Mor Demer was born in Kibbutz Dvir in Israel, is a Berlin-based choreographer and dancer. She holds an MA in Choreography from e.x.e.r.c.e., ICI-CCN Montpellier (FR). From an early age she began dancing in the Hatzerim Dance School (IL) and between 2007-2010, she completed the professional dance training program at Vertigo Dance Company in Jerusalem (IL) and danced for the company’s young ensemble. In 2010, she participated in P.O.R.C.H. at pOnderosa (DE). In 2014, she volunteered for the Arts & Culture Foundation in Angola, and was the coordinator and facilitator of social activities within the Huambo province, e.g. orphanages, street children, women-led collectives, governmental organizations and local artists.
Mor is engaged in a holistic ecosystem of movement and performance practices, striving to develop new language for each project as a creative collaborator, instigator or maker. Her choreographic research cultivates sincere and bold presence tuning to a logic of emotional, intuitive immediacy; evoking states of high exposure and friction, poetry and precision. Demer conceives of movement and choreography as a decentralized terrain that works with simultaneous perspectives; her artistic practice incorporates drawing, writing, percussion and other crafts.
As a creative collaborator and performer, she has worked with Sara Shelton Mann, Maria F. Scaroni, Sigal Zouk, Anna Nowicka, Benjamin van Bebber, Magda Korsinsky, Keith Hennessy, Mark Tompkins and Tino Sehgal among others. Mor is a longtime collaborator of Peter Pleyer and Michiel Keuper, performing in their Cranky Bodies: a/company. Since 2016, she has been a collaborator in Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods company, performing in “Atelier III”, “Projecting [Space[“, “Violet” and most recently “CASCADE”.
In 2017, Demer made the trio ‘Oscillations’, curated as part of the emerging choreographers platform at the ‘December Dance’ festival in Bruges (BE). During 2020-2021, Mor was an artist in residence at DOCK ART (DE), presenting her dance solo and artistic publication, New Rear. In 2022, ICI-CCN Montpellier Occitanie (FR) published her master thesis in the editorial collection «exerce, écrits chorégraphiques». Through 2021-2022 Demer—alongside her father, Gadi Demer—initiated “To Mend,” a topological and choreographic research project in public space that instigated a series of participatory and transformative mending actions across the city of Berlin.
She was awarded the Tanzpraxis Scholarship 2022-2023 by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe. Demer’s choreographic work has been presented in Germany, France, Belgium, Portugal and Israel in a variety of different venues and festivals.
My current artistic research dwells at the crossroads between the profane and sacred, exploring the potentials of prophetic sublimation in dance and performance. My essential practice is to enhance a sense of introspection, reverence and somatic orientation. Reveling between the synthesis of art, dance, rewilding, language, healing and cartography, I navigate existential mysteries of humanity; a creative curiosity arises from the exploration of polymorphic voices emerging between these semantic and physical fields. I grow to perceive dance as a conduit and a witness. Through my artistic work, the hope is to reconsider our place in this world and develop greater capacity for how we can participate with the co-creation of life; guiding us from one state of being to another; from this world to the next.
Author
Pieces / Choreographic Works
2023 / 2020-2021
Premier: New Rear, Dock11, Berlin, Germany
2023
Luminescence by Mor Demer. A dance piece created with the students of Tanzfabrik Intensive Programm Berlin.
2022-2023
To Bear Witness by Mor Demer. A lecture performance; performing the research of To Mend. Zero Point Berlin (DE), Living Project Budapest (HU), Kibutz Dvir (IL)
2022
Calm Lands Installation by Sandra E.Blaterrer with a live chorography by Mor Demer. Berlin Art Week, Germany.
2021-2022
To Mend, topological research project, Berlin, Germany
2017
Premier: Oscillations, December dance 17, Bruges, Belgium
Skating for Emptiness on a Bloody Day ('exercice commun' in the frame of MA e.x.e.r.c.e), ESBAMA Gallery Montpellier
2016
Coraux, ICI-CCN, Montpellier, France (in the frame of MA e.x.e.r.c.e)
Ass Between Us, Montpellier, France (in the frame of MA e.x.e.r.c.e) and DOCK11, Berlin
2015
Polyevent#1, A multidisciplinary improvisation performance instigated with Yuli Kobvasnian & Yoav Admoni and guests at Harmon Hol, Tel Aviv, Israel
2014
Choreographic research: Cataleco, Ponderosa, Stolzenhagen and P.O.R.C.H. Extended at Kunstquartier Bethanien Berlin
2013
Premier :Beshivaron, co-creation with Matan Fridman, Be’er-Sheva Fringe Theatre, Israel
2012
Body Enters, a solo of live choreography as part of P.O.R.C.H. Extended evening Tanztage, Berlin
2011
Premiered: Based on a true story, co-creation live choreography with Sandra Wieser, Crack Punkt Tanz AADK / Mica Moca, Berlin. Zeitraumexit, Frish Eingetroffen, Mannheim and Tanztage Sophiensaele, Berlin
performances
2016-2023
Meg Stuart / Damaged Goods creations and tours: Cascade (2020-2023), Violet (Season’s 2018/2019/2021/2023), All the Way Around (outside eye 2022-2023), Projecting [Space] (Habbel am Ufer, Berlin. Ruhrtriennale, Dinslaken2017/2018), ATELIER III (Decoratalier, Brussels 2017)
2022
Zero Point / Trajectories for a Landscape, HAU3 - Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin, Germany
Premier: Terrestrial Transit by Cranky Bodies a/company, Kickoff Sophiensaele & DOCK11, Berlin, Germany
Huddle by Simon Forti, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
2019
Premier: Eye Sea by Ana Nowicka, HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin, Germany
Premier: Ritournelle - Entwürfe für ein sesshaftes Leben by Benjamin van Bebber, Kampnagel, Hamburg and Ballhaus Ost, Berlin.
2018
ECHO by Sara Shelton Mann, Dock11, Berlin
Moving the Mirror, Peter Pleyer, Malta festival, Poznań, Poland
Aftershocker by Antonija Livingstone& Supernova, HAU Berlin
2017-2018
Premier: Cranky Bodies Dance Reset by Peter Pleyer, Sophiensaele and Dock11, Berlin
2016
Rocks of Dispute by Yoav Admoni, site-specific performance, Mekudeshet Festival, Jerusalem, Israel-Palestine
2014-2016
Premier: Visible Undercurrent by Peter Pleyer, Sophiensaele, Berlin
Kick- Off Visible Undercurrent initiated by Peter Pleyer, Sophiensaele, Berlin
Club Tropicana byJulia Gladstone & Yoav Admoni, Stolzenhagen, Germany
2012-2016
Premier: This Variation by Tino Seghal, Documenta (13) Kassel, Germany (2012), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Hollande. (2015), Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum, Berlin (2015), Palaise de Tokyo, Paris (2016)
2011-2012
Premier: Lena ist grade nicht daby Magda Korsinsky, Ufer studios & Sophiensaele, Berlin
Turbulence, A Dance about the Economy initiated by Keith Hennessy, Ponderosa, Stolzenhagen, Germany
Premier: 13 Poems in a body by Shannon Sullivan, Studio Labor Gras, Berlin
2010
Premier: Who has seen the Pale Blue Prince?, Nansy Banfi, Forum Factory, Berlin
The state of things installation by Vania Rovisco, Maria F. Scaroni & Metka Pretnar, Ufer studios, Berlin
Vexasions, durational performance instigated by Amos Hetz, Tanz Fabrik Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
2008-2010
Vertigo Young Dance Company, creations and repertoire Roxy (toured in Israel), Roni by Elad Schechter (Premier: Curtain Up, Suzanne Dellal Tel-Aviv)
2008
Premier: Gredazyasite specific performance by Inbal Aushman,Dance Scene, Jerusalem, Israel
2001-2005
(adolescence)
Gastana Dance Company creations by Imanuel Gat, Galit Lis, Gilat Amotz, Oz Morag, Anat Tene, Amalia Eidelsztein, Eldar Groisman, Graeme Watson (various venues and festivals in Israel & Open Look St. Petersburg, Russia)
2022
Huddle by Simon Forti, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
publications
2022
'Exerce, écrit, chorégraphique' / Mor Demer's MA thesis (2017) 'A Choreographic leasson for the Faint of Heart and poets of the Here the Now the yet to Come' -an editorial collection made by Jocelyn Cottencin though ICI - CCN Montpellier Occitanie.
2020
New Rear an artist book by Mor Demer
2016
Ni OURS fanzine made and assembled with Sandra Wieser
residencies & misc.
2023
Teachings at: Tanzfabrik intensive programm Berlin (DE), 24 Hopesteet studio Liverpool (EN), P.O.R.C.H (Veranda) Ponderosa Stolzenhagen (DE)
2022-2023
Tanzpraxis Scholarship by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.
2020-2021
An artist resident in DOCK11/DOCKART in Berlin, 2 year’s research grant support
2019
Received a residency in the program of XXATENEUXXI, All space, at Ateneu commercial du Porto, Portugal
2016
LABABC - participant in a two week lab instigate by Meg Stuart and Mark Tompkins, IDA, France
Talking to a deer friend, Co-Curator with Asaf Aharonson a four night’s performance event at DOCK11, Berlin
2013-2014
Volunteer for the Art & Culture Foundation, Huambo, Angola, responsible for and coordinator of all activity in the Huambo Province and City. Worked with different demographics i.e. orphans, street children, local women’s cooperative, government agencies and local artists.
2013
MAM Maroc Artist Meeting, Marrakech, Morocco, Participant in artists meeting; shared studio practice, performances, artist in community devising site specific performance for public space. Residential research in non hierarchal living and self-organisation. Produceda nd Facilitated by Hanna Tifrati.
dance education
2018
Moving Alchemy: an “advanced training” by master teacher Sara SheltonMann, Arlequi, Spain
2015-2017
E.X.E.R.C.E master's degree in Choreography: Research and Performance with the direction of Chrisitian Rizzo, ICI-CCN Montpellier, France
2010-2011
P.O.R.C.H Ponderosa. ongoing. research. collaborative. happenings. Three month dance and performance intensive training with Stephanie Maher, Kathleen Hermesdorf, Keith Hennessy, Peter Pleyer, Jennifer Monson, Nancy Stark Smith &Mike Vargas, Vânia Rovisco, Maria Francesca Scaroni, Ester Gal, Jan Burkhardt, Tove Shalin, Frank Willens.
2010 and ongoing
Independent training via workshops and masterclasses with Benoît Lachambre, Mark Tompkins, Sara Shelton Mann, Meg Stuart, Stephanie Skura, Sigal Zouk, Rosalind Crisp, Angela Doni, Jeremy Wade, Autarco Arfini, Hanna Hegenscheidt, Myriam Van Imschoot & Marcus Bergner, Jocelyn Cottencin, DD Dorvillier, Jennifer Lacey, Vincent dupont, Laurent Pichaud.
Ongoing training in Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga, Osho Dynamic Meditation, Feldenkrais Method and Quigong.
2007-2009
Vertigo Dance Company - Professional Dancers Training Program. ballet, contemporary dance, release technique, contact improvisation & improvisation conservatoire training and choreography Jerusalem, Israel.
2003
Mata”n Arts. Video dance course. Israel
1995-2005
The Hatserim Dance Studio. ballet, contemporary dance, jazz training. Israel.
Video & photo credits
Katarzyna Szugajew, Robin Hinsch, Chris Van derBurght, Michiel Keuper, Micheal Rowsome, Marc Coudrais, Tom O'doherty, Martin Argyroglo, Laura Van Severe, David Kashtan, Clara Paccote
© Copyright Mor Demer 2021
Designed by Gidi Gilam