Idan Sharabi

I have been waiting to write this one for a while. Idan I have known for many years. We were in the same class at Juilliard. Four years of training together and growing up together. I dare to say that a big percent of the things I learned at Juilliard came from my colleagues. To be surrounded by these great dancers and artists… I was lucky. Idan especially gave me so much. To watch him move, to watch him think. I knew from day one that he was special. I have too many stories, it was hard to choose the ones to share.

The first weeks of composition class at Juilliard, the teacher asked us to make a little dance of 4 moves as a beginner exercise. We all had to present our little solos in front of the class, everyone was a little nervous as you can imagine… we only met these people a couple of weeks ago. After a few solos, it came to Idan’s turn. Idan and our equally fierce friend, Bobbi Smith, asked the teacher if they could show a dance that they made together. They started…it was a 2 minute AMAZING pas de duex with music and everything… When they finished, we all sat there kind of stunned. The teacher was also a bit shocked. As she tried to find words, there was not a sound in the room…finally… the whole class started clapping. That was my first impression of Idan. I don’t remember who had to show there solo next, but…ouch.

Another great story, we had a project at Juilliard called “Solo with Musician”… The name explains its self no? For composition class we had to make and dance a solo with a musician of our choice. One week before the showing, I was being admitted to the emergency room, because the doctors thought I had appendicitis…I didn’t. Either way, I could not dance. The solo was finished and I had already had rehearsals with he musician. I knew that I had to find someone to dance it for me or else I would get a bad grade… I needed a good dancer, that was fast to learn steps and who would dance with soul…Idan was the first person to pop in my head. Idan has a unique way of moving. Very different than the others in the class. He has an incredible since of abandonment…when he is dancing you can see that he enjoying every second. He goes very deep into the movement. On stage he is a star. I also love that in the studio, he is not afraid to ask questions. Idan would always say what we all were thinking. I ambitiously asked him to dance the solo and to my big surprise he said yes! I was so lucky. We had very few rehearsals…Idan learned everything fast AND he danced it well. He saved my solo… and my grade for that class.

For me, Idan was sort of a doorway into European dance. He had tons of experience with the European culture and was a big fan of NDT. Everyone knew that Idan wanted to and should dance for NDT. It was his big dream. I was there when NDT 2 called Idan and offered him the job! We were sitting on the plaza at Lincoln Center(which is not there anymore), and Idan got a call and walked away… it was NDT2! I was sitting there watching his reactions. I just happened to be the person he saw there first. It was very emotional. He was so happy. I was happy. That was an unforgettable moment. Today, Idan continues to be an inspiration for me. I follow all of his events and get all of the emails. I have become a big fan of his work.

Idan Sharabi was born in Israel, 1984. He graduated Thelma Yellin and The Juilliard School before he danced in Netherlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company. He was chosen to create for NDT Upcoming Choreographers 10′ and has won The Zeraspe Award 06′, Copenhagen International Choreography Competition 2012 and 2014, The Mahol Shalem International Competition 13′, and The Hanover International Choreography Competition in 2014. Between 2011-­14 he created for companies: ”The Project” of The Israeli Opera House, KCDC, The Israel Ballet, Ballet Junior de Geneve, NND, ZDT, and EBBC Madrid. In 2012, Idan was chosen to be one of the 9 promising young artists of Israel by American Express and founded his group, Idan Sharabi and Dancers, in Sep.2012′. Since then, he has created several works for the group which were invited to festivals in Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Italy, Holland, Russia and Israel.

Throughout the years, Sharabi has been teaching and creating with students/young dancers in schools and companies such as Contemporary Dance School Hamburg, Gothenburg Ballet Academy, Alvin Ailey School, The Italian Dance Alliance, Springboard Dance Montreal, The Maslool Dance Program, The Sadna in Ga’aton, Israel, Ballet Junior De Geneve, Zhukov Dance Theater SF and more. In 2014/15 he is expecting to create and/or work with companies DDT, Royal Danish Ballet, Ballet Chilleno and Ballet Luzern. Idan has been supported by American Express TYP Project, Israel Ministry of Culture, The Israel Festival, Suzanne Dellal, Bikurey Ha­Itim, The AICF, The Israeli Opera House, The Juilliard School Donors and a donor of The Dance Library of Israel Organization.

Thank you Idan for your many years of inspiration. It is amazing to see the artist you have become.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you always want to do what you’re doing now?

Yes, I am definitely shocked to face this question and write the answer “yes” to it. I wanted to create and I am creating. Besides creating dance, I also always wanted to study Astronomy and do something like that. So regarding that matter, no. because I am not also an Astronomist.

Idan’s Favorite Things

Favorite Things to eat?

Chocolate.

Favorite Books?

A million little pieces by James Frey. Even though it was referred to as “A million little lies” later on, I still enjoyed every single moment of that book. Tough one.

Favorite Movies?

Edward Scissor Hands, X men, Harvey milk.

Favorite Dance Piece or Show/Musical or both?

I saw recently a show by Bobbi smith my dear friend It is not quite a dance show but more like a scene from a movie or just life. It definitely requires a dancer’s knowledge and sensitivity but in the same time acting abilities. It is very personal and touching I find I was definitely touched deeply by it. It’s called “arrowed”.

I like dancers who…

Open up. Open themselves up. Open me up.

I am afraid of…

Fear, anger, my own darkness. My schedule on some days.

A dance piece should…

Touch. Make you fantasize.

Something you like to do other your current job?

Swimming in the sea. Listening to music in night time Fantasizing.

One of the happiest moments in your life?

Seeing Dor, one of my dancers in the group in Israel, improvising and reaching new and higher places within his body and mind, while creating for performances in Vancouver.

One of your most unusual or coolest experiences?

its not so cool but its definitely unusual and nothing else comes up to my mind at the moment…A very young student of mine, in a tiny village in Israel, somewhere nobody really goes to, just totally taught me recently how to count a certain piece of music by Nine Inch Nails, I realized after that class that I’ve been counting it completely wrong and nevertheless – this girl is a genius.

One of the most embarrassing moments in your professional career?

Actually, having to publicly talk to anyone in the media is just embarrassing. Recently, in California, the company there had a party thrown for my arrival and I had to speak about my work. Of course I was too drunk by that point… and you can only imagine how embarrassing it was for me to walk in to the studio the next morning.

Who has been the most influential person/people in your life? or Career? and why?

My mother. I still don’t know why.

One of the hardest things about your job?

Having to stay calm. Finding silence…super important to do, but very challenging to achieve.

A question you want to know the answer to?

“What is love? Baby don’t hurt me …don’t hurt me …no more…” AND now for real: What is love? Am I happy? Is there a technique to maintaining these ?

Dear aspiring artists,

Just keep loving. Make practice of love and find the different forms it can take, inside different emotions. Love is found also through fearing or “hating” being sad, or angry. All of the above and more. Most important: Just get lost in it.

Photo Journal

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To find out more information on Idan, check out www.idansharabi.com Have you seen Idan’s work? Have you worked with Idan? Have you seen him perform? Help me say thank you by sharing your stories in the comments below. Thank YOU for reading!