It is said that the SHABBAT sense of sanctity and serenity lasts for 3 days after SHABBAT, and then the preparations and expectation fill the next 3 days.
The starting point of this performance is the very end of the most important sacred time of the Jewish week- SHABBAT feast.
Religious Jewish women spend their six days in a circular routine of relief, and back to countless preparations for the next SHABBAT. they support a structure that allows the sacred prayers and MIZVAHS to take place, in charge of preparing the household as well as the family mental state for the complete 'strike' of SHABBAT.
In their busy days of deeds, they are following a set path of actions that are all specifically meant to be performed in a certain state of mind and with full concentration and attention.
All actions and prayers should be experienced in a sacred way. In order to accomplish this, a level of attentiveness and alertness has to be kept alive and present at all times. One should avoid falling into habits of a fairly daily routine, and keep progressing with their faith and believes through the repetition.
I find this religious search quite similar to dancing. Both are practices that must be kept fresh and alive regardless of the number of times it was repeated. Dancers may perform within the territory of their habits for years, however, they should aspire to be alert enough even when they know what comes up next, and keep examining their actions every moment of their dance steps execution.
THE INVESTIGATION OF HABIT SERVES THE ACTION AND LOADS IT BACK WITH MEANING AND TRUE CONNECTION. THAT IS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF PRAYER.
As this piece tries to investigate the boundaries or the 'ups and downs of religious attentiveness' within the frame of a week, it reveals moments of complete Intention next to semi-automatic prayers, and the emotion that forms in a soul that wishes to follow an accurate perfect repetitive pattern, and not to get lost inside it.
THE SIX DAYS OF DEEDS was created by the choreographer Shaked Dagan, performer, dancer and dance teacher. It was created through 2014 and is about to premiere as a full evening piece in October 2014, in "Between heaven and earth" dance festival, JERUSALEM.
"THE SIX DAYS OF DEEDS" is the result of a process investigating the 'graph' of sanctity, as it stretches from the peak of sanctity, the KEDUSHA- the shabbat dinner, and into the low of starting a new week of preperations.