The annual Yair Shapira Dance festival

The annual Yair Shapira Dance festival

By: Matan Bouter

In 2014 the Yair Shapira festival is marking 39 years. This year I missed it. I was in Greenwich in December.

Yair was born and raised in Kibbutz Givat-Oz, the kibbutz I was born and raised in. He was a dancer. He served in the IDF Golani Brigade, participated in the Yom Kippur War, and fell in battle on Mount Hermon. He was 21 years old when he died.

Over the years, the festival has become a celebration in memory of Yair’s life. The participants are 14 to 18 year old dance students from the twelfth regional dance studios.

The festival which takes place each year in Beit Shean, a city in the north of Israel, strengthens the connection between dance students from peripheral areas kibbutzim and Moshavim, and raises the level of professionalism in various aspects in the field of dance. Among other things, students or teachers who have contributed their part to dance are awarded.

Different technique workshops are held, together with meetings with young Israeli artists. “Bat Sheva” Dance troupe and Kibbutz Contemporary Dance troupe, show their repertoire, and students and adult dancers perform on site.

Yair Shapira grew up with my aunt, and his loss is still greatly felt in our kibbutz.   I, as a member of the Kibbutz, with my family, come to this festival every year to see the memory of Yair creating this amazing union between the Israeli dance communities.

Yair Shapira