KACHA
KACHA
KACHA is based on an interview with Amir Kolben that never took place
Drawing inspiration from Kolben's personal journey, including his battle with cancer, this performance seamlessly weaves together raw authenticity, daring choreography, and taboo-shattering narratives, embracing the profound and the uncomfortable.
"How old are you?", "Are you afraid to die?" or "Are all male dancers gay?".
KACHA tackles in a raw choreographic and theatrical way the questions Kolben was never asked by journalists or during his audience encounters. These questions were considered impolite, lacked public interest, or were too challenging to answer. Nonetheless, they are the key to a deeper understanding of ourselves and others and are most significant to the choreographer.
In KACHA, Kolben Dance Company fearlessly explores a world of raw emotion and honesty, challenging the choreographer himself with presumably innocent questions.
This performance not only raises these questions but also offers intimate and unfiltered answers through the voices of the company's dancers. The dancers play a pivotal role, sharing their unique viewpoints and narratives, thus broadening our understanding and dismantling preconceptions, resulting in a captivating experience.
KACHA engages audiences on a personal level, encouraging them to reflect on their own unasked questions.It sparks conversations that linger long after the curtain falls.
In the end the eternal “Why?” meets the inevitable KACHA.
*KACHA can be partly translated to BECAUSE (an answer to WHY?)
By: Amir Kolben
Costume Design: Adi Yair
Lighting Design: Ori Morag
Musical Design, Set, Text: Amir Kolben
Music: Nicolas Jaar Acid Pauli, NU, Jo.Ke, Raz Ohara, Chris Schwarzwälder ft. Matanza, FKA Twigs, Bella Ciao (folk song), Koda, Bachar Mar Khalifa & Chapelier Fou, Daft Beatles (Blondie + Philip Glass) Erik Satie
Dancers/co-creators: Laureline Andrei, Mor Birger, Helena Schocknacht, Shahar Cohen, Sharon Cohen, Dima Komarov, Alexander Kiselev, Avon Seliljan, Amir Kolben
Narrator: Varda Silberberg
Our Story
The Company
Kolben Dance was founded in 1996 by artistic director and choreographer Amir Kolben. Kolben Dance is a contemporary dance company that lives and breathes the complex essence of Jerusalem, its home, and Israel.
Kolben Dance is committed to its mission of creating contemporary, meticulous, moving, thought-provoking dance with a poignant statement in the social and personal fields.
The company combines choreographic skill and artistic daring in its work, expressed in physicality, athleticism and technical complexity, and its dancers are active partners in the creative process.
In his creations, Kolben often sensitively touches social and political issues which are part of reality in Israel. In a world resonating with the echoes of conflict, our dance company is an invitation for introspection and understanding. Embracing dance's universal language, we navigate the complexity of human emotions, delving into life's darker aspects while igniting a dialogue that prompts a genuine reexamination of ourselves and the fabric of society. Our works transcends boundaries, joining a global conversation that aspires towards healing and mutual understanding.
Kolben Dance has presented internationally its diverse repertory in festivals, theaters and events all over the world, including France, Germany, Rumania, Usa, China, India and many more.
The company is committed to its mission to make the language of dance accessible to a variety of audiences, adults, children and youth, and it achieves this goal through running 3 dance schools in various places. In addition it contributes lecture demonstrations, lectures and workshops as part of its community outreach activities.
Prof. Amir Kolben – Artistic Director and Choreographer
Prof. Amir Kolben is the founder of Kolben Dance Company, and has served as its artistic director and choreographer since its establishment in 1996 until now.
Prof. Amir Kolben served as Dean of the Faculty of Dance at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance between 2015-2020, where he taught several subjects for many years.
Kolben began his dance studies at the Mishmar HaEmek Dance Studio, and later studied in many places in Israel and abroad, including Bat-Dor Dance school, Merce Cunningham Dance School and more.
Kolben's dancing career spans over a few decades, and recently he resumed his active dancing and performing, at the age of 69, after 10 years pause.
He initially joined Batsheva 2 and later danced for many years in Batsheva Dance Company, where he also was a principal dancer. In addition he also danced at the Israeli Ballet, at the Opera Dance Theater in Freiburg, Germany, and in the United States.
Kolben's choreographies were commissioned by many theaters and festivals all over the world and were very successful. His works have been exhibited in the United States, Germany, Russia, Poland, Romania, France, Brazil, Colombia, China, India, Thailand, and more.
Kolben co-founded the Tamar Company in Ramla in 1982, which was a milestone in the Israeli dance landscape, as the first fringe dance company in Israel, and in which he co-founded the School of Contemporary Dance in Ramla.
Later he served as artistic director of the Tamar Jerusalem Company. In 1996, Kolben founded the "Kombina" troupe, which became Kolben Dance Company in 2006.
Amir Kolben combines a deep analytical and intellectual dimension in his work, with a moving and powerful artistic and emotional experience.
His activity in the field of dance spans over more four decades, during which he has become one of the most recognized and respected artists in the field of contemporary Israeli dance.
Contact Information
For more details or collaboration inquiries:
Sonia Joanna Zwolska | Head of international communication
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +972 50-765-7151
Explore our artistic expression through these trailers from Kolben Dance's past performances
On the edge
tr[app]ed
Lake 3.0
