Koresh Dance Company

Technically Superb

Renowned for their powerful stage presence and high-energy style, Philadelphia’s Koresh Dance Company has been hailed as a vital force to both national and international stages. Founded in 1991 by Israeli-born choreographer and Artistic Director Ronen Koresh, this troupe presents its audiences with an exciting and emotional blend of ballet, modern and jazz molded into a style of choreography that is both eloquent and explosive. There is something for everyone in Koresh’s exhilarating performances.

Innovating with each new work, Artistic Director Ronen Koresh showcases his outstanding ability to create new movement in the eclectic, available repertoire. In addition, the powerful stage presence and exceptional technique of Koresh Dance Company highlights the work of guest choreographers such as Donald Byrd (Spectrum Dance Theater), Ohad Naharin (Batsheva Dance Company), Robert Battle (Battleworks/Alvin Ailey), Itzik Galili (Galili Dance) and Paul Selwyn Norton. Whether it is at home for the Company’s bi-annual home season, across the country or internationally, their reputation for passion and outstanding technique attracts a continually increasing audience and regularly results in sold-out performances.

Investing the same passion into education and community building as they are renown for on stage, Koresh Dance Company provides diverse outreach offerings that connect with dancers and non-dancers ages 2 to adult. Perhaps best known for their dynamic residency opportunities for dancers, Koresh Dance Company offers a holistic program that includes everything from traditional master classes and opportunities to learn repertoire, to distance learning focused on career longevity and creativity. The Koresh approach to outreach goes beyond the dance community by offering engaging activities for working professionals, dance fans and the Jewish Community.

Through the successful Koresh School of Dance, the Koresh Artist Showcase, the Koresh Youth Ensemble and Koresh Kids Dance, their in-depth outreach program that takes Koresh teachers into underserved K-12 schools in Philadelphia, Koresh shows their commitment to their home city of Philadelphia. Community building, education and outreach are at the forefront of the Koresh experience!

“It’s all dance, and it’s all art.”

– Dance Magazine “The dancers of Koresh are technically superb, but even better, they are allowed to be individuals.”

– Wendy Perron, Dance Magazine “Exalted, the audience rises to their feet, giving the company a thunderous ear-shattering standing ovation.”

– The Dance Insider “The expression and performances proved fresh, urgent and deeply persuasive.”

– LA Times “ . . . A vibrant ensemble of 10 that offered nonstop dynamism throughout its performance. ” – The Denver Post “For both Koresh and the eight dancers, there are no movements without eloquence. That they are technically superb is a given; what sets them apart is their explosive energy, their big-heartedness, and their humor.”

– Reading Eagle “They consistently astonish with their skill, when all nine of them move together as a unit, they become a single entity, a piece of life moving as if with one heartbeat.”

– San Antonio Express “In today’s terminology, the Koresh Dance Co. rocks!”

– The Virginia Gazette

Are you interested in talking to other presenters who have watched Koresh Dance Company bring audiencesto their feet?

Please contact Executive Director Alon Koresh alon@koreshdance.org for a reference in your region

Emotionally Compelling

Education, Outreach & Residency

• Through their many teaching, education and outreach programs, each year Koresh Dance Company serves every level of dancer from non-dancers to professionals.

• Koresh School of Dance is one of the largest and most successful dance schools in Philadelphia offering a year-round dance program of over 60 classes a week to students ages 2 to adult.

• Koresh outreach materials are created by a certified teacher and used extensively in Philadelphia before they hit the road.

• Koresh Dance Company utilizes high-quality behind the scenes video footage to add distance learning techniques that add longevity, depth and flexibility to their outreach experience.

K-12: • Koresh Kids Dance – all level dance classes for children of all ages. Koresh teachers can go into your local school or provide a class at your location.

• “Styles of Dance” School Age Lecture/Demonstration • Family Friendly and School Age Performances

Colleges, Universities and Dance Schools: • NEW! Career Longevity* – Company dancers teach about care of the body, safe training and career paths in dance.

• NEW! The Finishing Touch* – Choreography is only one piece of the puzzle in creating dance. Lighting Designer Robb Andersen and Artistic Director Ronen Koresh will teach aspiring choreographers about lighting design, musical choice, commissioning scores, costume creation and more!

• NEW! Cross disciplinary arts workshop* – How can dancers, musicians, poets and visual artists work together? Ask the expert, Roni Koresh, who regularly collaborates on and commissions original music and soundscapes for his work.

Lighting Designer Robb Andersen and Artistic Director Roni Koresh will work with cross-disciplinary art students to find common ground and inspiration.

• Dance Technique, Repertory Class or Master Class • Lecture/Demonstrations – “Styles of Dance” OR Partnering • Company in Residence – can include setting work on students *Uses distance learning, behind the scenes footage and an in-person meeting.

Community Educational Programs: • Power Lunch – All Level Hip Hop class for non-dancers • NEW! Jewish Community – Artistic Director Ronen Koresh will talk about how his Israeli roots have influenced his choreography and recent collaborations with Israeli artists Ohad Naharin and Itzik Galili.

• Open Rehearsals • Post-Performance Discussions

Ronen

(Roni) Koresh is a choreographer, teacher and collaborator whose unique blend of ballet, modern and jazz leaves audiences dazzled by the raw passion that is infused into his movement. He formed Koresh Dance Company in 1991 which quickly established an international reputation for highly technical and emotionally charged work. With a gift for movement creation, Roni refuses to settle on a technique, instead defining himself by a signature style of ever evolving movement.

Roni was born and raised in Israel. He began his dance education at a young age as he trained with his mother, a folk dancer in the Yemenite tradition, and with a local Tel Aviv folk dance group. Two of his earliest teachers in Israel were Alida Gera and Micha Deri. At 17, he moved on to more comprehensive study with Nira Paz and Moshe Romano and then became a member of Martha Graham’s Batsheva 2 Dance Company.

In 1983, following a three year enlistment in the Israeli army during which he was able to continue his dance training, Roni immigrated to the United States to pursue a career in dance beyond Israel. He trained at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City and in 1984, he began performing with Shimon Braun’s acclaimed Waves Jazz Dance Company in Philadelphia. Roni was one of the original Evening Magazine Dancers and won a People’s Choice Award in 1987 as Philadelphia’s Most Outstanding Jazz Dancer.

Since forming the company, Roni has created a vast repertoire of over 40 works and continues to create two to three new works each year. The company tours extensively, both nationally and internationally, performing Roni’s work and the work of guest choreographers including Donald Byrd (Spectrum Dance Theater), Ohad Naharin (Batsheva Dance Company), Robert Battle (Battleworks/Alvin Ailey), Itzik Galili (Galili Dance) and Paul Selwyn Norton.

Roni is a multi-year recipient of choreography fellowships from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

His unique and engaging choreographic style has been commissioned by numerous companies across the country including Odyssey Dance Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT; Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle, WA; the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, CA; Brandywine Ballet in West Chester, PA and Dance Celebration: a co-presentation of Dance Affiliates and Penn Presents in Philadelphia, PA. Roni’s capacity for movement creation and ability to transform a dancer’s physique have made him a sought after teacher. He began teaching at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 1986 and remains on faculty to this day. In 1993, Roni opened the Koresh School of Dance in Philadelphia where he teaches weekly classes throughout the year and intensive workshops during the summer. The studio serves as the home base for his company and attracts dancers of all ages in the community.

He has taught master classes and created choreography on students throughout the country and has participated in various festivals including Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Northwest National Dance Project.

Koresh Dance Company is here to support you. We pride

Community Focused

Koresh Dance Company presents Behind the Scenes, a program funded by PNC Arts Alive.

Over the course of seven episodes, viewers get a glimpse into the process of creating a new work as Artistic Director Ronen Koresh choreographs his most recent work Through the Skin.

Enjoy an episode at livestream.com/koreshtv or call us to ask how this high quality footage can be picked up by your local television station or used in unique distance learning offerings.

Koresh Dance Company 2020 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 215. 751. 0959 www.koreshdance.org