Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble Celebrates 25 Years And Counting

Calling all dance fans, friends and alumni: Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble celebrates 25 years as the premier American-Israeli contemporary dance troupe in the United States. In salute, the troupe presents Keshet For Life: 25 Years and Counting on Sunday, February 1 at 7 pm at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Commemorating its evolution from 1983 to the present, Keshet Chaim combines the public premiere of five new works with a retrospective of company favorites. From adventurous choreography reflecting the contemporary Israeli dance scene to exhilarating folk dances inspired by Jewish life in many lands, Keshet for Life promises an evening rich with Israeli culture. The exciting beats of Middle Eastern drums performed live by Naked Rhythm, aka percussionists Alex Spurkel and Avi Sills, will accompany the dancers. All dancers who are alumni of the company will be called on stage for the finale, and there will be a post-concert reunion reception.

"Twenty-five years is quite a feat, and what's great is that the company continues to grow," says Keshet Chaim executive director Genie Benson. "In 2008, we were commissioned to create nine new works including a premiere at the Kodak Theatre in honor of Israel's 60th Anniversary, two new pieces for a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall, five new works for a star-studded event at Paramount studios and a dance celebrating Chanukah that was included in a PBS special."

Under the direction of artistic director Eytan Avisar and Benson, Keshet for Life will take the audience on a journey transcending generations of Jewish thought and culture. Touching on its total repertoire, the company will show five of the new choreographies in full, including works by the company's newest young choreographer from Israel, Kobi Rozenfeld, and works by Eytan Avisar, Tsion Marciano, Ilana Cohen (from Israel's seminal Inbal Dance Theatre), Oded Mansura (also from Israel), and Erica Goldman. Composers of the show's original music include Uri Ophir, Sharon Farber, and Itzik Levy and Alon Danin from Nomai Concept. A rich array of costumes created by Nili Glazer completes an exciting mosaic of dance, music and color.

Keshet Chaim, Hebrew for "Rainbow of Life," is dedicated to celebrating the inclusive spirit of Israeli culture and Judaism throughout the world by creating, developing and presenting original choreography that fuses contemporary Israeli dance with Jewish folk dance traditions from across the Diaspora. Influenced by the multi-ethnic roots of the Jewish movement, music, art, poetry and culture, the company combats prejudice and anti-Semitism through entertainment, community outreach, children's workshops, and dance education.

Naked Rhythm was born in Los Angeles in 2003 with a vision of breaking down borders and bringing the world together with cross-cultural music and dance. By seamlessly fusing exotic world music and percussion with contemporary electronic dance grooves, Naked Rhythm captivates Western audiences with the universal language of rhythm and sounds of the Middle East, India, Africa and South America. The result is an innovative and organic form of World electronica that moves the heart as well as the hips. Keshet Chaim happily welcomes Naked Rhythm to this collaboration.

Keshet for Life takes place on Sunday, February 1 at 7:00 pm at the Fred Kavli Theater, located in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks, just off the 101 Freeway. Tickets range from $35.00 - $75.00. For reservations, the public should call Keshet Chaim at (818) 986-7332 or go to www.kcdancers.org.

DETAILS FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS
"KESHET FOR LIFE: 25 Years and Counting"

WHAT:
KESHET FOR LIFE: 25 Years and Counting - Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble, the premier American-Israeli contemporary dance troupe in the U.S., celebrates its 25th anniversary with an evening combining the public premiere of five new dances by Israeli choreographer Kobi Rozenfeld and a retrospective of company favorites from its original repertoire. From adventurous choreography reflecting the contemporary Israeli dance scene to exhilarating folk dances inspired by Jewish life in many lands, Keshet Chaim offers up an evening rich with Israeli culture punctuated by the exciting beats of Middle Eastern drum sounds performed by Naked Rhythm (percussionists Alex Spurkel and Avi Sills). In addition to the choreography of Rozenfeld, the evening will showcase works by Eytan Avisar, Tsion Marciano, Ilana Cohen (from Israel's seminal Inbal Dance Theatre) and Erica Goldman.

WHO:
Presented by Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble, Eytan Avisar, Artistic Director; Genie Benson, Executive Director
Choreography by Eytan Avisar, Kobi Rozenfeld, Tsion Marciano, Erica Goldman, Ilana Cohen
Original music by Uri Ophir, Sharon Farber, Nomai Concept's Alon Danin and Itzik Levy
Live percussion by Naked Rhythm (Alex Spurkel and Avi Sills)
Costumes created by Nili Glazer

WHEN:
Sunday, February 1 at 7 pm

WHERE:
Fred Kavli Theater
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

HOW:
(818) 986-7332 or www.kcdancers.org

TICKETS:
$35.00 - $75.00

WEBSITE:
www.kcdancers.org

 

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