7734

In this gruelling, moving work, Israeli-born Jasmin Vardimon looks at the Holocaust, and, by flitting backwards and forwards in time, she examines how children reared on survivor stories become ‘memory-candles’… This is a sombre piece of physical theatre rather than dance. It’s a riveting, almost overwhelming work.

On a superficial level, it is a dance piece of exquisite detail, accuracy and exposition. But underneath the fluidity of movement and pace, there lurks a message of greater intensity.

A rare piece of dance to inspire furious and heated debate, perhaps inevitably it was most absolutely moving when absolutely still.

Interview with Jasmin Vardimon

‘I have this fascination to look at the dark side of things,’ says choreographer Jasmin Vardimon, ‘Brutality, darkness, immorality – that’s what intrigues me.’

Ways of Looking at 7734

‘One of the main themes of Jasmin Vardimon’s 7734 is “points of view” – the way perspective and identity are linked and how they shift as we adjust the way we look at things. The ensemble change roles from perpetrator to victim as easily as slipping off the jacket of authority, helping us see that, very easily, “we could be next” and it could happen to anyone.’

Though her company has reached the pinnacle of the British dance world, kibbutz-raised choreographer Jasmin Vardimon has brought her company to perform in Israel only once in 15 years. This month, she’ll be back, with a dance that has already raised some political hackles.

“‘7734’ is a reflection on the capacity of the human nature to produce brutality, how it has been presented in history in many different places, as well as the parallel to brutality, which is man’s powerful urge toward creativity and art,” explained Vardimon in a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post.