Captivating movement and elegant imagery stands out in this work called Null, choreographed by Noa Wertheim who is the co-founder and director of the Vertigo Dance Company, Isreal. It is performed in this video by the company. The music is composed by Ran Bagno, Audio Collage and Stefan Ferry and the striking set and costumes are designed by Rakefet Levi.
Vertigo Dance Company was founded by two Israeli dancers, Noa Wertheim and Adi Sha’al. Wertheim is a graduate from the Ruben Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem who danced with the Tamar Dance Company. It was there she met Adi Sha’al who had danced with the Batsheva Ensemble and the Kibbutz Dance Workshop. Together they created the company in 1992 naming the company after the name of the first collaborative piece they danced together, Vertigo.
The company was created to be a place where they could bring audience and performers together to give unique experiences of dance that is unexpected, exciting and challenging. The company is dedicated to giving high international artistic and technical standards of performance and to being an Israeli artistic messenger, to reach and bring people closer together through dance.
Null is a work that explores and brings together opposing elements and the contradictory and random nature of our lives. It is visually strong with beautiful fresh images created with elegant and striking costumes and set together with a distinct organic and grounded movement language.
The stage is surrounded by semi-transparent walls with three kitchen sinks that have running water the dancers use. The men wear black which includes a long tulle skirt. The women wear white batiste outfits and together they all stand out sharply against the clean fresh white background, especially when the set if illuminated.
The movement is strong, grounded and organic. I appreciate the elements of risk that comes into play in the men’s solos and duets between sexes. The men in particular show a bridled raw energy as they fall and propel themselves through space as opposed to the women who dance with a power that is infused with a sensual intensity. The last section is delightfully light and fresh with a lovely flowing liveliness in which all the dancers, dressed in white, are illuminated against the glowing set.
Overall the piece appears to be a mysterious ritualistic rite of cleansing both physically and spiritually that is experienced by the individual and group. And the illuminated end sections symbolize the ultimate of the illuminated spiritually cleansed state.
This piece is mesmerizing with its fresh beauty and coherent artistic style. A beautiful visual and kinetic experience!
Enjoy the captivating and elegant images in this unique piece and SHARE
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