your flight reservation.Will we need to get any particular vaccinations prior to traveling to Israel? Entrance to Israel does not require nor suggests any immunization shots or vaccinations.

As a tourist it is not recommended to open a bank account due to high commission and banking fees for tourists. Best that you arrive to Israel with a credit card (Visa or MasterCard) from your foreign bank; a card that will allow you to use and withdraw money from ATM machines here. It is also possible to come with traveler checks but it is much more complicated as not all banks here will accept them. There is also an ATM machine at the cafe in the kibbutz.

Participants will share a 2-person dormitory-style room that is a 2-minute walk from the dance studios and which includes:

• Small Kitchen
• 2 Dish Towels
• Shower
• 4 Plates
• Toilet
• 4 Mugs
• 2 Single Beds
• 4 Glasses
• Table and 2 Chairs
• 4 Cutlery
• Bookcase
• 2 Cooking Pots
• Air Conditioner & Heater
• 1 Flying Pan
• Microwave
• Selection of Utensils
• Refrigerator
• Shower Curtain
• Hot Plate
• Squeegee
• Electric Kettle
• Broom
• Window Shade & Decorative Curtain
• Bucket
• 2 Garbage Cans
• Dustpan

N.B. Each bed will have a bathing towel, pillow, pillow case, fitted sheet, blanket, blanket cover.

• Shirts
• Sunscreen
• Shorts
• Hat
• Pants
• Small Flashlight
• Work Clothes
• Bedding (Can Also Be Bought In Israel)
• Flip Flops
• Towels (Can Also Be Bought In Israel)
• Bathing Suit
• Camera
• Underwear
• Backpack For Weekend Trips
• Socks
• Sunglasses
• Walking/Hiking Shoes
• Converter/Adapter
• Pajamas
• Batteries, Battery Charger
• Warm Clothes (Especially For Winter)
• Toiletries
• Good Winter Jacket
• Imodium, Pepto Bismol, etc.
• Raincoat
• Pain Reliever
• Umbrella
• Cold Medicine
• Nice Casual Slacks/Skirt & Shirt
• iPod or Music Player
• Passport
• No need to bring Pointe Shoes
• 4 Passport-Sized Photos

We provide you with only one set of linen, so better you bring with you one more of each or buy in Israel.

There is a small grocery store or mini-market in the kibbutz where you can buy most of the essential products that you would need for cooking meals in your kitchen. There is also a cafe/restaurant on the kibbutz where you can purchase hot meals, sandwiches, salads, soups and local dishes and which is open daily around noon-time on Sunday thru Thursday as well as on weekends which in Israel is Friday and Saturday. The name of the restaurant is called “Café in Motion” and is located in Kibbutz Ga’aton. The nearby seaside city of Nahariya has many excellent restaurants, supermarkets and a wide variety of culinary options.

There is a laundry service in the kibbutz which you can use at 5.5 NIS per Kilo. Their service includes cleaning and ironing. We also have a washing machine & dryer for your use free of charge. You will only have to buy your own laundry detergent.

You will have free wireless internet access (wi-fi) in your room and in the kibbutz’s café. We recommend that you bring your laptop and/or smartphone with you.

According to the contract between the Kibbutz Ga’aton & KCDC, you cannot raise and have any animals. There are lots of cats and dogs on the the kibbutz. We ask that you do not feed them at or near your residence so they do not become accustomed to stay in or near your apartment. As you can understand, we wouldn’t want an animal to become attached or dependent on you once you leave.

In order to land in Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, you must have a return flight ticket upon your arrival to passport control. This must be a flight back to your home country or any other destination that is available from Tel Aviv. So when booking your flight to Ben Gurion International Airport, either purchase a roundtrip ticket or a one-way flight ticket to Ben Gurion Int’l Airport and another one-way ticket from Ben Gurion Int’l Airport to another international destination. Again, without a flight ticket out of Israel, you will not be allow to enter Israel upon your arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

Once the program ends, many dancers often prefer to go to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem for a vacation or holiday or stay longer to audition for other dance companies and/or dance projects in Israel. We recommend that you arrange your return flight date a maximum 2 days following Dance Journey’s completion since your visa will most likely expire at the end of the program. Unfortunately you will not be allowed to stay in Israel after the visa’s expiration. However, participants who will receive a 1-year student visa will of course be able to stay till the visa’s expiration date.

You will have to vacate your rooms at the end of the program since we have to prepare the rooms for the start of the next program which begins only a few day after your program’s conclusion. If you wish to stay in the Kibbutz after the program ends, there are usually a few apartments available for rent.

The Current Exchange Rate is Approximately $1.00 USD = 3.5 NIS or New Israeli Shekel
Nahariya to Tel Aviv One Way Regular Ticket = $13 USD
Nahariya to Tel Aviv Round-Trip Regular Ticket = $24 USD
Nahariya to Tel Aviv Round-Trip Student Ticket = $18.70 USD
Visit Israel Railways’ official website online for schedule, tickets and up-to-date rates at: www.rail.co.il/EN

KCDC will not provide you with a student card as Dance Journey dancers/participants. If you have European/American student card, you can usually receive student prices and discounts in Israel for many things.

Family and friends are welcome to visit you during the program. We recommend that if they chose to stay overnight, that they rent a room in the kibbutz or in the nearby city of Nahariya. Best that they visit you on weekends and also come to see you perform at the showcases during the last week of the Dance Journey program.

KCDC does not provide any official document nor certificate of completion of the Dance Journey program. However, if you do require any type of document or official letter for your university, dance academy or whichever relevant program, we will happily provide you with such a letter. This document or letter would describe the program, its content and curriculum in depth and has generally been accepted at reputable academic institutions worldwide.