With the support of the Goethe Institut, Tmuna Theater (Tel-Aviv), Nalaga’at Center (Jaffa), and Yasmeen Godder Studio (Jaffa), Matan Zamir and Gal Naor (The Progressive Wave, Berlin) are launching a creative research project in Israel. They aim to forge a peace-producing cultural alliance between Israel and Germany, marking eighty years to the fall of the Nazi regime in 2025, in an inclusive collaboration that educates for peace. Their investigation is divided into three main areas: group-person relations and expressive dance, Sign Language poetics, and ancient Indigenous prayers (chants and melodies) from the Amazonian rainforests.
“SOS 24” is a shout-out for helping the Dove of Peace and a milestone towards the imminent culmination of The Progressive Wave’s performance trilogy, “Science of Signs,” which deals with the ties between spiritual schools and performance art. After poetically analyzing the fundamental aspects of Kabbalah wisdom in “Science of Signs I: Lights and Vessels” (Radialsystem, Berlin 2016) and of the Hindu Upanishads in “Science of Signs II: Oráculo” (Ballhaus Ost, Berlin 2018), for the concluding chapter of the trilogy, Naor and Zamir are pioneering a unique approach, bringing together practical aspects of native sign languages (“Holistic Sign Language”—untouched by Audism), biblical Hebrew poetry (from “Psalms” and “Song of Songs”), and the oral traditions (recitations and music) of the Indigenous Yawanawá people from the rainforests of Brazil. Together with an inclusive cast of hearing and non-hearing local creative performers, they explore the infusion of themes as a peace-seeking ritual and develop choreographic units based on physical and emotional group work investigating the relations between one and many, the personal and the universal.
Attentive to the here-and-now, Naor and Zamir ask to form containers for trauma healing (past and present), examining the release of emotional pain and mental burden through movement and live music. Their work deals with the fusion of worlds and may be perceived as an invitation to clarify the notion of identity anew.
Direction & Choreography: Gal Naor, Matan Zamir. Creative Performers: Tami Assouline, Mor Demer, Shachar Dolinski, Rotem Haller, Naomi Kats, Talya Levy, Maim Mendelson, Yocheved Ohayoun, Nurit Shalom, Michiru Shin, Shlomit Yaron, Gil’ad Ze’ev. Creative Musicians: Lia Amit, Maya Felixbrodt. Sign Langauge Poetic Translation (Visual Vernacular): Athena Lange, Eyk Kauly, Maor Ben-Ze’ev. Voice Over: Michaela Casper. Artificial Intelligence: Ran Bensimon. Camera: Philipp Wennig, Noa Yafe.
With the support of Goethe Institut in Tel Aviv, Studio Yasmeen Godder (Jaffa). In corporation with Tmuna Theater (Tel Aviv) and Nalagaat Center (Jaffa).
“Song of Songs” AI exploration in Visual Vernacular Sign Language:
