Ephrat Asherie (USA): Odeon

The twin energy of high energy hip-hop and infectious Latin rhythms careens and collides on stage driven by dancers of remarkable agility and stamina. Siblings Ephrat (choreographer) and  Ehud Asherie (musician) electrify audiences in “Odeon,” an artistic collaboration that redefines dance. “Odeon” blends Ephrat’s repertory of social and street dances with Ehud’s astute arrangements for piano, upright bass and percussion. Whether engaging her extensive ballet and modern dance training or shepherding the raw energy of B-girl movements into new contexts, Ephrat’s choreography leaves room for spontaneous improvisation. This work, which overflows with buoyant Afro-Brazilian rhythms, provides a perfect platform for this stylistic shuffle. Seven dancers stomp, clamp, bend and leap in a series of vibrant duets, trios and quartets. At the heart of it all, “Odeon” is a story about relationships: between siblings, between music and movement, between European classical traditions and contemporary sound and movement.

Award-winning dancer and choreographer Ephrat Asherie knew she wanted to collaborate with her brother, acclaimed jazz pianist Ehud Asherie. Inspiration came during one of his live performances, when she found herself drawn to a particular compositional style that Ehud was fond of playing. It was a piece written by the popular Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth, whose songs blend traditional upbeat Latin rhythms with early 20th century romantic music. As she listened, Ephrat envisioned the punchy movements of contemporary hip-hop pushing against the infectious rhythms of Nazareth’s compositions.