Moshe Efrati facts for kids
Moshe Efrati (born 1934, died 2020) was a famous Israeli choreographer. He created and led the Kol Demama Dance Company in Tel Aviv. His dance shows were performed all over the world.
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Moshe Efrati's Dance Journey
Moshe Efrati was one of the first dancers in the Batsheva Dance Company. This is a well-known dance group in Israel. In 1975, he started his own company called Kol Demama. This name means "The Sound of Silence."
Kol Demama: Dancing with Sound and Silence
Kol Demama was very special. It brought together ten dancers who had hearing impairment with ten dancers who could hear normally. Efrati found creative ways to help all the dancers follow the music.
For dancers with hearing impairment, he used vibrations. He would pound a board on the floor. Or, a dancer would stomp their foot. This created vibrations that the dancers could feel through their feet. It's a bit like how elephants might "hear" through the ground!
The dancers also used other clues. They felt the vibrations from deep bass notes in the music. They watched each other's movements and made eye contact. Sometimes, they used touch or special lighting cues. All these methods helped them dance together perfectly.
Kol Demama also had a school in Tel Aviv. Hundreds of young dancers learned there every year. Moshe Efrati wanted his company to be judged on its art, not just its unique setup. He once said, "I am neither a social worker nor therapist, I am a dance creator."
Efrati's Unique Dance Style
Moshe Efrati mixed different dance styles. He combined strict classical ballet moves with free, modern dance. He found ideas from many places. These included books like The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. He also got ideas from old stories in the Old Testament and ancient Jewish poems from Spain. His dances used music from old Spanish rhythms to new electronic sounds.
Efrati even worked with Yitzhak Navon, who was once the president of Israel. They created a dance piece with music for a special celebration in 1982. It marked 25 years since Jerusalem was reunited.
Awards and Recognition
In 1996, Moshe Efrati received the important Israel Prize. This award is given for great achievements in different fields. Efrati won it for his amazing work in dance and stage arts.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients
- Dance in Israel