During this global epidemic as many of us are idle at home, we sat down with company dancer Eden Beckerman and learn of her background and personal experience dancing in Kibbutz Contemporary Company 2 (KCDC 2) and living at our company’s home at The International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel.
Tell us a bit about your dance background and where you’re from. Where did you study and where did you dance prior to joining Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company?
I was born in Israel and grew up in a small village in the center of Israel called Beit- Yehoshua. I started practicing rhythmic gymnastics when I was 4-years old and after a few years, I made a decision to start with dance training at the age of 12 at the Even Yehuda School of Dance under the Artistic Direction of Nathalie Erlbaum Bornstein. At 16, I decided to move to continue my studies at Ironi Alef High School of the Arts in Tel- Aviv and danced in the dance department under the artistic direction of Dalit Haramati. During my last year at high school, I received the “Excellent Dancer” statue as part of my army service. This statue allows dancers to continue with their professional dance training in parallel to the obligatory military service. Therefore, during these 2 years of service, I was training at the Maslool Professional Dance Program in Tel Aviv directed by Naomi Perlov and Offir Dagan. During my second year at the Maslool, I auditioned for Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company 2 (KCDC 2), and joined as an apprentice the year after. This is my first year on a contract in the Second Company.
Eden Beckerman | Photo by Erez Kashi
What attracted you to the movement language of Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company and that of Artistic Director Rami Be’er’s work?
I believe that I mainly got attracted to the raw and animalistic physicality of Rami Be’er’s work. The totality of movement and presence of the dancers on stage is what captured my heart. This strong intensity and physicality of the dancers bring out their emotions, experience, and all that they’ve gone through. This made me identify with them first as an audience member; connecting to their deep place of authenticity. I’m attracted to the company’s power as a group and as individuals and connected to the different qualities, presence, and mentality each and every dancer shows on stage.
When did you join KCDC 2 and what was the audition process like?
I joined KCDC 2 in 2018, at the age of 19. The audition process included a ballet class and a few stages of repertoire from past years. At the end of the audition, I was asked to show a solo of my choice.
Can you tell us a bit about the life of a KCDC 2 dancer? What material have you been working on? Where have you preformed this season? How is it performing more interactive works and dancing with audience members?
I feel like my process of learning and developing through the pieces we perform in KCDC2 is endless, surprising and unexpected, and this is why I connect to it so much- the feeling of not reacting automatically, because it’s a live art which always evolves, especially when it brings new people to the space, changing some set of rules. That’s because the interaction with the audience each and every time from the beginning is changing from audience to audience, older or younger audience. I can never guess how a person I’m dancing with will react at the moment of action, and it’s interesting for me to observe it with different people at different times and spaces. It’s an art of sensitivity, being even more aware of the space around me and the people around me, humanity, making decisions in a moment, commitment, taking responsibility on another person or more, making him/ her feel comfortable while not putting the choreography, projection, stage presence or any other correction I was given, on the side. It’s challenging but I’m grateful for having the opportunity to work on it and add another tool to my box. I see it as an inseparable tool each performer should own.
Eden Beckerman | Photo by Erez Kashi
How does it feel living at the Int’l Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton? What is it like living among professional dancers, international dance students, and dance professionals at The International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel?
Living in the Kibbutz is special. It feels like a small world inside the big world we are living in, which creates a unique atmosphere. I feel like the connection between me and my colleagues only gets stronger from day to day, because we live so close to one another, and that makes our work in the studio different, I believe. It connects to being more opened to one another, getting to know each other better as we live our dance life and personal life together, it creates another kind of intimacy and authenticity between us, which have a huge affect on our working process inside the studio. Except for my colleagues, I’m inspired by the mix of cultures and different backgrounds each dancer brings from his/ her home, from each corner of this world,6 to the Kibbutz. In addition, I feel like this intimate environment of the Kibbutz gives me the opportunity to completely focus on my work everyday, dedicate myself and fully live the art we are making.
What is it like living among professional dancers, international dance students, and dance professionals at The International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel?
It’s a luxury! You are surrounded by so many talented dancers all day long. You get inspired and you can learn from everyone. And since there is people from all over the world there is a collection of so many styles, qualities, personalities,… It’s a great place to keep growing and developing yourself.
Eden Beckerman | Photo by Erez Kashi
Can you share with us how/what you feel dancing with the company on stage?
Performing with my colleagues on stage is an indescribable feeling for me. I feel that no matter if I go through a good or bad day, my colleagues will always be their for me, supporting, giving me a real power only by having a single look in the eyes. My feeling is that we are all devoted to one another at these moments on stage, we listen to one another and communicate, and I believe dance is about that- listening, reacting, giving the space to one another, sharing our passion to move, committing to each other and to the experience we are going through. I cherish this connection between us.
Would you like to reach out to Eden on Instagram? You’re welcome to reach her at @eden_beckerman
Come dance with us at our home at the International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel and take part in the:
