Dutch festival rejects anti-Israel boycott
BOLUDOVSKY
The Jerusalem Post Internet Edition
Dutch festival rejects anti-Israel boycott
NATHAN BURSTEIN , THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 28, 2007
A Palestinian dance troupe's attempt to get Israel banned from a Middle
East-themed dance festival has backfired. Members of the group, El
Founoun, informed officials of the Netherlands' Dancing on the Edge
Festival that the organizers could either rescind their invitation to the
Israelis, or forfeit the participation of the Palestinians. The
organizers' response: enjoy yourselves at home.
Consequently, the week-long festival, set for December, will go forward
without El Founoun and with "Wish Upon a Star," a piece choreographed and
performed by Smadar Yaaron, an actress at the Acco Theater Center. The
piece will take the stage along with submissions from Egypt, Lebanon,
Syria and Iran, as well as by two Palestinian dance groups not pushing
for an anti-Israel boycott.
In this festival, a new generation of choreographers from the Middle East
region will show works that reflect the issues in the societies where
they live and work," festival artistic director Gary Feingold said in a
statement released Sunday. "The Dutch audience will be exposed to the
creative processes of...performers from different countries, who will
themselves be able to draw inspiration from one another."
Sponsored by organizations including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Dancing on the Edge is scheduled to take place in mid-December
in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Groningen. In addition to the dance
performances themselves, the festival will include lectures, workshops
and public "conversations" with the artists, as well as networking
opportunities for the performers.
An educational program for local students is also being developed,
according to the festival's Web site.
Yaaron, a regular invitee to dance festivals Europe, the United States
and Asia, performed "Wish Upon a Star" last November in Poland,
Switzerland and France. She'll perform the piece September 1 at Tel
Aviv's Tmuna Theater.
This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?
cid=1188197174780&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
[ Back to the Article ]
Copyright 1995- 2007 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/
--
FREE GILAD SHALIT, EHUD GOLDWASSER AND ELDAD REGEV!
http://www.banim.org
ElParedon
"BOLUDOVSKY" <bolud...@walla.co.il> wrote in message
news:Xns999C9121F...@149.204.49.80...
>
> The Jerusalem Post Internet Edition
>
> Dutch festival rejects anti-Israel boycott
> NATHAN BURSTEIN , THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 28, 2007
>
> A Palestinian dance troupe's attempt to get Israel banned from a Middle
> East-themed dance festival has backfired. Members of the group, El
> Founoun, informed officials of the Netherlands' Dancing on the Edge
> Festival that the organizers could either rescind their invitation to the