CMU School of Drama


Monday, March 04, 2019

This Israeli Company Rehearses in An Eco Village—And Brings Its Vision of Sustainability to the U.S.

Dance Magazine: Imagine dancing in a large studio, with windows on two sides, mountains in the distance and flowers right up close. You take a shower outdoors with "grey water" that's been collected from the roof and recycled into the plants. You use compost toilets to avoid using water in the desert and you might even stay overnight in a "mud room."

2 comments:

Sidney R. said...

This is such a beautiful concept. The idea of sustainability in the arts is a topic that is often on my mind. I find myself thinking about the mass amount of waste we produce in just one production. I understand the point that it is “for the art” but I can’t help but become saddened by the trash. This eco-friendly dance community is inspiring, and I hope it branches into other arts as well. The concept of a kibbutz is so sustainable because it is small scale and managed by a small group—an individual family. I don’t think it would be as successful otherwise because there would be many people to report to, larger budgets to manage, etc. The mission of the group could be lost. My parents met working on a kibbutz in Israel, and the stories they tell of the community they were a part of are some of favorite to hear. It gives a new meaning to the concept of collaboration, as everyone eats, works, and essentially lives together.

Iana D said...

I really love this. I think that an environment such as this is a lovely way to breed creativity. The noise of the modern world, our overstimulation with technology, and our constant exposure to “new this” “new that” can kill or feed the artistic brain. But oftentimes I find that I feel trapped amidst all of that. And a sanctuary such as this where people can go to create is really lovely. Not only that, but the sustainability of it is something I really appreciate. We treat our planet with so much disrespect on a daily basis, it’s appalling. I cannot think of anything more fitting than to create art in a way that is respectful and nurturing of our planet. We could not exist without this planet, and creation is such a human impulse that putting the two thoughts together makes a lot of sense to me. I feel like I’m going to a very hippie dippie place here, but it’s important to think about the consequences of our art, and too often we don’t. Conscious creation is something that I really value, and this company is really taking it to the extreme, which I find amazing.