Events & Calendars Idan Cohen's "Mad Siren"

Come see "Mad Siren", a political, controversial and critically acclaimed dance work, directed and choreographed by Copeland Fellow Idan Cohen.

Driven by the sound of W. A. Mozart's solo Piano Sonatas, "Mad Siren" follows the metamorphosis of a group of performers as they devote themselves and transform from passive listeners of the famous 18th-century melodies into the very essence of the music itself.

Depicting a constant territorial fight in search of a refuge and a home, the piece evokes images of nesting and immigration, while raising questions regarding the nature of fear and our lack of understanding toward what is different.

Within this musical and metaphorical bird's nest, we ask: What are the boundaries between the tangible body and the abstract music? Where does the movement originate, and where does it end?

Cohen was born and raised in Israel in Kibbutz Mizra, a socialist community. The kibbutz lifestyle has had a wide effect on his artistic life and work. He danced with the world-renowned Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. Since 2005, he has been performing, creating and teaching as an international award-winning choreographer. A psychological sensibility, a keen sense of musicality and a profound understanding of cultural context, lend Cohen's work a rare combination of analysis and compassion.

Cohen has toured with his work internationally and been invited as a guest artist and teacher worldwide. He is currently a Copeland Fellow at Amherst College, choreographing and teaching for the Five College Dance program.

As a part of Cohen's "Nesting” project, site-specific creations will be presented in Kirby Theater's foyer before the show, performed by and created in collaboration with Five College students Ellen Oliver, Hampshire College '16; Rebecca Steinberg, University of Massachusetts '13; Mei Maeda, Smith College '13; Salome Kokoladze, Smith College '14; Phil Dupont, Amherst College '12; and Troy David Mercier, Smith College MFA '16.

The performance at Amherst College kicks off a tour that will bring the company to American University and Dance Place in Washington, D.C., and Rutgers University in New Jersey.