DUO

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.  Kolben is the recipient of the 2024 Arik Einstein Prize and a key figure in contemporary dance.

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.