Israeli dancer/choreographer Roni Chadash's passion for her craft has played an instrumental role in her ability to address her inner demons.
"Dancing has become a form of release for my pent-up emotions," said the quirky artist, who late last year made her Thailand debut at the Kafka Festival. "From a young age, I felt there was an uneasiness within me, a tendency to fidget. I was able to express and release these emotions through dance."
The 27-year-old picked up the tricks of her trade in Tel-Aviv, first raising a few eyebrows after she won the Jury Prize for her solo piece Ani-Ma, premiered at the 2015 "Shades In Dance Festival". The event serves as a launching pad for artists debuting on the Israeli dance scene. Since then she has been invited to perform at numerous international festivals and competitions.
Chadash's journey to becoming a dancer/choreographer began when she was five years old.
"It was in gymnastics class that I realised the strange emotions I was experiencing," she recalled. The genres of dance through which she sought to channel these emotions include steps, jazz, ballet, belly dancing, breakdancing, hip-hop and others.
It was contemporary dance that she eventually fell in love with, because of the freedom of movement. This genre of dance combines the strong but controlled legwork of ballet with modern dance. There is also floor work and improvisation, characteristics of modern dance that worked well for her.
"After my army training, I attended the Vertigo International Workshops and later the Gaaton Workshop for professional dancers to get solid training. I am always on the lookout to collaborate with interesting and inspiring artists," she said.
"My family has also played a huge part in what I am today. They are very open and wild but have also encouraged me to work hard and aim to be the best. This has helped me to always strive to have a balance in life."
Chadash spoke fondly about performing in Thailand, both in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which made it all the more momentous because it was the first time she was performing in Asia since her career took off two years ago.
"While I have had some great experiences performing in front of a wide spectrum of audiences since turning professional, the encounters I had in Thailand were among the most memorable. It was a real delight to perform in Thailand, where the contemporary dance scene is not yet fully developed. I found the audience curious, upbeat and welcoming," she said.
"I am of the belief that fine art has the ability to touch people at the core of their being regardless of age, gender and background. I don't believe one has to be on the same page financially and educationally to be touched by such forms of art."
Having visited Bangkok on a family vacation a decade ago, Chadash found it had greatly changed. The city has great contrasts: rich and poor, beautiful and ugly, vibrancy and decay.
She found the people she interacted with both refreshing and inspiring.
"They came across as genuine," mused the Israeli talent, "having no hang-ups about having to prove who they are."
During her performance in Bangkok, she resided not far from the red-light district of Patpong.
The experience was an eye opener: "I found this area so hard to watch, and at the same time I was completely fascinated -- I couldn't take my eyes off watching how every night this street turned into a human market. I had mixed emotions about what I saw."
Inspiration for Chadash can come in the form of almost anything. She lists food, people, gestures and music as her top four. Being mentored and trained by some of the best in the business has also made her fearless when it comes to addressing controversial social issues.
The best advice she has received to date is to work hard and enjoy the process of doing so. This has turned out perfectly for her -- in fact, to the point that it has become an integral part of her work ethic and approach to life in general.
Asked to explain what made her performances appealing, Chadash said it was probably the honesty with which she approached her work.
"I'm not afraid to put drama into my choreography if I feel it requires a dramatic touch, or for that matter a human touch," she said. "When it comes to my work, I always desire to be sincere and real. These emotions probably are conveyed during my performance, and tug at the heartstrings of the audience.
"What I create is very intense, leaving the audience with little time to take a visual break. Most probably, my work is reflected in how I lead my life. I do tend to take things to an extreme. This is probably reflected best in the manner I stretch my torso to the extremes when I dance. I enjoy the wackiness."
