Yehudit Natan

Ashdodance Festival – The International Dance Festival is an open house for dance and movement. A stage for connection, creation, innovation and collaboration in Israel and around the world, which brings together past and future, folk roots and contemporary images, established artists and the next generation of dance.

The festival was born out of a love of dance and a desire to demonstrate its power as a creative and boundary-breaking force. The festival creates a connection between tradition and innovation, between the folk dance that has been performed here for generations and exciting contemporary creation, thereby creating a living bridge between past, present and future.

We believe that dance is a universal language, a language spoken in rhythm, movement, and shared celebration all over the world. Our folk dances, which began as a local community tradition, have long since become an international activity, and continue to bring hearts and communities together everywhere.

At the festival, we honor and appreciate the central figures – the veterans, those who laid the foundations for the world of Israeli dance, while opening the stage to young artists and dancers who bring with them a new spirit, creativity and a forward-looking perspective. This intergenerational dialogue is the heart of the festival and its source of inspiration.

Ashdodance is a large-scale international festival that annually hosts artists, bands, and dancers from around the world, who come to Ashdod to take part in an extraordinary celebration of color, styles, and movement languages.

The encounter between different cultures on stage and on the dance floor creates a unique experience of sharing, learning, and global connection.

Beyond the big shows, the festival cultivates a living and breathing community of dance enthusiasts and professionals, young and old, local and international – all of whom find a space for expression, inspiration and joy.

Ashdodance’s vision is to continue to be a global home for dance. A place in which tradition is preserved, where a stage is given to the older generation alongside the current generation. Everyone dances together out of mutual respect, cultural curiosity and belief in the power of dance to connect people, nations and generations.