A dance duel between a ballerina and a choreographer.
Wearing nothing but outrageously tight Lycra costumes, two characters battle for the audience’s attention. Through a mix of sharp words, bold gestures, and the assistance of artificial intelligence, they embark on a journey through the twists and turns of contemporary dance—revealing just how silly it can be to take things too seriously. Beneath its apparent lightness, the work raises questions about power dynamics and control within the world of performing arts.
A dance duel between a ballerina and a choreographer.
Andrea Costanzo Martini danced with Batsheva Dance Company and Cullberg Ballet.
In 2013, he was awarded first prize for dance and choreography at the International Solo Dance Competition in Stuttgart for his first solo, “What Happened in Torino.” Between 2014 and 2021, he created a series of new works, including Trop, SCARABEO, The King’s Camera, Mood Shifters, and PayPer Play, extensively touring Europe and Asia.
His works are part of the repertoire of companies such as NDCWales (UK), Balletto di Roma (IT), Grand Opera Avignon (FR), Balletto Teatro di Torino (IT), MIR Dance Company (GE) and BORA Art Project (Korea).
Choreography and Texts: Andrea Costanzo Martini
Performers: Avigail Shafrir, Andrea Costanzo Martini
Music: A. Branduardi, Loscil.
Artistic Advisor: Yael Venezia
Originally created for Emilio Calcagno’s project “7×7, Salone Coreografico”, in collaboration with the Ballet of Avignon. The work was awarded two prizes at the RIDCC Choreography Competition 2024.
Paradise is a duet for two women, based on rewritten songs from The Sound of Music, created in response to the current war in Israel. The piece explores war, loss, hope, and nationalism, incorporating the image of the watermelon—an emotionally laden symbol of belonging to the land. Once associated with settlement and connection to the soil, the watermelon has recently been re-appropriated as a symbol of the Palestinian struggle.
Two girls sing about pain, life, nationalism, war, and peace through reimagined versions of the beloved songs from The Sound of Music.
Matan Arie Cohen is an independent dancer and choreographer. He was born in Haifa in 1993 and trained at the Maslool School of Contemporary Dance, Tel Aviv. From 2013 to 2024, he danced with the Batsheva Dance Company. Alongside his work with the company, Matan created several stage and video works in dance and performance. His dance film Composure was screened at festivals worldwide and received multiple awards. Matan is now beginning his journey as an independent artist, presenting his work across Israel.
Choreographer: Matan Cohen
Dancers: Adi Raban & Alma Karvat-Shemesh
Assistant: Nitzan Ressler
The piece was initially created thanks to Batsheva Dance Company’s platform “Batsheva Dancers Create”. Further development was generously supported by Orsolina 28’s artist residency program.
Additional thanks:
Adi Blumenreich & Danai Porat for their substantial contribution to the creation process.
