American entertainer Montana Tucker’s video of a dance piece featuring her performing with survivors of the Nova Music Festival massacre and Lilach Friedman’s Dance Ensemble, which was filmed at the massacre site on her recent visit to Israel, quickly went viral after it was released on Monday.
The performance, dedicated to the memory of the 364 young women and men massacred on October 7 by Hamas, was a part of the dance project, NOVA. A longer version of this dance piece recently won first prize among 28 countries at the Dance Grand Prix 2024 competition in Barcelona. Lilach Friedman’s Dance Ensemble created it as a tribute to four members who were murdered by Hamas at the Nova festival on October 7. Tucker, the survivors, and the ensemble members recreated some of the horrific scenes from that day. The creators also expressed hope that the memories of those lost would never be forgotten and that those who lived through the massacre would find a way to continue celebrating life through dance and creativity.
The video was widely shared on social media less than a day after its release. It is intended to counteract the online voices spreading denial or justification of the massacre and to capture the attention of and to educate those who may not know much about the events of October 7.
“Meeting with survivors in the past was moving, but being on the site of the festival for the first time was profoundly impactful,” said Tucker, who was invited to Israel by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), the producer and initiator of this project, and who wore yellow in the video to show her solidarity with the hostages still being held in Gaza. “It was important for me to be here to remind the world how this war started. I want to use my work as a dancer and the power of social media to share the stories of these beautiful people who lost their lives for no reason.”
“There are many mediums through which we should be telling the story of the massacre and ensuring that it is not forgotten,” said Sacha Roytman, CEO of CAM. “Partygoers at the Nova festival simply came to dance, so it is fitting that dance is the medium to keep the story in our collective memories, pay tribute to those who were killed, raped, and kidnapped, and send a message that we will not be bowed into submission.”
“You are my heroes,” Tucker told the survivors. “It’s incredibly brave of you to come back here and participate in this healing project. This is a powerful response to those who wanted to break you.”
Survivors share their feelings
Natalie Sanandaji, a Nova survivor who now works for CAM as a public affairs officer, expressed her feelings at being back at the site of the massacre: “Since October 7, I have been telling the story of what happened here. I’m one of the lucky ones left to tell, giving a voice to those whose voices are silent. It is so important that Montana is here in Israel, raising awareness of what happened.”
Michal Ohana, another survivor who participated in the NOVA dance, shared, “As a survivor of the massacre at the Nova festival, being part of this performative dance with Montana Tucker and other survivors was much more than an artistic event. Despite the terrible pain and loss, we return to dance because it is our medicine, our refuge, and now it has taken on an even deeper meaning. It provides a little light in the darkness.”
The performance is part of the “We Will Dance Again!” initiative, which partnered with Lev Batuach (A Safe Heart), an organization established on the afternoon of October 7 by eight mental health professionals. They provide specialized trauma treatment for the thousands of survivors of the Nova festival.
To date, Lev Batuach, supported by CAM, has helped around 3,000 survivors, providing regular psychological treatments. In addition to private treatment, Lev Batuach conducts retreats and group meetings involving hundreds of survivors. They also manage support and assistance for families, which plays a significant role in the survivors’ recovery processes.
“There are many ways to heal from trauma, and this performative dance is important to some of the survivors,” said Efrat Aton, CEO of Lev Batuach. “Eight months have passed since the terrible massacre, and we have worked with over 3,000 survivors, providing tailored treatment to meet their needs. We have become a supportive community for the survivors. However, the trauma is still active, and the rehabilitation is still long. As long as the abductees have not yet returned home, the real recovery process cannot begin. We are determined to give each and every survivor long-term professional care and support. This is not only our moral duty but our responsibility towards the future of society as a whole.”
CAM is a global coalition engaging more than 850 partner organizations and five million people from diverse religious, political, and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world’s oldest hatred.
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