MOSHE YITZHAK-HALEVY,
who is known to the dancing community in Israel as MOSHIKO HALEVY,
was born in 1932 in the Menashiya district near The Yemenite Quarter to Yemenite parents.
At the age of 17, he was introduced to the Dancing World AT THE BALLET SCHOOL OF MIA ARBATOVA.
Following 3 months of practice, Moshiko was asked to join THE BALLET COMPANY OF MIA ARBATOVA,
in which he performed successfully as a character dancer.
The Critics soon noticed his outstanding talent, despite all the small roles which he performed, and this after 3 months only from his dancing debut.
His first years as a dancer were dedicated by Moshiko to the technique of the Classic Ballet, which constituted for him the basis for all the other dance styles in which he engaged, such as: Modern Ballet, Jazz, Steps, and other miscellaneous character dances.
His did his military service as part of the Military Dance Co.
On his discharge from the Army, Moshiko joined LI LA LO and DO RAY MI Theatres in which he appeared as a dancer in Musicals. In addition, he was invited to dance in the Company of. the Dancer and Choreographer NAOMI ALESKOWSKY for a short period during which he replaced Jonathan Carmon who retired.
In 1953 Moshiko joined the Inbal Company on the recommendation of the famous Choreographer JEROME ROBINS who was staying at that time in Israel, and gave a special course for dancing in the sphere of Classic Ballet for selected dancers in which also Moshiko Halevy participated. Moshiko served in the Inbal Co. as one of its Chief dancers, and in 1957 he left with the Company for a tour of performances which lasted approximately nine months in Europe and in the U.S.A.
In 1959, during the period when he was with Inbal, Moshiko produced his first dance DEBKA ORIA, which won a dilver medal at the Dance Festival Contest which was held in Vienna, Austria, and which later became one of the most popular dances in the Israeli Folk Dancing Circles, as well as a challenge to every representative company.
In 1962, on his return from Inbal's second tour in the U.S.A., Moshiko left Inbal and set up together with the female dancer Yona Levy and the Musician YITZHAK ELIEZEROV, his company THE HAPAAMONIM COMPANY, which met with great success in Israel and abroad. As an Artistic Director and Choreographer, Moshiko focused in his choreographic work on the ethnic folkloristic theme of the Communities in Israel, and its artistic adjustment to the stage needs.
While working with his company, Moshiko was invited by the Arab Dept. of the General Federation to serve as Artistic Director and Guide for the Minorities' companies, such as: The Circassis from the village of Kama, the Druse from Ussifiya village and Arabs from Tira village, and later on, Moshiko instructed in the Taibe village on behalf of the Amal network. As part of this post, in which he served for 5 years, Moshiko set up these companies, guided them and built up a repertoire of performances the high light of which was the participation of the Ussifiyah and Kama village Company in the dance festival in Holland and Belgium, together with which he was awarded prizes and given great esteem.
In 1969, Moshiko was invited to Wingate Institute for setting up a representative Dance Company together with the teacher NINA ORAD as Choreographer and Artistic Director with which too he left for a tour of perofrmances all over Germany..
IN 1971, following 10 years of activity as an independent, Moshiko was asked to return to the Inbal Theatre, this time for the post of THE COMPANY'S DIRECTOR. During his service as the Company's Director, Moshiko was asked by SARA LEVY - TANAI to prepare two choreographies, one — an original Yemenite Dance for Men, and the other - A HABANI DANCE for a program which consisted of two short sections under the name: MINIATURES. The two dancers achieved great success in the Cameri program of the theatre for 12 years.
In 1973, on the second day of the Yom Kippur War, Moshiko left again with the theatre for a tour of performances in America for a period of 2 months. At the end of the tour, Moshiko terminated his obligations with the theatre, and returned to work as an Independent, this time in the U.S.A., Europe, The Far East and Israel.
During his stay in the U.S.A., Moshiko was invited twice alternately by the two modern dance companies in Canada, one in Ottowa and the other in Montreal. Moshiko prepared for the company in Ottowa a modern choreography under the name: ALLEGORY which combines modern techniques and ethnic elements for the length of 10 minutes, and for the company from Montreal Moshiko a choreography under the name: OPUS JAZZ, which combines dancing styles from the 50's to the 80's.
Since 1949, TO THIS DAY, Moshiko Halevy HAS BEEN ACTIVE FOR 45 YEARS in the dancing world, 34 YEARS OF WHICH WERE CREATIVE, consisting of: . 136 Israeli Folk Dances. Likewise, Moshiko composed approximately 80 melodies which accompany his dances, produced 12 records which turned into 6 compact discs while the seventh is under way, and also wrote the "BLUE AND WHITE" note book for a guide who lives abroad. His dances are characterized by a special style; he derives his ideas from the ethnic origins which are found in Israel and the Mediterranean region, while arranging and adjusting them to the contemporary Israeli dance.
No doubt, that his fruitful activities in this field, has contributed a great deal to the moulding and stylizing of the Israeli Dance in Israel.
His dances are danced and in great demand world wide, and he is invited abroad to give Seminars and further studies amongst the dancing communities all over the world.
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