Choreographic Tools for Dancers with Emanuel Gat

The workshop focuses on broadening dancers‘ perspective beyond the execution of dance material, inviting them to explore a wider choreographic vision and a deeper understanding of the overall context in which they operate.

About Emanuel Gat

Artistic Director and Choreographer
Emanuel Gat was born in Israel in 1969. After his military service, he entered the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv, with the aim of developing his musical practice. His first encounter with dance was at the age of 23 during a workshop led by Israeli choreographer Nir Ben Gal. Few months later, he joined the Liat Dror Nir Ben Gal Company with whom he created two works and toured internationally. He started working as an independent choreographer in 1994.

During the following ten years, Gat has developed a unique and personal approach to choreography and dance making, through numerous projects, collaborations and creation processes, setting the foundations for his artistic vision and laying the groundwork for his future body of work.

He founded his company, Emanuel Gat Dance, at the Suzanne Dellal Centre in Tel Aviv in 2004, and has since created a diverse repertoire of works. His first pieces for the company were created that same year: “Winter Voyage” to the music of Franz Schubert and “The Rite of Spring”, his original take on Stravinski’s masterpiece, which received a Bessie Award for best choreography for their presentation at Lincoln Center Festival in New York in 2006. He then created “K626” (2006) and “3for2007” (2007), before choosing to settle in France.

“Silent Ballet” (2008) was the first piece created in France, followed by “Winter Variations” in 2009 and “Brilliant Corners” in 2011 for which Gat also composed the music score. By that time, Emanuel Gat Dance has gained international recognition for its unique voice and has toured regularly to the four corners of the world to great critical acclaim.

In 2013, Emanuel Gat was named associated artist to the Montpellier Danse Festival, where he created “The Goldlandbergs” and “Corner Etudes”, and presented a photographic installation that was his debut work as a photographer. In 2014, he created “Plage Romantique and “SUNNY” in 2016, a collaboration with musician Awir Leon.

In 2017, Gat developed a unique collaboration with the Ballet de l’Opera de Lyon for the creation of “TENWORKS”, a program of ten short pieces mixing dancers from both companies; and “DUOS”, a series of site specific duets presented in several Museums and at different public locations. In 2018, Gat was named associated artist to the National Theater of Chaillot in Paris, and during that same year he collaborated with the prestigious Ensemble Modern from Frankfurt and created “Story Water” at the Cour d’Honneur at the Palais des Papes, one of the most iconic stages in the world during the Festival d’Avignon, gathering 12 dancers and 13 musicians, with music by Pierre Boulez, Rebecca Saunders and Gat himself.

Gat’s work was presented in most of the leading venues and festivals for dance all around the world for the past 25 years, danced by a strong and diverse group of long term collaborators. Parallel to his choreographic work, Gat designs the lighting to all of his works, making it an integral component of his creative process.

In recent years, Gat developed a photographic practice and has presented elaborate photographic installations alongside his stage work, through a series of photographs, dedicated to and inspired by specific pieces from his repertoire.

In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Gat created “LOVETRAIN2020”, a work for 14 dancers to the music of Tears For Fears. The work has seen its premier between two lockdowns early October, and received overwhelming response from audiences and critics alike. Gat is currently associated artist to l’Arsenal – Cité Musicale, Metz where he created a new work to Puccini’s opera “Tosca” entitled “Act II&III or the Unexpected Return of Heaven and Earth”. He is now preparing a project with Wagner’s “Wesendonck Lieder” for the 2023 edition of Salzburg Easter Festival.

Gat is regularly invited by companies and dance institutions for which he creates or transmits pieces: in France, he has collaborated with Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet du Rhin, Ballet National de Marseille, Ballet de Lorraine and Ballet de l’Opéra de Lyon. He is also guest choreographer of prestigious international companies: Sydney Dance Company, Tanztheater Bremen, Candoco Dance Company, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Los Angeles Dance Project, Czech National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Polish National Ballet, Cedar Lake (NY), Vancouver Ballet British Columbia, Scottish Dance Theater and Staatsballett Berlin.

During his entire career, Gat has developed a rich methodological set of tools and an original pedagogical approach to dance making. He is regularly invited to teach and collaborate with the world’s leading dance schools and institutions, and in parallel, offers through Emanuel Gat Dance regular options for young dancers and makers to immerse themselves in his practice, through internships, workshops and master classes.

ABOUT GIBNEY’S EDUCATION PROGRAM

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COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS 

• Proof of full vaccination is still required at Gibney Center. Complete this quick and secure form at least 72 hours in advance of arrival: https://form.jotform.com/212205198328050. You only need to verify once!
• Please review our most up-to-date COVID-19 policies at https://gibneydance.org/plan-your-visit/.

Please email covidsafety@gibneydance.org if you have any questions!

Photo courtesy of the artist.