During this global epidemic as many of us are idle at home, we sat down with company dancer Itai Meir and learn of his 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 am israeli and I studied in the Academy for Music and Dance in Jerusalem. After I finished six years there, I came to dance at the Dance Workshop in Kibbutz Ga’aton and studied under the Artistic Direction of Einav Levy and Yaniv Avraham.
Itai Meir
What attracted you to the movement language of Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company and that of Artistic Director Rami Be’er’s work?
I’m attracted to the way the dancers move in space. There’s a feeling that they control the space around them, like they own it.
When did you join KCDC 2 and what was the audition process like?
I joined KCDC2 in 2019. The audition process was challenging for me and required us to work on rather physical material; which took me away from my comfort zone.
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 that as a group, we are good friends and the chemistry between us is strong which affects the movement and energy we create together both in the studio and on stage. Interacting with the audience during the performance creates a lot of intimate and authentic moments that I don’t have the opportunity to experience in the studio.
Itai Meir
How does it feel living at the International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton?
I have been living in the Kibbutz for 3 years. The Kibbutz for me is a very social place where I can laugh a lot and make my art in many ways, each and every day in the studio and in my personal life.
What is it like living among professional dancers, international dance students, and dance professionals at The International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel?
On stage, we handle a very extreme physicality; as a whole company, as a group, and as individuals. We try to find the simple, intimate moments between us and to share the energy that’s created during these moments with our audience. Sometimes we can work on specific and exact movements and qualities in the studio during rehearsals, but sometimes the human connection between us as a group of dancers, is the most powerful thing that I feel on stage.
Itai Meir
Can you share with us how/what you feel dancing with the company on stage?
On stage, we handle a very extreme physicality; as a whole company, as a group, and as individuals. We try to find the simple, intimate moments between us and to share the energy that’s created during these moments with our audience. Sometimes we can work on specific and exact movements and qualities in the studio during rehearsals, but sometimes the human connection between us as a group of dancers, is the most powerful thing that I feel on stage.
Come dance with us at our home at the International Dance Village in Kibbutz Ga’aton, Israel and take part in the:
