“Clay” is a dance theater piece born from personal discord, with a focus on breaking conventional roles and challenging what it means to coexist. It deals with the many forms of oppression, including physical, emotional, and psychological turmoil, as well as exploitation and isolation – with the mental aspect of feeling trapped, powerless, and alone, unable to escape – specifically in the confines of a familiar setting. Exploring the emotional and psychological tolls and using imagery and symbolism to convey the complex and often hidden nature of the issue, the work draws inspiration from myth and folklore, presenting the tale through the lens of another world. A piece born out of physical limitation, “Clay” is a bittersweet escape into imagination, beyond logic and reason, unbound by time.
Rebecca Laufer (US/IL) and Mats van Rossum (NL) founded their artistic collaboration in 2015. Based in Tel Aviv, they established their common love for dance and theater. Their research is rooted in the strong dialogue between the physical realm and the one of imagination. Their work has been shown throughout Israel, Europe, and the United States. Their latest duet “Clay” was the winner of the “Club Guy and Roni” partner award at the Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition (RIDCC), and won prizes at the International Choreographic Competition Hannover, including the National Theater Mannheim Production Award and the Ulm Tanzlabor Performance Award.
