dance vocabulary. In that sense I am more of a fusion artist, and try to stay away from calling my art “traditional.” At the same time I perform for Iranian audiences all over the world, and continue to receive huge amounts of honor, gratitude and often tears following my performances. Iranians often tell me that what I am performing is totally authentic, even though I might be very cautious to use such a label. So in some way what I am performing I think does express the Iranian aesthetic and culture, even if I infuse my art with contemporary or other dance elements. Iranians are also often shocked when I tell them I am not Iranian, but actually Israeli. I feel this alone is a beautiful opportunity for healing, and creating bridges. I do rarely perform “traditional folk dances,” unless I am in a group of women and asked to perform for a specific event. As an artist I am more and more finding my unique voice and creating a form that is heavily infused with Central Asian aesthetic, but yet incorporates my full life experience of as both a dancer and a spiritual seeker. I am also a dervish and part of the Mevlevi order, and this influences almost everything I create in the world of art. I am very interested in your ‘Miriam’s Well project’ (an interfaith performance collaboration exploring sacred dance, music, and spirituality from the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish traditions). It is a very ambitious and beautiful goal. Can you tell us how the symbol of the well, or more specific the translation of that symbol into the dance project, can bring the healing and solidarity that are often so difficult to achieve? The Miriam’s Well Project is an interfaith performance piece that interweaves live music, theater, spoken word and dance. Miriam’s Well endeavors to reveal the commonality and interconnectedness of the three Abrahamic faiths, through a shared story and archetype. The work focuses on three female figures—Miriam, Maryam, and Mary who experience “revelations” at the well. The well is a universal symbol of nurturance and blessing, through life-giving waters, and in many traditions becomes a sacred metaphor or symbol of knowledge and wisdom.
As all three women reach deeply within to find the core essence of their being, it is revealed that they all connect to the one source. Water is the source of life, a human necessity; its abundance, a blessing in every tradition. The scarcity of water in the Middle-East has become a serious crisis, potentially even more dangerous than the religious and territorial conflicts. The very basic need to share water binds the people of the Middle-East together. Without peace the well will soon run dry. More than a performance, or a political event of any kind, Miriam’s Well endeavors to create a safe space for inclusive, sacred ritual shared across boundaries that can have resonance for a great diversity of people. Miriam’s Well is very much a culmination of my artistic and spiritual work in the world. After living over a decade in Israel and watching the constant tension and aggression among the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities, a deep sorrow grew in my heart. As an artist, Miriam’s Well is the ultimate expression of my yearning for all the religions living in Israel to see the one source that all draw life from. Throughout history, we have faced a lot of polarisation by political and religious leaders of all kinds and in some cultures there is little tolerance towards ‘infidels’. In some cultures dancing is even prohibited. Was it difficult to find (religious) artist (musicians, dancers, singers, etc.), willing to participate in this project? And what reactions did you get, when you first started thinking/talking about wanting to do this, was it considered to be controversial? Doing the Miriam’s Well project in the bay area, California I did not really run into any conflict or controversy. It is actually slightly unfortunate to me that my artists themselves did not come from strong religious backgrounds. For some of them the conflict came up within themselves as they found themselves representing a religious tradition they might have come from however no longer really practice. For many of the artists it brought up un-healed wounds connected with their religious background and practice. One very strong moment for many of the artists was during Maryam’s dance, when she stood on >> ISPAHAN 63