Jannah Berkley

A behind-the-scenes look at “The Look”: an interview with Ohad Mazor about Sharon Eyal’s new work Sharon Eyal, innovative choreographer and co-founder of L-E-V Dance Company, is back from a world tour with her newest work for Batsheva’s Ensemble, “The Look.” Ohad Mazor, a member of Batsheva’s Ensemble and a soloist in the piece, opens the backstage door, revealing Sharon’s unique creative process, from day one of rehearsals to curtains up on their international tour. First things first, Ohad, who are you? I am Ohad Mazor. I just turned 21-years-old a few days ago and it’s my third year in the Ensemble. I am really excited to be joining the Company next year. Where did you dance before you joined the Ensemble? I grew up in Haifa. My dance training was based mostly on ballet and Graham. I had a really amazing teacher who wanted to help me do things beyond the frame of school, so I did summer dance intensives at Juilliard and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance in the States. When I was eighteen, I auditioned for Batsheva and got in. What is your role in “The Look”? We don’t really have roles like The Clown or The Princess, but I call my solo the “Bully Solo.” I pump my muscles and have a bit of a stripper fantasy moment. What is this piece about? Generally, with both Ohad and Sharon’s pieces, we never speak about the work, what the piece is about, or what message it sends. This might sound weird to people from the outside because a lot of the time we create scenes th

All about Pilates legend Kathi Ross Nash’s upcoming workshop in Tel Aviv  Pilates is a whole lot more than that mat class you took in your gym once. Joseph Pilates founded the method in German internment camps in the 1930s with something he called “Contrology”. It included elements of gymnastics, yoga, dance, bodybuilding, boxing and reflexology. Over the years it has developed a lineage of teachers, a rich history and an international following. Kathi Ross Nash, one of the legacy instructors of the Classical Pilates method, has inspired many, including Mor Vestler, owner of MorePilates studio in Tel Aviv. Mor is thrilled to be hosting Kathi for a two-day workshop this July. Here they chat about their excitement for the upcoming workshop, the Red Thread®️, and what Pilates really is.  Who are you two? Kathi Ross Nash: I am a person who is driven by love, loyalty and passion - in everything I do. I believe you must give back what you take from this world. I believe through my work in Pilates it is my obligation to share what I have not only learned from my teachers but in my 40 plus years as a student and teacher of the method. This is who I am. Mor Vestler: Thanks to Pilates I had the privilege to find myself in a process that transformed me not only physically, but also mentally. This transformation gave me a strong desire to share this and pass it on. After a decade of experience in teaching Pilates at a variety of studios, in Israel and the USA, I opened my boutique studio

Revel in the Israel Ballet’s performance by the iconic choreographer It has been over a decade since Israel has seen a Balanchine ballet. But thanks to Susie Londoner (Former NYCB dancer and Balanchine repetiteur), Claire Bayliss Nagar (Israel Ballet’s Artistic Director) and Lea Lavie (Israel Ballet’s CEO), the Israel Ballet is bringing him back. George Balanchine, the storied Russian-born choreographer, dubbed the ‘father of American ballet’, co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its Artistic Director for more than 35 years. He is considered one of the most influential 20th century choreographers. As The Israel Ballet rehearses for their opening event, Susie and Claire explain how they pulled off this balletic feat, what is so special about “Serenade” and what it means to swoosh Tell me about yourselves: Susie: I started taking class at the School of American Ballet when I was seven until seventeen. After dancing abroad for a year, I came back to New York to ask Mr. B [Balanchine] to join the company. Long story short, after six months of taking class and touring with them, I was asked to join the NYCB Company. I danced with them for thirteen years. Claire: I am Claire Bayliss Nagar, I am originally British, graduated from the Royal Ballet School and had a reasonably long dance career all over the world. When I was in the company here in 1997, we danced Balanchine. But after, in the time I was gone, there has been no Balanchine. When I was first offered the job of

The anonymous photographer talks typography, nude models, and a travelling global exhibit For the last 5 years, Sans Serif (AKA @sansserifit on Instagram) has been making the real seem surreal with his human letter photography. The anonymous artist who has been touring “Once Upon a Type” all over the world is showing his work for the first time in Tel Aviv. As he prepares for his solo exhibit this weekend, he explains the origins of the project, what it takes to get these amazing shots and what he plans to do in zero-gravity How did @sansserifit start? As a graphic designer who loves typography, I've been collecting old signs letters for many years: metal, wood, neon glass and plastic, from the 40's to the 80's, saved from recycling or bought at flea markets in Tokyo, Brazil, London, Portugal, Argentina, Tel Aviv and all over the world. One day, while moving the letters around the house, I started to notice the connection between them and my body. How they hung or lay became a new structure, creating a new hybrid of choreography and typography. The first photo session with a dancer from Berlin was published online in photography galleries, and I instantly started receiving messages from dancers who liked the concept and who asked to be part of the "project" (which wasn't one at that point). 5 years later, more than 90 sessions with people from over 25 countries and I’m still discovering new ways to fuse the body and the letters. © sansserifit How has the project evolved ove