Moving Communities in EVERYBODY Conference – Kol-Guf

December 12, 2025 | Mandel Center – Yasmeen Godder Studio, Jaffa: 

Tickets for the Conference, including the performance

Tickets for the performance only

 

Moving Communities, an initiative by Yasmeen Godder Company, has been active since 2015. It brings together people of different ages and physical conditions – with and without Parkinson’s – to dance, move, and create together. The weekly classes at the company’s Jaffa studio are led by professional dancers and choreographers, alongside volunteers of diverse ages and backgrounds. This unique, intergenerational community is built on the belief that everyone in the room is an expert in their own body and experience. On its 10th anniversary,  and as part of the Everybody Conference, Moving Communities celebrates a decade of shared learning, creativity, and connection – a living practice that continues to inspire and expand

Conference Schedule – December 12, 2025

9:30–10:00 – Gathering and Registration

10:00–10:45 – Moving Communities dance classes open to conference participants, led by Tal Naveh (YGC Studio) and Jenny Birger (Lower Studio)

10:45–11:00 – Break

11:00–11:10 – The story of Moving Communities – Yasmeen Godder

11:10–11:40 – Dance and Brain Health in Museums – Roberto Casarotto, Italy

11:40–12:10 – On Parkinson’s and Movement – Lecture by Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Beilinson Hospital

12:10–12:30 – Break

12:30–13:10 – Performance with Moving Communities participants inspired by Practicing Empathy

13:10–13:30 – Break

13:30–14:15 – Activism through Shared Spaces of Stage and Community – Panel with Yasmeen Godder (Moving Communities founder), Roberto Casarotto (initiator of Dance Well and cofounder of Future Moves), Esti Levy (Moving Communities participant), Or Alterman-Barnea (“Safe Place” founders), Ayala Frenkel (Kelim Center director and conference initiator); moderated by Eynav Rosolio (Moving Communities co-coordinator)

Tickets for the Conference, including the performance

Tickets for the performance only

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About the project:

Moving Communities, an initiative by the Yasmeen Godder Company, was founded in 2015. It brings together people of diverse ages and physical conditions who come to dance, move, and create together. Around two weekly contemporary dance classes and ongoing creative processes, a vibrant and dynamic community has emerged – composed of people living with Parkinson’s disease, alongside volunteers and active dance artists.

The project began in 2015 as part of the international initiative “Störung / הפרעה,” a collaboration between German and Israeli scientists and choreographers, involving people with Parkinson’s. The research explored the connections between movement, movement disorders, and creativity, leading to the establishment of Moving Communities as a permanent framework operating since then at the company’s studio in Jaffa.

The working model of Moving Communities creates a unique, non-hierarchical meeting space that encourages free movement exploration, the cultivation of a positive relationship with the body, and the discovery of joy, creativity, and communication among participants. The facilitation team includes professional dancers and choreographers experienced in various movement approaches – such as contemporary dance, improvisation, Feldenkrais, BMC, Alexander Technique, and performance – providing participants with a rich environment for listening to their bodies and experimenting with new skills.

Throughout the year, participants take part in a creative process that concludes with a public performance. This process is grounded in principles of partnership, personal expression, and engagement with physical and emotional challenges, encouraging the discovery of new movement and performative abilities while strengthening self-confidence.

Moving Communities grows from the understanding that everyone in the room is an expert in their own condition – whether they are people living with Parkinson’s, dance artists or volunteers. The classes are based on building an intergenerational community that brings together diverse bodies of knowledge, where learning is mutual.

At the Everybody Conference 2025, we celebrate ten years of Moving Communities. This is a moment to pause, reflect, and share the journey we have made – to echo the questions that have emerged, to share tools that have evolved into a continuous practice, and to open the door to new encounters.

We look forward to seeing you—and to continuing to move together!

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