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In her search for an authentic method of training and a physical language of expression that bridges east and west, dance and theatre, Karavan studied with master-teachers from all over the world including: Anton Adassinski and Tanya Khabarova from Russian theatre DEREVO, Philippe Gaulier, Philippe Genty, Monica Pagnieux, Jerzy Winnicki (Grotowski), Nigel Charnock (DV8), Sue Morrison (North American traditional Clown), Ricardo Puccetti from Lume Teatro- Brazil and Butoh masters Kazuo Ohno, Tadashi Endo, Carlotta Ikeda, Yumiko Yoshioka, Akiko Motofuji and more. She has also worked with Ephia from Djalma primordial science, Linda Remahl, Marie Gabriel Rotie and others. Since 99 Yael has created 5 solo shows, touring world wide and in 2006 was awarded the TEATRONETO prize for best performance directed by Naomi Silman. She has been a member of ‘Derevo’, 'Mamu Dance Theatre', ‘Ten-Pen Chi’, ‘Adapt- Theatre Picture Collision’ as well as collaborating with various artists&Dancers internationally.
Since 1999 Yael has been teaching workshops at Reading University- U.K, Kinki University of Osaka and the Asbestos Kan studio in Tokyo- Japan, at The ‘Habima’ National Theatre in Israel, at ‘Lume’ Theatre Research Nucleus in São Paulo- Brazil, at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Seaux, BAW (Bilingual Acting Workshops) in Paris, TTI in London, Coachwerks in Brighton and more.
The current workshops are:
The World Reflected in a Drop of Water:(Self)-Portrait in Making Solo Performance
Yael explores some of the tools developed in her solo performance process. Drawing on elements of Dance, physical theatre, Butoh and mime, she explores some of the key issues and is offering a palette of tools and possibilities for the performer in his creative process such as ‘presence’, metamorphoses, rhythm, intention, imagery and counterpoint as well as how to relate creatively to material, objects and space, particularly within the challenges of a solo performance. She uses a number of rich approaches to facilitate the imaginative journey for performer and their audience in order to create a personal gestural vocabulary for each performer in the creation of ‘self portrait’ in solo performance.
Serendipity- the performer's pleasure- improvisation and presence. The BODY SPEAKS
'I see the body as the most primal tool of communication and as such feel the need to combine various dance and performance disciplines in order to broaden its possibilities. I am developing methods to extend the boundaries of dance as well as stimulate the imagination of the body for both the performers and their audience. In the process of my work I explore gestures that come from within the body and thus extract movement that is beyond form and shape, but which contains life and emotion.' Y.K
The beauty of the performer is his/her pleasure to perform. Drawing on elements of Dance, physical theatre, Butoh and mime, Yael Karavan explores some of the key issues for the performer, and is offering a palette of tools and possibilities in the creative process exploring ‘presence’, metamorphoses, rhythm, intention, imagery and counterpoint as well as how to relate creatively to material, objects and space. 'As performers our being is our tool of expression and as such it is a rather complex tool'. Yael is offering a number of rich approaches to facilitate the imaginative journey and the pleasure to rediscover our 'tool' through games, improvisations and exploration of the infinite possibilities that are hidden within ourselves.
A Ship of Fools
The key concept of this work is that we each have a ship of fools within us. These fools represent the different traits that shape our personality. Each one of them, at a time, leads the boat; the lover, the thinker, the joker... This is a theme that I have been exploring through my dance research for many years, constantly asking 'who is dancing?' We have so many characters within us that try to express themselves in various ways. I have thus developed methods of finding these 'traits' through the use of character-based work, searching to enable these various fools within us to dance their stories, like a journey within our own archetypes.
Are you curious to discover who are the fools who inhabit you?
What is their story, existence, life to tell?
The workshop will offer a warm up composed from a variety of training tools; stretching, strength, centre, spontaneity, imagination, presence, physical awareness, work with objects and rhythm, and will propose various approaches to discovering your fools in a creative atmosphere.