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To hell and back: A political ballet for Israel’s age of war

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • "All Spirits," a new dance piece premiering at the Jerusalem Theatre, uses six choreographed scenes to explore archetypes of war.
  • The work is structured as a palindrome, moving forward and backward through its scenes to reflect the "infinite militaristic cycle."
  • Choreographers were inspired by Kurt Jooss's 1932 "political ballet" "The Green Table," seeking to convey a similar clarity in chaotic times.

A new dance production titled "All Spirits" (Kol HaRuchot) is set to premiere at the Jerusalem Theatre on August 4 and 5 as part of the Israel Festival. The work, created by artistic directors Shani Tamari Matan and Moshe Shechter Avshalom with choreography by Mor Shani and others, is composed of six distinct choreographed tableaux. These scenes delve into various archetypes and myths associated with war, ranging from the battlefield to the experiences of mothers, leaders, refugees, and the displaced.

like the infinite militaristic cycle in which we are trapped

— Program NoteExplaining the palindromic structure of the dance piece.

Pianist Nitai Hershkovits will perform the musical score live on stage throughout the performance. The entire piece is structured as a palindrome, meaning it progresses through its six scenes and then reverses, returning near its starting point. This palindromic structure is intended to symbolize the "infinite militaristic cycle in which we are trapped," according to the program notes.

We chose the clean, classical space of the theater to respond to a dirty, disturbed reality that sanctifies an aesthetic of violence we’ve been training in since birth.

— Artistic DirectorsDescribing their motivation for creating the piece.

The creators of "All Spirits" were significantly influenced by Kurt Jooss's 1932 "political ballet," "The Green Table." Jooss's work, which depicted men in tailcoats agreeing to send a generation to die, was a bold statement for its time. The artistic directors expressed an admiration for Jooss's certainty and his declaration of making "political work," finding it appealing in contrast to the current chaotic times.

This piece is a masterpiece that every dancer, everyone who follows dance closely, knows well.

— Creators of All SpiritsReferring to Kurt Jooss's "The Green Table."

While inspired by Jooss's clarity and conviction, the creators of "All Spirits" aim to convey their message through choreography rather than direct illustration. They acknowledge the difficulty of defining "political work" today but sought to "say 'yes' to it" and "agree with it" by creating a piece that responds to the "dirty, disturbed reality that sanctifies an aesthetic of violence we’ve been training in since birth."

Jooss’s declaration – he was a pacifist – that this is a political ballet is pretty stunning. It’s incredibly loaded, but also almost naive. Who today can say they’re making political work? And what does that even mean?

— Creators of All SpiritsReflecting on Kurt Jooss's approach to political art.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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