Momentum by Mayumana
“…plenty of excitement, laughter and wonder as “Momentum”, Mayumaná's new show, is a magnificent piece of work…"
ABC, Madrid, November 2008.
"Original and smashing production with a vivacious beat…"
Volkskrant, Rotterdam, June 2009.
* * * * * (wonderful)
"The most successful cultural Israeli start-up of all time…"
Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel, July 2009.
“WOW! WOWOWO!!!! What a show, what rhythm what originality.” Habama, Israel, November 2009.
"Maddening rhythm…it's contagious…"
Haaretz, Israel, July 2009.
“No dull moment, from the very first moment of the show the audience is spellbound… steaming spectacular rhythms… a must for your eyes, ears and your feeling!”
DE ZONDAG July 2009.
Mayumana is a multicultural troupe, established in 1996 in Tel Aviv, which developed a unique language based on skills, rhythm, visual effects and, above all – creativity and humor. Throughout their years of creativity and work, the members of Mayumana have performed before more than five million spectators in over 70 major cities around the world, with different shows being staged in different countries on the same evening. Today, the "Mayumana" brand is known in many countries as a promise for shows of sweeping energy, creativity and virtuoso talent.
The troupe is currently made up of about 100 members (including actors, technical teams, production and marketing staff), from over 32 different countries around the world. Mayumana is a financially independent troupe that is neither supported nor subsidized by any commercial or governmental bodies.
Mayumana is about its people; it was born and grew out of love and devotion.
Mayumana represents art with no boundaries, creative freedom and the love of life.
Time, is the driving force and inspiration for the show. The creators of the show Eylon Nuphar and Boaz Berman, together with Roy Ofer (their partner in establishing Mayumana, also the producer of Momentum) and artistic consultants - Giuliano Peparini (Franco Dragone Company), David Ottone (Yllana Theatre from Spain) and Ido Kagan (Mayumana) - put together an international team of multidisciplinary stage artists in a production that presents innovative technologies developed especially for the show.
"Time and rhythm have always been connected”, says Eylon Nuphar, “in fact time is rhythm, and therefore the idea of taking it as a guide-line came natural for us. In all of our shows we use frames to construct and help us work as our own "rules" of creation. “Frames of time" became one of the main ideas. On top of this it has been time that allowed us to gather our mutual experience as a company, as a creating team and as friends”.
"We translate the theme through set, props, video images and sounds. From clocks ticking, rewinding, sand clocks revolving as part of the scenery and personal clocks that the performers have on them throughout the show. There are images that are connected to "time" such as a verbal beat-box dialog with a projected clock, video with sound, sound with movement, video with movement, movement with music, music with time. It is being constantly synchronized”.
The group was brought to Israel and, for six months, it worked on a completely new show, based on the perception of time and synchronization, while integrating new artistic elements, including live music, singing, video clips with a combination of rhythm, energy, humor and movement.
300,000 spectators worldwide since the show premiered in Madrid.
Momentum premiered in Madrid in late 2008 and over 100,000 viewers attended the show in its first five months. Following the success of the first run in Madrid a second cast was trained in order to allow more booking flexibility. Currently, Mayumana has a touring company and another home based company at the Mayumana house in Tel Aviv. On top of those 2 Momentum casts, a thirds company is touring with the Mayumana show.
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About Mayumana
The Mayumana house
The next step in the company’s development was to acquire and operate its own theater. An adequate location was found in the old city of Jaffa, by the Tel-Aviv coastline, near an ancient fishermen’s harbor, a perfect location that used to be a storage area and has been refitted and turned into a 400 seat theater.
Today, the Mayumana House, is the heart and soul of our activity in Tel Aviv.
By July 2008, the Mayumana group had accumulated ten years of intensive activity, staging over 5500 shows, for 4 million spectators worldwide. From 2000 – 2008, Mayumana successfully toured the world, proving that it can be established in domestic markets, making the name Mayumana a locally known brand name that stands for international talent, theater, fun and a cool trendy images.
The commercial world
Mayumana has specialized in high value branding presentations, corporate events and marketing campaigns both for introducing as well as repositioning brands for multinational and international clients.
Among our clients companies such as Sony, KPN, Fiat, Seat, Movistar, Telefonica, Coca Cola, KLM/Air France and many others.
Our creative team designs tailor-made artistic solutions to the strategy presented by our clients presenting clear communicative messages with the highest artistic value
In February 2007 Mayumana opened its American operation in New York with an international cast of talents chosen from 9000 candidates who auditioned worldwide and with a new and improved version of the Mayumana show that is titled “BE”
The show performed for five months at the Union Square Theater and will return in 2008/09 for an extended tour of the US.
Facts about Mayumana
- Mayumana was founded in 1996 by Eylon Nuphar and Boaz Berman.
- The first show performance was in 1998. This year Mayumana is celebrating 10 years of performances all over the world.
- Mayumanas' cast is gathers from 3 continents, 17 countries and 10 languages:
Israel, Spain, Cuba, Portugal, England, Argentina, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Mexico, USA, Italy, Curacao, Sweden, Swiss, France, Belgium, Holland.
- The company has visited over 24 countries.
- English is the spoken language that connects everyone.
- The original group was 9 people, today more then 50.
- Mayumana held over 9000 auditions around the world.
- A weekly training includes: Yoga, Pilates, rhythm, acting and dancing.
- Over 1,000,000 people attended the show in Spain only!
- Over 4,500,000 million people have attended the shows around the world.
- Most of the cast did not know how to use drumming sticks when they joined the company; it’s a skill that they acquired during their training process.
- The training period for a new actor takes 6 month of daily basis.
Mayumana stands for art with no borders,
creative freedom and the joy of life!
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Reviews
Madrid – ABC 2008
There is no surprise, then, but plenty of excitement, laughter and admiration because “Momentum”, Mayumana’s new show, is a magnificent piece of work which will not let down those in the audience who already know them, and which will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the number of their followers.
Two large hourglasses turn around and “Momentum” begins a work which has time as its motive, although this serves, actually, rather as a publicity lure or as an excuse to develop the acts of the show. Rhythm continues to be the base of Mayumana’s work, but in “Momentum” a larger contrast exists between agitation and serenity, between the vibrating and the calm. The energy of the eleven artists who participate in the show is the big asset of “Momentum”: they sing, dance, and beat their drums, run, climb…During the hour and a half that the show lasts – and even after its conclusion – while the artists play a Batukada in the hall of the theater, the brimming energy is as generous as it is intense and contagious.
Israel - Ynet, 2009
Mayumana has never looked more professional or surprising. Momentum, the most grandiose production of its kind ever presented in this country, is a never ending brilliant invention, that leaves the audiences with their jaws dropped, and proves that when you dream big, the sky is the limit.
The new show by Mayumana stops time. Two hours, which in other cases can seem like eternity, pass in this show like a blink of an eye. Maybe because Momentum is not just another entertainment show: it is the most grandiose show produced here and was able to prove that when you dream big, the sky is the limit.
Mayumana’s company has never looked better, more professional to more innovative and surprising. The show, even though all done in the well known Mayumana “language”, is a series of never ending brilliant inventions that offers a combination of art and new technologies, that leave the audience with their jaws dropped. Even the stage design by Michael Kemenko is astonishing: huge sand, pendulum and pointer clocks, pipes and metals that give the show an industrial feel. On a huge metal structure, divided into square boxes, they dance, play, play percussions, and do their irresistible magic.
The lighting design by Bambi, Roy Milo and Eylon Nuphar, makes the term “lighting” to an entity that plays a central role in the event. You can almost touch the lighting, playing with elements that dress the stage in a way as if the rays of light were parts of the scenery. Same goes for the costumes, which are an integral part from the look and atmosphere of Momentum, which creates a whole different world, seen until now on the Mayumana stage. If you will, “Zena The Warrior Princess” meets “Mission Impossible”. The costume design sharpens the street-smartness of Mayumana, and enhances its sophistication.
In this show, more than any of their previous shows, the company projects something fresh, young, energetic, up-to-dated, and mostly professional with a universal aroma. It is impossible not to get excited or to be swept in the different type of rhythm they bring with them.
Argentina - La Voz 2009
El espectáculo es una obra de arte y lo prueba con soltura en cada uno de los ejercicios con los que pasa a través de cualquier distancia cultural, de generación, de geografías o idiomas. A diferencia de lo mostrado hasta ahora, Momentum sucede sobre un concepto teatral para la puesta y la sintaxis escénica. Aprovecha los recursos registrados del grupo para construir una experiencia sensorial maravillosa.
Menos atados a los tachos, las curiosidades sónicas y los sets de sincronización rítmica, los 10 artistas de la compañía tienen aire para bailar, cantar, armar atmósferas mágicas y desarrollar diálogos con el público. El tiempo es la excusa y lo convierten en un recurso más para expresar la materia del sonido y el movimiento. El corazón, por ejemplo, puede ser una medida del tiempo o un recipiente para la música que mueve a los cuerpos. El cuadrante de un reloj se convierte en la bandeja sobre la que rapea un ruidista virtuoso, maestro de ceremonias que habilitará el primer contacto con el público después de los 15 fabulosos minutos de la apertura.
Una estructura rodante de tres niveles, con cuatro cubículos en cada uno, hace de dispositivo sobre el que los personajes/instrumento ejecutan algunas de las partituras coreográficas y rítmicas. También es el juego de pantallas sobre las que sucede la cuarta dimensión del espectáculo. Allí será posible que un multiinstrumentista, mediante una ilusión de registro videográfico en vivo, se convierta en la orquesta que le pondrá música a sus acrobacias free style. El efecto es impecable y se potencia por la simplicidad de los recursos.
Rotterdam - Uit Agenda 2009
Try directly after ‘Momentum’, the new show of Mayumana to stay calm. Beside the comical resting moment the energy of the International group is pumped into your body throughout the whole show.
Visitors at the Mayumana show some years ago (2007) in Holland, remember an exciting show full of percussion. In the new show the group shows development. ‘Momentum’ with “time” as a theme is more complete, differs and has wonderful timing. More dance and comedy, never a dull moment. After half a year in Madrid the cast has a great composition.
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Links
Mayumana.com - the official web site
Youtube.com/user/mayumanamomentum - videos of Momentum on youTube.com
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