The modern dance scene in Israel is one of the most diverse and creative in the world. Kamea Dance Company and Tamir Ginz’s choreography are nothing short of genius. There’s a perfection in its imperfection, as modern dance doesn’t strive for beauty like classical ballet. Instead, it seeks to touch on social phenomena, deep emotions of all kinds, including pain, conflict, and both personal and societal suffering.

Not too long ago, about six months back, Tamir Ginz presented a dance performance that was a complete 180 from “White Face”. “Wild Awake” is a performance of perfect aesthetics, focusing on beauty, goodness, and the pleasant things in life, whereas “White Face” presents quite the opposite. Ginz’s unique choreography, with its challenging and sensual movements, has the power to take us in both directions. And in this current piece, which perhaps resonates with the spirit of the times we’re all experiencing, we feel the conflict—the battle between man and society, between individuals and their loved ones, a kind of “man is a wolf to man” dynamic, and the internal struggle of man with himself.

Group dances, solos, and duets all unfold against a backdrop of video projections, amplifying the message through the faces and images displayed behind the dancers. The music, often jarring and overly intense, also drives home the essence of life as depicted in this dance. The life portrayed here is one of hatred, fear, and constant battles between everyone and everything. Moments of relief are rare, and even then, they are fleeting. Relationships play out as a mix of intimacy and closeness, but quickly shift to hostility and conflict.

All of this is expressed in Ginz’s unique dance language, which never leaves a dull moment. Ginz’s choreography is the kind I’d recommend even to people who don’t particularly understand or love dance. His language, the intensity of the moments, and the thought-provoking situations would likely resonate even with those who aren’t typically fans of dance, at least in my view.

The performance is divided into two parts. The second part, “Gnawa”, choreographed by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato, is entirely different in every possible way from the first. It offers a completely different aesthetic and movement style, without the intense conflicts and heavy emotions. Instead, it is filled with beauty and harmony. What ties both parts together, of course, is the virtuosity of Kamea Dance Company’s dancers.