Festival Kelim
Festival Kelim
Festival Kelim 2024
Words from the festival's Artistic Directors – Ayala Frenkel and Uri Shafir:
From April 9–13 we held the annual 'Festival Kelim' centered around the theme – Terroir, a choreography that sketches a place. In the spirit of the war period, Festival Kelim sought to be a "template of homeland landscape." A new map, drawn by the artists within the local landscape. A product of the geopolitical influences in which we operate, moving together between the geographic and environmental, and the political, social, and gendered. Within the chaos, we try to draw an imaginary map, one that might perhaps indicate a path.
Following the events of October 7 and during the war period, we did not see it appropriate to hold a festival in its usual sense. The feeling is that this is not a time for celebration, but a time for support, gathering, consolation, and learning. In this spirit, throughout the months leading up to the festival we studied and explored the connection between ecological perceptions and the operation of the dance field. We drew inspiration from approaches such as permaculture and sought to embed values such as community, reciprocity, sustainability, and resilience. Simultaneously, we engaged in learning about the network of connections between the ecological, political, and gendered.
After about six months of residency and joint learning with the artists, the festival takes place at 'Kelim' under the term 'Terroir.' The term Terroir (French: Terroir) describes the set of environmental conditions for agricultural growth. Through it, we observe and inquire about the living environment in which we operate together. What is the local landscape of each work? What are the elements that create the environment in which the work lives? What nourishes it? What is the unique landscape of a work, and what is the map that we weave together?
The 'Terroir' events took place over five days at the 'Kelim' Center for Choreography, premiering works by Iris Erez, Saad Mansour, Mika Kupfer, Kai Rothschild, and Shaked Mocheach. Artist Aviv Horovitz presented 'This is Not a Show' as part of the 'Recovery Track.' Alongside the performances, performative meetings were held with students from the two-year choreography program led by Tami Liebovitz. Within the events, lectures and exposure to artists from the 'Action Lab' incubator were interwoven, an incubator in collaboration with the Pais Foundation for professional choreographic creation with participants of diverse abilities, led by Natali Zuckerman. In parallel, a participatory conference was held, led by Merav Dagan and Daniel Galia Kind, examining the connection between choreography and motherhood as a methodology with political-social-gendered potential. The national hip-hop event took place for the third year, a freestyle and breakdance competition managed by Ashed Abraham and Studio Tariki from Bat Yam.
Festival audiences were invited to spaces moving between art and ecology, between the political, gendered, and social.
Artistic Direction Festival: Ayala Frenkel and Uri Shafir // Artistic Direction Kelim Center: Ayala Frenkel // CEO: Moran Bash Danon // Production and Project Management: Matar Freshitz // Production and Operations: Adi Sav // Marketing and Social Media: Doron Galia-Kind // Head of Choreography Program: Tami Liebovitz // Manager of 'Action Lab' Incubator: Natali Zuckerman // Technical Management: Lior Levin // Artistic Supervision – Program Students: Moran Dovshni // Graphic Design: Yitzhak Yitzhaki // Lighting Design: Rotem Elroi // Festival Photo Documentation: Yair Meyuhas // Founders: Anat Danieli and Tal Grabinsky-Amishi
Photo: Yair Meyohas
Festival Kelim 2023
Festival Kelim 2023 took place from March 21–25, 2023. Five days of contemporary dance in multiple styles and in collaboration with participants of diverse abilities and backgrounds. Five premieres, two work-in-progress performances produced by 'Kelim', exposure to social and educational projects of 'Kelim', a discussion event – 'Democratic Choreography', a day of choreography and street culture, and more.
During the festival, five premiere performances were presented by the creators: Mika Kupfer, Tamar Binyamini, Anat Vadiya, Nedi Yoel, and SNOW, developed within the six-month artist residency program at 'Kelim'. Two discussion events took place: one focusing on democratic choreography and the other on the institutionalization of the street culture scene. Additionally, work-in-progress performances of projects operating at Kelim throughout the year were presented in collaboration with diverse communities: Tamar Meiselish leading the 'Mutual Gaze' project with participants with visual impairments and blindness, Moran Yitzhaki Avergel and Kim Teitelbaum leading the 'Tools' project with participants with developmental intellectual delays, and the 'Girl' project guided by Rotem Volk and Hagar Weitzman, in collaboration with Yaad School in Bat Yam and Dance It Studio in Bat Yam, managed by Shani Mahlab. Furthermore, a day of choreography and street culture took place – a nationwide collaboration of Bat Yam studios: a breakdance and all-styles national competition with Studio TAKIRI, a scene discussion, the performance of the contemporary hip-hop ensemble 'Untrainable' led by Hagar Weitzman, and a party.
Words from the festival's Artistic Directors – Ayala Frenkel and Natali Zuckerman:
This is the second year of 'Festival Kelim' in its current format. At this point in time, we refine the festival, the artistic vision, and primarily the relationships within it. We refine the connections between us and the artists; among the artists as a group; and between each artist and themselves. There appears to be a delicate network connecting all these. Artistic intentions are intertwined with human intentions of dialogue, listening, and shared partnership.
Most of this year's works are solo pieces, with the personal search striving to transform into a search emerging from the self and engaging in dialogue with the social, tribal, and artistic space. During the process of preparing the festival, what can no longer be hidden emerges – the burning political situation. Accordingly, we continue to ask and refine: What is our role as an institution? What is our role for the artists? What is the role of the artists for us? What is the role of art at this time… and now?
'Kelim' is a space that aims to allow as wide a range of participants as possible to pass through it, to experiment with choreographic tools, and to leave a mark and thought within its spaces. All of this is expressed in the festival, representing the entire annual activity of 'Kelim'. In these difficult days, we believe we must constitute an island of sanity, a space for artistic research, for alternative and inclusive practice inviting participants from diverse backgrounds and abilities to take part. At the same time, given the turbulent political climate, we initiate a discussion event on 'Democratic Choreography', raising questions about the connection between democratic values and our daily life as artists, artistic directors, and colleagues.
Festival Team:
Artistic Direction – Festival: Ayala Frenkel and Natali Zuckerman // Artistic Direction – Kelim Center: Ayala Frenkel // CEO: Moran Bash Danon // Founders: Anat Danieli and Tal Grabinsky-Amishi // Festival Production: Sigal Dahan // Kelim Production: Adi Sav // Marketing and Social Media: Doron Galia-Kind // Head of Choreography Program: Mai Zarhi // Graphic Design: Daniel Arenberg // Lighting Design: Rotem Elroi // Technical Management: Lior Levin // Festival Photography and Visual Design: Yair Meyuhas
Photo: Yair Meyohas
Festival Kelim 2022
Words from the festival's Artistic Directors – Ayala Frenkel and Natali Zuckerman:
We have known each other for many years. Choreography, community, generosity, space, research, gender – these are words that hover in the space of our meetings and conversations. The decision to manage together emerged organically from these intersecting points.
From our work in the studio, from our shared passion, the question arose – how can we create a space for contemporary choreography that, on the one hand, dwells in unmapped and experimental territories, yet simultaneously seeks clear communication outward and generous invitation inward? – This question accompanied us as artistic directors in the work on 'Festival Kelim' 2022, guiding our choice of works, the construction of discussion events, and the special events that await you.
We believe that choreography seeks to expand:
To expand into adjacent mediums and take on multidisciplinary forms.
To expand under a new perspective of additional participants shaping it.
To expand through other bodies experiencing it and navigating within it.
The festival is composed of this aspiration of our hearts – to expand, to create space, and to invite more participants to experience choreography.
The festival represents the year-long activity at Kelim: the residency program operating over six months, from which six premieres for the festival were born; the 'Action Lab' program – a new track at Kelim for developing projects in collaboration with non-professional performers, including participants of diverse abilities; collaboration with the two-year choreography program at Kelim through students guesting in some works, and more.
One of the projects presented this year at Kelim is a series of meetings called 'Thoughts On', in which we discuss a different topic related to choreography each time. With the aim of creating new modes of communication, diverse body language, gaze, and text, we wove discussion events between the performances as part of the 'Thoughts On' series, with each event focusing on the point of intersection between choreography and a related field: choreography and performance, choreography and therapy, and choreography and community.
The desire to communicate outward leads us to Bat Yam, where Kelim operates, and where issues of locality, community, and connection to different populations in the city constitute a central part of our perception and year-long activity at Kelim. As such, they are also central to the festival: a presentation of the 'Rakdi' project in collaboration with senior women from the city, a battle evening in collaboration with Studio TAKIRI from Bat Yam, a hip-hop performance by dancers from Dance-It Studio in Bat Yam managed by Shani Mahlab, and more.
Premiere Performances:
Fara // Bar Alters, Yesh Lahem Mida Pnimit // Sivan Schlzer Alexandrovich, Principle of Action // Kim Teitelbaum and Moran Yitzhaki Avergel, Whom of a Kind // Maayan Cohen Marciano, !HANDS UP // Einav Rozolio, Hysteria Performances 2022 // Adili Lieberman
Community Projects at Kelim:
'Mutual Gaze' Project – work in progress // 'Rakdi' Project – work in progress
Discussion Events:
Panel moderated by Natali Zuckerman: 'Working Practices with Non-Dancers'
Panel moderated by Mor Bar: Discussion following 'Hysteria Performances 2022', with participants: Rani Levi, Dr. Einav Rozenblit, Adili Lieberman
'The Assembly': Anat Radnai lecture: The Need for Gathering Creators from the Performance Field. Followed by a panel moderated by Anat Radnai: 'The Assembly', with participants: Einav Rozolio, Amit Drori, Anna Wild, Alit Kraiz
Festival Team:
Artistic Direction – Festival: Ayala Frenkel and Natali Zuckerman // Artistic Direction – Kelim Center: Ayala Frenkel // CEO: Moran Bash Danon // Founder: Anat Danieli // Founder and Head of Education and Community: Tal Grabinsky-Amishi // Festival Production: Sigal Dahan // Marketing and Social Media: Yotam Michael Yogev // Head of Choreography Program: Mai Zarhi // Graphic Design: Daniel Arenberg // Lighting Design: Baruch Spiegelman // Technical Management: Lior Levin
Photo: Tamar Lam