The beginning of Kibbutz Summer Intensive
Our dance company, established in 1973 in Kibbutz Ga’aton by Yehudit Arnon, is situated in the beautiful and serene Galilee of northern Israel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The company’s home at the International Dance Village has been the life project of both Arnon and Rami Be’er, the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company who has developed both the Village into an internationally-recognized landmark for contemporary dance and has brought the company to a caliber amongst the world’s elite dance companies.
While other elite international dance companies are based in major urban areas, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s community aims to be closer and in touch with nature, while continually developing inside a kibbutz (a communal village). We believe that such an inspiring and tranquil setting has allowed us to create a nurturing global community of premier performing arts, artistic creation, diversified culture, dance education, outreach, and inspiration.
Since the company’s foundation in the early 70’s, we’ve been honored to perform in some of the world’s most prestigious theaters and dance festivals with Be’er works. It’s been over 40 years now. The company’s dancers, from the veteran to the novice, value these same founding principles in offering international audiences elite performing arts, providing the best dance education, and always striving to be active, engaged and contributing members of the community at large.
In the mid 90’s, Be’er established the second company (KCDC 2) with the purpose of bringing contemporary dance to young people across Israel and the globe. Shortly thereafter, the Summer Intensive study abroad program was born.
Since then 10 years have passed and we’ve been honored to host high school and university dance students from the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, China, France, and Israel, just to name a few.
And in order to be able to accommodate and train more young dancers from across the world, the International Dance Village has built additional dance studios, a performing arts center and theater, a café and restaurant, a swimming pool, a social hall and much more.
Summer Intensive Pride
With our yearly Summer Intensive, we’re always offering a very extensive dance and health curriculum, including massage, yoga lessons, and classes dealing with body awareness and healthy conditioning (asides from the latest contemporary and classic dance classes).
We’re always trying to offer a complete and unforgettable experience where young dancers live together, learn to be kind to one another, experience a new and exciting culture, while becoming the best version of themselves as dancers and young adults.
We welcome dance students of all levels; from beginner to more pre-professional levels. Of the 3,500-plus students who’ve attended our previous Summer Intensives, we can earnestly say that they find great value in that they’re able to study company repertoire with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company dancers and their leading choreographers and dance teachers.
During a Summer Intensive session, students study contemporary dance, modern dance, ballet, choreography, jazz, hip-hop, Gaga technique, and other classes.
Our teachers at the Summer Intensive are comprised of both company dancers from the main and second company along with ballet masters, established choreographers, international dancers and dance teachers with successful careers in Israel and with international and prestigious dance companies. Check out our teachers’ list here.
What Makes The Summer Intensive So Special?
It has to do a lot with the fact that everything takes place in the International Dance Village.
There’s no other place like this. You can feel the strong tradition of innovation in contemporary dance, created by the founder, Yehudit Arnon, a Holocaust survivor, a visionary, an innovator, and one of Israel’s greatest dance personas. She envisioned a better world by building this strong and inspiring dance community. A lot of renowned choreographers such as Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Christopher Bruce, Kei Takei, Susanne Linke, Hada Oren, and Oshra Elkayam were by her side in this effort.
At our Summer Intensive, all the students become part of our strong and nurturing global dance community and improve their dance skills to an impressive new level. For 2, 4, or 6-weeks, they get to live the life that of a professional together with one of the best dance companies in the world.
It’s like no other place you’ve seen before. Come and join us for the Kibbutz Summer Intensive 2018 and join a dance experience that will change your life!