Choreographer Rachel has dancing in her soul

SUZANNE BELLING

Taking time off from rehearsals for media interviews, Rachel was brought out by the Israeli Embassy in a collaborative effort for the Dance Umbrella festival, founded by two local journalists, Marilyn Jenkins and Adrienne Sichel.

The festival, now under the artistic directorship of Georgina Tomson, features new works from South African and African choreographers, international artists and young emerging artists. It is arguably the premier dance festival in Africa.

Rachel’s and Sonnyboy’s work explores the politics, psychology and physicality of masculinity and the fight or flight principle.

Born in Newcastle, England, Rachel studied choreography in London, receiving a Masters degree from the Laban Centre in London, which specialises in choreography.

She fast became a name on the international scene, including her show at the Royal Opera House in London and at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, where her dancers performed.

Thirteen years ago she fulfilled her dream of making aliyah and lives in an apartment in Tel Aviv. Her parents, Vivienne and George, followed five years later. Her brother too made aliyah, while she has one sister remaining in the UK.

First impression of Rachel is that she is a sabra, with her dark skin tone, huge brown eyes and black curly hair. But when she opens her mouth, an enunciated English gives away the fact that she hails from the UK.

“I battled at ulpan at the beginning and am still hesitant to write in Hebrew, although my spoken language is fluent,” she told Jewish Report. She works mostly at the Suzanne Dellal Centre, the main dance theatre in Tel Aviv.

Living in Israel, she has exchanged a car for a bicycle, cycling everywhere as she is daunted by driving on the right-hand side of the road! “That is why I am quite comfortable driving in South Africa – on the left-hand side.”

Rachel loves “the cultural experience that is Africa. The people are warm and hospitable, Johannesburg is a big, exciting city. In the little spare time I have, I try and cram in as much as possible. For instance, I went to Alex (Alexandra township) at the weekend and found it totally fascinating.

“I am getting to know the place, not as a tourist, but as someone who is living here.”

She is hoping the show will also go to other parts of the country, but, as yet, no itinerary has been planned. This is Rachel’s second visit to South Africa, the first being in 2010 when she also spent time in Cape Town.

Rachel has numerous awards and prizes to her credit, including artist of the year in the field of dance by the Israeli Ministry of Absorption on 2012.