On the Dream Path

The Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company with artistic director Rami Be’er is one of Israel’s foremost dance companies, regularly delivering large-scale works of great interest, and “Foramen Magnum” is no exception. Visual stimulants in the shape of clever lighting design and original set elements, both conceived by Be’er himself, play an important part, and those present in “Foramen Magnum“ are particularly impressive in the manner in which they modify the space on stage and create singular environments for interaction with the movement.

The non-narrative dance investigates the brittle borderline between two realities, or states of consciousness: mythical times, or “dream time” as the Australian Aboriginals say, and the harsh dimension of our present reality. The juxtaposing poles are best represented by the two female dancers, Renana Randy and Ilana Bellahsen, who bring to the stage their contrasting, unique personas. While Randy, with her intense, tightly contained inner energy, moves like a preying tiger, Bellahsen as her contemporary counterpart explodes with live-wire energy.
The contrast is evident from the onset of the dance which opens up with an introduction of the clashing ...