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“Political Mother”, the first full-length dance show he created 12 years ago. Double Murder: deep emotions and painful truths Shechter’s creations draw audiences into powerful physical worlds that are full of frantic energy. The show running here in Israel this month, “Double Murder”, combines two of his previous works: “Clowns” and “The Fix”. “Clowns” premiered in 2016 at the Nederlands Dans Theatre and describes the toxic energy and surging violence bubbling away in a louche circus cabaret where people are treacherous and false. On the other hand, “The Fix” is a short piece involving seven dancers, created in reaction to the pandemic and the sense of loneliness and isolation it brought on. It zooms into the notions of vulnerability, meditativeness and compassion and is danced to perfection by Shechter’s incredible performers to the sound of music composed by Shechter himself of course. “Double Murder” explores painful truths and dissects our deepest emotions, but as Shechter says: “artists often get questioned about what the intentions are behind such and such a creation. I think it has no importance whatsoever. The only thing that matters is what happens on stage and how the audience responds”. ■ “Double Murder” will show at the Tel Aviv Opera, from April 19 th and for five nights only, israel-opera.co.il

Double Murder I Photo: Todd MacDonald

notably at its Théâtre de la Ville in Montmartre. Israeli audiences have barely had the opportunity to delight in his creations, so this month’s staging of his latest show “Double Murder” at the Tel Aviv Opera is an incredible chance to finally witness his art in the flesh. A Tony nomination and an OBE Shechter was born in Jerusalem and began playing the piano at six, though it soon became clear his passion lay in dancing. He went on to study at the Jerusalem Academy of Dancing and joined the Bat Sheva Dance Company during his military service. He spent three years as a Bat Sheva dancer and studied drumming in his free time, before leaving to try his luck in Europe. He then moved to Paris to study music and drumming and in 2002 moved to London where he began performing with the Jasmin Vardimon Company. In 2003 he staged his first creation called “Fragments”, for which he also composed the music. A year later he created the show “Cult”, for an awards’ show taking place at “The Place”, an important dance center in the United-Kingdom, at which he received the “audience’s

choice” award. The music he writes is an integral part of his shows and continues to accompany his creations to this day. Since founding his own company in 2008, Shechter has staged shows for the Nederlands Dans Theatre in Amsterdam, the Royal Opera House in London, and for some of the most prestigious dance houses in the world. In 2015 he was nominated for a Tony Award for the choreography he created for the production of the Fiddler on the Roof, and that same year, he entered The Stage magazine’s list of the 100 most influential theatre people. In 2018, he was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his service to the arts and culture in the United-Kingdom. Shechter has also taken part in Cédric Klapisch’s latest movie “In Body”, where he plays himself. The film includes scenes from his show

Hofesh Shechter: “artists often get questioned about what the

intentions are behind such and such a creation. I think it has no importance whatsoever. The only thing that matters is what happens on stage and how the audience responds”

Photo: Hugo Glendinning

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ATMOSPHERE APRIL 2023