NABA –DANCING WITH AUDIO GUIDES

Choreography: Dana Ruttenberg
Creating Dancers: Johanna Rogan/Shaked Dagan, Hagar Tenenbaum/Moran Gross.
Costumes: Maor Zabar.  Stage Design: Yair Gutterman.  Producer: Mirit Ben-Weiss.
Sound Design: Dudi Sofer and Gadi Raz. Rehearsal Director: Sharon Zuckerman. Lighting Design: Yaakov Sliv.

NABA (short for NA-BA'OZEN)  is an evening-length work designed and performed with the use of Audio Guides. Continuing our search for creating communicative dance works, ones that engage all senses, we have investigated the tools for widening the range of dance audiences.
The Audio Guide as a mediator brings together all the elements through which audiences connect: personal involvement, personal choice and decision making, heightened audio-visual stimulation, invitation for dialogue and personal expression.
Each viewer is handed a specially pre-programmed audio guide with headphones (provided by our partner Espro Information Technologies). The device is loaded with numbered audio tracks. According to instructions on-stage (using specially designed signs) the audience can choose a track (for instance, "to listen to information about Idan press #1" etc.). The sound comes exclusively from the headphones, as opposed to outside speakers, allowing – upon their choice- for two viewers sitting shoulder to shoulder, to simultaneously listen to different tracks.
Dance is based on four elements: movement, performers, space and sound. In NABA the audience becomes the exclusive director of the sound aspect, through which he directly affects all other elements. Everything he hears on the soundtrack colors his entire experience. He becomes a co-creator.

FROM THE PRESS:

"NABA showcased colorful  dance and great ability of the four dancers. Actor-dancer Idan Porges reaches climactic madness…Dana Ruttenberg's NABA stirs a variety of emotions, from laughter to discomfort, as viewers experience an intense emotional experience that leaves one wanting more." (www.dancelife.co.il)

"innovative choreography…NABA stood out and made me reconsider performance norms anew. It's not often I see such adventurous work…bold challenges to traditional concert structure." (www.danceinisrael.com)