[On Stage] World-renowned Choreographer Naharin Asks, "Is Life Not Hard?"

"Raise your hand if you think life is hard."

Ohad Naharin, the world-renowned Israeli choreographer, suddenly asked reporters this question during a press conference held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on the 12th. When questions about the movement language he developed, 'Gaga,' arose, Naharin responded with a counter-question. He then proceeded to explain Gaga.

"To put it simply, Gaga is about strengthening the engine each of us has. Life is tough, and there are so many problems we cannot solve as we live. So, I believe it is not about solving the problems, but about how we deal with the unsolvable problems that matters. When the engine each of us has is weak, life feels heavy, but if we strengthen our engines, we can feel the weight of life as lighter."

Ohad Naharin, a world-renowned choreographer from Israel, is expressing his thoughts on participating in the performance at the 'Decadence' press conference held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on the 12th.
Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Naharin explained that Gaga is not just about strengthening our bodies but also deals importantly with the conscious aspect. He added, "Gaga continuously talks about the bright moments that exist even in our imperfect lives."

For example, Naharin’s dance, based on Gaga, serves as a tool to endure the pains of life. That is why Naharin emphasized, "Everyone should dance."

The Seoul City Ballet will perform Naharin’s "Decadance" at the Sejong Center M Theater from the 14th to the 23rd. Decadance is a work commemorating the 10th anniversary of Naharin’s appointment as artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Company. The title combines the Greek word for ten, 'Deca,' and 'Dance.'

The Batsheva Dance Company is a world-renowned Israeli dance troupe, which Naharin led as artistic director for 28 years starting in 1990. Decadance is a work restructured into a single performance by selecting parts from Naharin’s various works and premiered in 2000. Naharin added new choreography to Decadance each time he released a new work, so Decadance is always evolving and performed on stages worldwide as a living piece.

After arriving in Korea on the 10th, Naharin explained that he newly added two pieces to the Seoul City Ballet’s Decadance. He said, "I felt that the dancers understood Decadance precisely," and "I adjusted the composition to better reflect the dancers’ voices." He added that Decadance is a continuously evolving work, and although many dance companies perform it worldwide, each version has a different composition.

Choreographer Ohad Naharin is demonstrating during the Seoul City Ballet's rehearsal of 'Decadance'.
[Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

Naharin also said, "The body is a prison." "Anyone can dance. But sometimes we feel trapped by the body itself. I think dance is a tool that frees us from that prison and liberates us. My work is merely a trigger that allows dancers to dance."

Naharin is also famous for covering mirrors with curtains during rehearsals. This prevents dancers from seeing their reflections.

He said, "Dancers need to feel what they want to show through their own senses. Correcting and adjusting movements by looking in the mirror is not truly feeling one’s emotions, and I think looking in the mirror itself is a big mistake in the dance world."

Naharin emphasized,

"When I am dancing, I don’t think about being on stage or having an audience. I just think about myself and exist only for myself. So, in fact, all that is needed to dance is space and time."