Israeli Dance Troupes a Big Hit in “International Exposure”

Monger, a new piece by Barak Marshall

Last week, the Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance and Theater hosted the annual “International Exposure” event to showcase the best in modern Israeli dance. The festivities attracted notable figures from around the world, including Martin Wechsler from the Joyce Theater in New York. His impressions were covered in the Israeli press and are translated below.

Directors From New York Like Israeli Dance, Too

By Roni Dori (Published 23 January 2009)

Martin Wechsler, the Director of Programming at the Joyce Theater, an important center of dance in new York, came to Israel to see 36 local works in 6 days.

“Colorful, very physical, and full of passion,” is how Martin Wechsler, Director of Programming for New York’s Joyce Theater, defines Israeli dance. Wechsler, now visiting Israel for the “International Exposure” events that opened this week, will watch 36 local dance productions in 6 days.

Though this is his second time in Israel (the first time was also for an “International Exposure” event), it is clear that he knows the trade secrets, is connected to all the key players, and even gets a warm handshake from Ohad Naharin in the coffeeshop as our interview took place.

“Thirty-six dance productions in six days is quite intense.”
“It’s a lot of work. People think it’s fun to travel the world, see other countries, and go to festivals. But if you look at the schedule, you realize that we’re talking about a lot of work and long hours, morning until night. On the other hand, it’s a great way to meet Israeli artists in a short span of time. You learn a lot. It’s really worth it for people who come from abroad; it cults down a lot on their expenses.”

Wechsler, 46, studied dance at Oberlin College in Ohio, and, after finishing his studies, concluded that his chances to be a good professional dancer were slim. Since he did not want to leave the field, he decided to go into directing. “I got lucky,” he said. “When I set out to look for work, Joyce was just then trying to fill an administrative assistant position. Since then, 24 years already, I’ve been there.”

An average of 38 modern dance troupes appear every year at the Joyce, one of the most importance centers for dance in New York, which is open six evenings a week. As a result, says Wechsler, smiling, “I travel a lot, mostly to festivals, to see as much dance as I can, in the hopes of finding works that will interest the New York audience.”

Despite the many productions he sees, his excitement for the field has never dimmed. He talks about dance quite excitedly. Two dance troupes especially excited him recently, both New York-based. The first, Cedar Lake, whose new program Wechsler saw two days before leaving for Israel, and the second, Gallim Dance, was founded by Andrea Miller, a former member of the Batsheva company, and performed two programs at the Joyce last week. “Both were outstanding performances,” he says, rubbing his hands with anticipation.

On his last trip to Israel, Wechsler invited Inbal Pinto’s dance company and the Kibbutz Dance Company to perform at the Joyce. Planning a performance schedule, he says, is somewhat like a long-term relationship. “Most of the time, it’s not that you see a work and immediately request it. Many times, I see a work, talk to the artist, and time passes until I request a performance—sometimes years. Last time, I requested two works the first time I saw them. That’s very unusual.”

Two performances particularly interest him on his current visit: “Hydra,” by Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak, and “Monger,” by Barak Marshall. He’s also awaiting a studio show of “Proyekt Hamesh [Project Five]” by Ohad Naharin, which was not included in “International Exposure.” “When Batsheva comes to New York,” he says, “they usually perform in Brooklyn, and I was happy to bring them to me, to the Joyce.” Additionally, he says, he’s excited to get acquainted with new Israeli artists whose productions he has not yet had the opportunity to see.

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