Photo by Gadi Dagon courtesy of Batsheva Dance Company

Fall For Dance North 9th Annual Festival
Sep 26 - Oct 7

Playbill Notes

Last updated: Sep 25, 2023

Artistic Director
ILTER IBRAHIMOF

Thank you for joining us for

Ohad Naharin's
KAMUYOT
Performed by Charlotte Ballet

Sep 26 8:00 PM
Sep 27 4:00 PM & 6:00 PM*
Sep 28 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM*
Sep 29 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Sep 30
11:00 AM

*Post-Show Artist chat moderated by Kyle Scheurich

Duration: approximately 45 minutes, no intermission

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED DURING PERFORMANCES


KAMUYOT
By Ohad Naharin
Created for Batsheva - The Young Ensemble (2003) Inspired by Mamootot and Moshe by Ohad Naharin

Performed by Charlotte Ballet
Staged by Kyle Scheurich and Bret Easterling
Costumes Design Alla Eizenberg
Sound Design David (Dudi) Bell

Created by world renowned dancemaker Ohad Naharin and performed in Toronto by Charlotte Ballet under the direction of the company’s new Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo, KAMUYOT is a contemporary experience for all ages, developed with the vocabulary of Gaga. Naharin’s iconic movement language, Gaga is both innovative and ever evolving, characterized by a deeper connection to the body, freedom found through movement and a return to the feeling of pleasure.

For this unique presentation, audience members are invited to take a seat on the stage, surrounding the dancers, creating a shift in the dynamic between performer and audience. At the heart of the show stands a simple invitation – to dance. Breaking away from the traditional theatre hall, the show also liberates the audience. A hand’s reach from the dancers, over 50 minutes with no clear boundaries, connections are weaved between the dancers and the audience, formulating a language that seems like it has always been there. An inspiring and moving experience that allows the audience “to be with” dance and not only watch it.

For the entire family. Suitable for ages 6 and up.


Choreographer

Photo by Ilya Melnikov

Ohad Naharin is the House Choreographer of Batsheva Dance Company and creator of the Gaga movement language.

Naharin was born in 1952 in Mizra, Israel.  His mother is a choreographer, dance teacher, and Feldenkrais instructor, and his father was an actor and psychologist.  He joined Batsheva Dance Company in 1974 despite having little formal training.  During his first year, guest choreographer Martha Graham invited him to join her own company in New York.  Between 1975 and 1976, Naharin studied at the School of American Ballet, The Juilliard School, and with Maggie Black and David Howard.  He then joined Maurice Béjart’s Ballet du XXe Siecle in Brussels for one season.

Naharin returned to New York in 1979 and made his choreographic debut at the Kazuko Hirabayshi studio the following year.  From 1980 until 1990, Naharin presented works in New York and abroad, including pieces for Batsheva Dance Company, the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, and Nederlands Dans Theater.  At the same time, he worked with his first wife, Mari Kajiwara, and a group of dancers in New York. Naharin and Kajiwara continued to work together until she died from cancer in 2001.

In 1990, Naharin was appointed Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, and in the same year, he established the company’s junior division, Batsheva – the Young Ensemble.  He has since created over thirty works for both companies. After almost thirty years of leading Batsheva, Naharin stepped down as Artistic Director in 2018, and continues to serve as the Company’s House Choreographer.

Naharin’s work has also been featured in several films. In his 2007 documentary, Out of Focus, Director Tomer Heymann filmed the process of restaging Decadance with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.  And in 2015, the Heymann Brothers released their comprehensive documentary about Naharin, Mr. Gaga, to critical and audience acclaim.

A citizen of both Israel and the United States, Naharin currently lives in Israel with his wife, dancer and costume designer Eri Nakamura, and their daughter, Noga.


Performers

Cast for the following shows:
Sep 26, 6:00 PM, Sep 27, 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM, Sep 28, 6:00 PM, Sep 29, 8:00 PM

Barkley
Csordas
Dunton
Franco
Gonzalez
Launer
Mains
Mouzon Jr.
Okamoto
Oguma
Owen
Ramazzina
Reister
Robinson
Wire

Cast for the following shows:
Sep 26, 8:00 PM, Sep 27, 4:00 PM, Sep 28, 1:00 PM & 8:00 PM, Sep 29, 6:00 PM, Sep 30 11:00 AM

Aoki
Barkley
Csordas
Eleby
Gonzalez
Gresham
Launer
Mains
Mouzon Jr.
Okamoto
Oguma
Owen
Ramazzina
Reister
Robinson


Production & Artistic Staff

Artistic Director: Alejandro Cerrudo
Rehearsal Director: Ana Lopez
Director of Artistic Operations: Yarina Conners
Stage Manager: Olivia Ramos
Technical Director: Paul Swanson
Head of Wardrobe: Tatyana Yarborough
Assistant Wardrobe:  Maria Kofman
Production Manager: Aaron Muhl
Assistant Wardrobe: Maria Kofman
Costume Shop Manager: Kerri Martinsen


Music: Yapoos, Takagi Masakatsu, Ogurusu norihide, Drummatic, Fonica, Yuzu Kako, Lou Reed, Bobby Freeman, Nakagawa Takashi, Isolated Audio Players, Roletta Secohan, Flower Companyz, L.V. Beethoven, Tsipi Fleicher, John Tavener, The Ventures, Pan Sonic, The Aqua Velvets, Cirrus, Roberto Pregadio-Claudia, Boss Phobie, Haim Laroz


Enhance Your Experience

In addition to our KAMUYOT performances we have free Gaga events around the city with Charlotte Ballet and New York-based certified Gaga instructor Kyle Scheurich to help provide a deeper understanding of Ohad Naharin's unique movement language. Explore these events:

Gaga For People Workshop
W
ith Kyle Scheurich
Thursday Sep 28
6:00-7:00 PM

TMU Theatre
Open to everyone and anyone!

 

Gaga For Dancers Workshop
With Kyle Scheurich
Friday Sep 29
11:30 AM-12:45 PM

Canada’s National Ballet School
Hosted in partnership with Keith Moreno
For the professional community

 

What is Gaga - Free Lunchtime Event
Thursday Sep 28
12:00-1:00 PM

The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Join Alejandro Cerrudo and Kyle Scheurich for an introduction to Ohad Naharin’s work and KAMUYOT.
Co-hosted by the COC
First come, first serve

 


FFDN Team

Leadership

Ilter Ibrahimof - Artistic Director

Aviva Fleising - General Manager

Melissa Forstner - Director of Advancement and Philanthropy

Lily Sutherland - Executive Producer

Sheila O'Neill - Marketing & Communications Manager

Milana Glumicic - Producer, Digital Programming

Melina Osorio - Finance and Advancement Officer

Faith Buchanan - Education & Residency Coordinator

Simon Rossiter - Director of Design

Felicia Myronyk - Advancement Officer

 

 

 

 

Seasonal Staff

Leah Totten - Festival Coordinator

Nikki Chabrol - Volunteer Coordinator

Emma Haynes - Festival Intern

Julia Mak - Administrative Assistant

Alexis Eunick - Community Arts Coordinator

Bradley Langham - Box Office Manager

Barney Bayliss - Director of Production

Zita Nyarady - Company Manager

Haleigh Eady - Company Manager

 

Year-Round Collaborators

Web Development & Graphic Design Team - Mouth Media

Additional Graphic Design & Animation - Eric Rochon (Brood Studios)

Publicity & Communications - Murray Patterson Marketing Group

Financial Services - Robert Gore and Associates

 

To read more about our team and their bios, please visit the Our Village page on the FFDN website.


Fall For Dance North Board of Directors

Chair Valerie Wilder

Past Chair Joan Lozinski, O.C.
Philanthropist

Treasurer Gerry Hannochko
Advising Representative (Portfolio Manager), Dealing Representative - Qwest Investment Fund Management Ltd.

Aleksandar Antonijevic
Fine Art Photographer, Teacher, Coach and Stager of Ballets

Peggy Baker, C.M., O.Ont, L.L.D, D.Litt
Dancer, Choreographer, Educator, Artist-in-Residence, Canada's National Ballet School

Erin Eizenman
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, MaRS Discovery District

Tanya Howard
First Soloist, The National Ballet of Canada

Jim Hwang
Chief Operating Officer, Firinne Capital

Emma Sako
Senior Associate, Torys LLP

Karen Sparks
Director, Philanthropic Advisory Services BMO Private Wealth

Zdenko Teply
Director, Strategic Transactions & Review, Scotiabank

 


Also happening this week at the festival:

Check out FFDN's in-house podcast Mambo - new season out now!


Fall For Dance North's Mission

FFDN is Toronto’s premier professional international dance festival that exists to break boundaries and remove barriers.  

With pluralism and affordability at its core, FFDN celebrates, nurtures and amplifies established and emerging Canadian dance artists, creates global connections, and inspires future audiences to sustain the artform.

Read more about our Mission & Values.

Learn how FFDN started.

 

It's easy to support FFDN, find out how you can here.