Neta Shezaf

First photo by Natasha Shakhnes

מורנה אמורה בפרדס חנה

Happy birthday Neta Shezaf

Neta Shezaf

Minotauros

A photo by Natasha Shakhnes

From Minotauros

A photo by Natasha Shakhnes

Minotauros - few more photos by Natasha Shakhnes

Flamenco

I do try to leave Nrta behind me. It doesn't work so well so far. I don't want to promote her shows again, but one show with her I published earlier today. Not because I adore her again, it because the main this there is Domingo Ortega. And there are some more flamenco artists from Israel who I appreciate. I don't understand how did she get this luck. Because of the other artists that she will share the stage with them - I decided to publish it will happen. Still I'm not so sure how much will I promote and remind it here later on.

By the way I think of her without my will since yesterday or so, and not for good. There are three open options with her and her obsession with photos and credits. Or that she lied to me, or that she's really stupid, or that one more person had enough from her craziness but still have his reasons to go on working with her.

Until three years ago she told at the classes I took that it's possible to take photos at the end of year shows as long as photographers won't use flash lights. First time that my friend Maya could come to see it after I found out that she could be interested. She came with her husband Yaron. He took some photos, amazing photos if you're asking me. One of those photos is still used at the blog if you roll it down. Me at my bata skirt. Maya was uploading it to Facebook with writing all credits - where and when it happened, she wrote it was end of year show of Neta's studio. She also tagged those who are Facebook friends of her like me and Neta. I tagged others. So Neta could know who made it. At the start it received many good comments, includes comments of Neta herself. It took her some time and she found out who did it only after her assistant thought by mistake that Neta was the one to upload the photos. I've been asked to ask from my "horrible" friends to delete the photos from Facebook. Two of the many reasons were that she didn't receive the credit (yeah, right....), and that she have an agreement with her photographers that every photo of hers needs her approval before publishing. I almost had a fight with Maya because of it. She was sure that I'm getting far from her because of it, and that before mention that she didn't like that Neta asked it through me although she could ask it from Maya without a problem. Maya thought it's childish. I'm not sure that she was wrong about the childish. About the fight - I'm glad that Maya is still one of my best friends. I told Neta that she almost caused a fight. Neta answered with a lot of "sensitivity" that she don't care. Me and my "horrible" made so much against her.

So, after that story I stayed with her two more years. One year was because she had some more things to teach me and I was too confused of looking NOW for a new studio, although there are many others, even just in Tel Aviv. It was a good year. Things got relaxed for a while, I learned many new things, Ilan was with me at two of three classes I took. He walked me home once a week after the second class (both were at the same evening). By the way - although we knew each other before that and we were kinda friends already - that year made us much closer. Now he's also one of my best friends - thanks to this year. But few more things happened with Neta. I wont get into all the saga now. After that I decided that after 7 years at her studio - it's about time to think of another studio. To learn from one more teacher for getting improved by that and for getting far from one thing which cause me pain. But to finish this year first. When it was over - I started at Mijal's studi. Great for me. I learn a lot from Mijal, she's different as a person as well, and Ilan has started a year before at her studio. I still see him there once a week and still learn with him. He's still in both studios. Last year I wasn't sure till last moment if I want to go on at both studios as well or to "cut" Neta at once. After a month I had at Mijal alone and time to think (at Mijal's studio there is no summer vacation, at least not in Tel Aviv - unlike the other studios at Israel) - I decided that I do it like Ilan - a bit of both. But after I got three classes a week at Neta's studio - I made a big cut. I still had three classes a week, only one of them was at Neta's studio. And I still made it with Ilan.

Again - few things got relax, although Ilan walked home with me only once again. And by the way - at those two more years Neta said that if we want a memory from end of year show like a video and photos - we have to pay. She will invite someone to take a video and one photographer of stills. And she doesn't allow us to show it on Facebook, not even our photos. And no, she's NOT gonna pay for it. If we won't pay - we don't have a thing. She lost her mind. I can understand the video part of NOT showing it. Not all of us are professional dancers, it's possible to see all mistakes and not all want this kind of publicity. About photos - what the hell? We paid for it and we can share it if it our photos! I mean - what's the problem of showing photos we're in if it's in a good quality and we paid for it? It didn't disturb her to upload photos from last year at Facebook. After - also in other sites as well. And from last summer. And last summer we've been asked to pay some more cause we didn't sell enough tickets. And the fact she published it was to publish herself. And she didn't think of asking us if we agree for that, only after I demanded her to remove a photo with me that she used this way. And she told me that she will upload a video to YouTube, She won't ask me although I'm there and paid for it - after all the time I was at her studio she thinks I owe her that. She could use my money to publish her. Not all her words. She didn't say that she's using my money to her own good.

Last dramas and the fact she moved the classes that she gives at Tel Aviv to the same days that I'm going to dance at Mijal's studio made my decision to leave her for good much easier.

I won't tell who's the video maker at the last two years cause it isn't relevant. I will tell that the photographer was Eyal Hirsch. I do think it's great cause he have a lot of talent. Just at last summer - no many photos of mine.

So, all the stories with the photos.... It didn't disturb Neta to upload Facebook a photo that Natasha took of hers without giving the credit to the photographer. And telling that all photographers must ask her first and all must give Neta the full credit... She doesn't  think it must go both ways. So Eyal did to her a thing that she won't like. Although it isn't Neta at the photo - she will get angry to find it out. Eyal was uploading Facebook a photo few days ago. About the photo he wrote only :flamenco". He didn't write where and when it happened. He didn't mention the connection of taking this photo. And as far as he doesn't know personally the dancer, and the fact she isn't a professional - he didn't say who she is and didn't tag her. So, it's a girl from Neta's studio. The photo has been taken this summer at the end of year show of her studio. I made to tag this woman at Facebook, but not yet a respond. It has over than 50 "likes". As far as she isn't a professional, as far as I try to keep privacy of people that I write about and not professional flamencos (for I could write all without fear) - I did write about her at the past. I have some photos with her at end of year shows. I will upload the photo here because it published already anyway by Eyal at his Facebook profile which open to all, I will upload here to show which photo I was talking about. I won't write her name, not yet. Just because I was writing about her before - I will only tell that she's at Neta's studio. She was there before I did and she still goes on there. This photo by Eyal Hirsch from end year show, summer 2014

Neta by Natasha Shakhnes

After all we had personally - Neta and me. mostly since last summer (but it started much before) - I don't feel like giving her any space here, not a good space,  Looks like there are some things that changes all. My problems with Neta are personally. Right now I rather stay away from her, but professionally my thought of her didn't change in much. Yeah, now I know that some things she did as a teacher weren't suppose to happen, but I still learned a lot from her. And on stage - I still think that she's a great dancer.

The professional thing made me think again how much do I want to ignore her. So, because she's still a great dancer - it's probably won't hurt too much if I will publish a good photo of hers once. And I think it's a great one of hers. It was taken last week at Malta.

For won't be any mistake: even though I still think of her some good things as a dancer - I have better reason to show this photo. The photographer. This photo has been taken by Natasha Shakhnes. I love the photos that she takes, mostly the flamenco photos of hers. I think that this time it worked out for her very well. I truly think that this photo is amazing, It's a mix of flamenco, a great dancer and no less - a great photographer. I love this photo enough for I will accept to show Neta in a good way without my will  

Red bata

OK, I want to give here a piece of stage Neta as less as possible after all we had. Still one more thing that I hope to close some doors, at least for now. 

I heard recently two others say how horrible the clothes that she designed. They had their reasons. One was wearing a skirt of Neta and said it was throwing money. She and my friend who didn't buy said what's wrong. I was glad that Ilan heard it as well. I still see him as my friend, I still see him as a great dancer, but he behave like Neta is a saint. OK, so she has a big talent and knowledge and I did learn a lot from her over the years, this is the reason that I stayed in her studio for so long. OK, a lot because of Ilan as well. I stopped adore her. because I needed something new to myself and as far as I had some dramas with her - I started looking another studio. Not too difficult to find it in Tel Aviv. After the dramas I had with her at last summer and things I found out in the last few days - I lost the little respect I still had for her after all those years. 

I decided to show this photo for showing that I took a part in her studio. A bit before the last end of year show she got a new red bata de cola dress. All who said something were amazed from the beauty. I was amazed too, but I didn't feel like saying something. I noticed that she looked at me a bit like waiting for my words. She's been asked if it's her design. She didn't answer. The first public showing of the bata was in the end of year show. She was dancing an alegria. She said more than once that at the past she didn't like alegria, but since I started at her studio it looks like she doesn't have enough of this palo. 

We paid a lot of money for photos by Eyal Hirsch (who took also this photo) and a video, It was for our memory. Neta said that if we want to publish any of it - we must ask her. Really? It didn't disturb her to upload Facebook some photos before all the paying people got their copies. That was one of the photos she was uploading to Facebook. A photo by Eyal Hirsch from last end of year show, the alegria with the new bata de cola. I'm there in the back. Very easy to see me. Black dress in the middle - probably the only person in the photo who looks unhappy (I wished to end it already and was sure that she had her part, time for our fin la fiesta). 

Not much after she started using photos from this show and the last one (which we also paid for the pleasure) for her own publicity. Here comes the dramas. I didn't accept to publish her this way. I paid for having the photos myself and not for having it in websites of publicity. I told her and her new marketing assistant (the Russian girl) that I won't mind if she will keep the photo and recommendation I gave for her artist website because that photo was free and I knew the cause I gave it. I don't want to give the photos I'm in from end of year shows that I paid for because it's for my own memory and no one told me it will be taken for the publicity of Neta. They couldn't see the difference. By the way Neta told me that she will use the video and won't ask me. She gave me so much those years, so I don't have the right to tell her if I want to pay and be there. Sure... Never mind I paid for those classes over the years just like others, I gave her free publicity at her site, Facebook and here, never mine I went once for Suzanne Dellal just to bring them posters and flyers of one of her shows... She hardly said "thank you". Most of times she didn't, and even if she did... It sounded like it doesn't come easy for her. Unlike others who said "thank you" more than once for the free publicity I gave them and I could believe that they meant it.

So, for the the Jewish holiday that happens now - she uploaded to Facebook a photo of all the studio of last year, one moment before the show has started. Photoshop took a part - she wrote happy holiday. The place I was standing stayed black like no one was there. So I was checking out one more thing at Facebook. I thrown out from the group of her studio, the same group I gave a lot of my time to update for the rest of the studio. Gee... Thanks! What was that? After I've been told that I'm out because I burned myself (surprise - NOT by her) - I checked also her website. She have a new member who recommend on her, but the list got much shorter. Me and few others who I remember who've been there (maybe also few more) and probably all of us don't fit her any longer... Yeah, some of us have been removed. And after all the warm words I wrote there about her she doesn't need me any longer. And others... Probably finished that bad as well (I know that one was disappointed last year, but from her words it came from weird reasons). Others probably didn't stay long enough to praise her

The group

Old readers knows that I was learning at the studio of Neta Shezaf for some years, only at her studio. I had some dramas with her. Because of it and because it was time to try something new - last year I started to learn also at the studio of Mijal Natan. Last year it was two classes a week at the studio of Mijal, one more class a week at the studio of Neta. It was a difficult year for me. I knew that I do the right thing by being at the studio of Mijal and I'm about to rise there, but it was a new studio with a high level of dancing with a style that was new to me. That mean a lot of stress. At the studio of Neta - it felt like stress. I had a fight with Ilan because of a thing which happened there. We got over it and after couple of days we started all over. After that he wasn't for a while because of other things he learn and he's the person I'm the most touched with at this studio at last years. And Neta closed some groups because not enough people came, so she mixed another group with the one I took. A new dance to end of year show from the the middle of year... If I told her that I won't do it = she wouldn't mind although she didn't have a problem to beg others to dance at the show at previews years. At summer I had some more dramas with her and with the Russian girl at her studio. Now she moved classes of Tel Aviv to the days I'm at the studio of Mijal. She sent an e-mail at the start about the hours and days. I told her it will be a problem for me. She didn't even try to answer, who knows if she was reading at all. Fine. Goodbye. I'm at another studio now which doesn't fell new any longer. 

Old readers also know about the close group at Facebook. I know that people outside the group can;t see a thing at this group accept the members. Old readers of this blog knows that I was very active since this group was open. Every time we had some new steps at the classes I took - I took a video and uploaded to the group for all from the studio could see and remember the steps. In case still no one remembered - the videos kept in my camera. When Ilan wasn't there at the studio - I still took care for him personally as well. At those 3 months Ilan wasn't there - he was the only one that I heard about him from Neta that he's missing. She used to tell at my face for a long time that I'm a part of her studio. Last year after the previews dramas - she stopped saying it on me. 

Well, she was talking about watching the movie "Flamenco, flamenco" Carlos Saura after time at the studio. all members of the studio. When was a date - I couldn't come because I was then and still depends on public transportation, it was at a day without busses and I refuse to take a taxi those days (which mean cost more) for another city. The assistant didn't like it and told me how wrong I am. It didn't happen at the end, not only because I couldn't come. Looks like Neta was waiting I will go away. Ilan told me that this Saturday - the studio will come to him to see the movie. Just like the siguiryia Neta promised to teach for two year. She started to teach as needed only when I took the improvisation classes. Tangos. And this dance I needed to learn from the middle. 

Well, all of this reminder is for telling an old thing which wasn't important till now. And a new thing which makes the old one really stupid. For a year or so there was a Dutch girl at the studio of Neta. She had an Israeli boyfriend. By the time she was at the studio of Neta - she got married with her boyfriend, got pregnant and got back to Amsterdam with her fresh husband. Neta opened the Facebook group only after this girl got back to Amsterdam. Didn't disturb Neta to take the Dutch into the group. She forgot the nice one who was still a part of the studio. I took her in. So, now... Not only that this Dutch got into the group after one year she had before the group. I was 8 years at this studio. EIGHT years! And since this group got open - I was updating the group all the time with things with a connection to the studio. I was worried about it, I gave a lot of my time and energy for it. Today I found out that I've been removed from the group.No one told me about it. I just saw a photo that the Russian girl was uploading to other groups and pages. A photo of all the studio last year. A photo we paid for it. That was for the holiday that starts this evening. At least my face has been removed from it. I don't think I need to pay for the publicity of Neta. Enough I did her some for free for both of us here and it was still difficult for her to say "thank you". I just started to wonder. I made a try to get into the Facebook group that I was updating so much for the studio. I can only see the members, I can't get in

What an idea (I hate it)

Well, I'm still waiting for the photos and the video from end of year show of this year. After all the dramas that happened - Neta said that she won't ask me if to make a video or not of the show. And yes, I will be there for seconds. I just found out that a video is already has been uploaded to YouTube. Although she took others at the solo parts, I'm still there much more than I want to. She didn't ask if we agree for it, just made it. 

So I'm still waiting for the photos and video. Neta has been uploaded some photos to Facebook although we are not allow, paid for it and still don't have it. And she didn't ask, she said that will be a video. Although she took others for the solos - I'm still there more than I want to. Not all time at my best. 

I guess it's a bad idea to give it a stage here, but... Just letting you know that I'm there without my will and I hate it. I have no idea why do I accept to upload it here. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTu3qW2INP4&feature=youtu.be

Couple more - Ilan and Neta dance Carmen

End of year show at the studio of Neta Shezaf 2014
Neta Shezaf and Ilan Miller dance a part of carmen 
Photos by Eyal Hirsch

October at Malta

From an old show at Suzanne Dellal

Just because

Well... Neta said that we are NOT allow to upload any photo from end of year show although we paid for it. I don't know if she paid for it (last year she said that she won't), but she get something worth from it. And last year although she had a problem with uploading photos of kids - the photographer uploaded to Facebook a photo from our show with kids and said it touched his heart. That was before we got it. 

And now - we still didn't get the video (which I have no will to upload) or photos. Neta uploaded two photos with a signature of the photographer. From the end of year. She even tagged Ilan at one of them (maybe because he's there). One photo of hers dancing her algeria at the rehearsal, the other photo with Ilan from the show itself. She wrote herself that was the reason and he's a wonderful partner. They danced Carmen together because the show with the opera has been cancel. 

After all things that happened - I don't really want to promote Neta, even that I still think that she's a very talented dancer. Still = two great dancers and a great photographer. And just because she uploaded to Facebook (and we are not allow although we paid for it) - I let myself upload those two photos to here.

Neta dance an alegria at the rehearsal
Neta and Ilan dance a part of Carmen

Photos by Eyal Hirsch

7X7

Nesama - once with Neta Shezaf

Monday at Eilat

From Saturday at Jaffa

When I was at the show - there was another show which I knew about at the last moment (like many others)

The other show happened this Saturday at Jaffa and included many dancers, some of flamenco and some of belly dance.

There are photos from this show from a duet of Neta Shezaf and Elina.

The black and white photos by Eyal Hirsch

The third photo by Natasha Shakhnes

Neta Shezaf

Photos by Eyal Hirsch