Gaga in the Desert
Celebrating a decade
of workshops
In this retreat, we will celebrate 10 years of the Gaga in the Desert workshop at Moa Oasis.
Held in one of the most beautiful places in Israel for a decade, the Gaga workshop at Moa in the Arava Desert has become a beloved tradition. The workshop offers participants a framework to connect with their bodies and their imaginations, stretch beyond their familiar limits, improve their physical and mental flexibility, and indulge in the pleasure of movement in an inviting and supportive environment. The workshop is intended for experienced Gaga users and newcomers alike. No previous experience in movement or dance is necessary.
Recently Moa underwent a significant renovation and became a wellness resort, with upgraded and redesigned accommodations as well as a wellness complex featuring hot tubs, ice baths, and a sweat lodge.
To celebrate a decade of workshops, this edition of Gaga in the Desert will include special content and a guest DJ at the party at the amphitheatre.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Gaga in the Desert workshops have been held twice a year at Moa Oasis in the Arava for a decade, becoming a beloved tradition. The workshops are taught by experienced Gaga teachers, most of whom are former Batsheva Dance Company members.
The long weekend workshop offers participants a framework to connect with their bodies and their imaginations, experience a range of sensations, improve their flexibility and agility, and indulge in the pleasure of movement in an inviting and supportive environment.
During the weekend, six Gaga classes are offered: five classes in a spacious hall and one outdoors class in front of the desert mountains at sunset, with a party afterterwards. The meals at the workshop are vegetarian (including vegan dishes), cooked by Moa’s chef and based on fresh, seasonal ingredients.
This year, to mark a decade of Gaga in the Desert, we will add special content to the schedule such as a guest DJ who will play an extended musical set at sunset after the class in the amphitheater. We will warm up with hot stones in the Indian sweat lodge, enjoy the new wellness facilities in Moa’s orchard, and illuminate every evening with a bonfire. The production team that has been with you for a decade will be there to accompany and celebrate with you.
For those arriving without a car, the production team will facilitate ride shares; guests are expected to participate in the cost of gas.
Due to the changes in the workshop’s kitchen, it is not possible to volunteer and participate in the workshop this year.
The Teachers
Gaga teachers
A teacher of Gaga since 2010, Saar has been the manager of Gaga in North America since 2012 and was appointed artistic director of Gaga in 2018. He began creating his own dance works at age 24, relocating to New York City in 2003 and co-founding LeeSaar The Company, which presented his choreography internationally. During his 14 years in New York, Saar was honored to receive many awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship. Saar returned to Tel Aviv in 2017, and he currently teaches around the globe in classes, workshops, and retreats.
Noa Zuk is a dancer and choreographer. She joined the Batsheva Ensemble in 1997 and danced with Batsheva Dance Company from 2000-2009. She performed extensively in Ohad Naharin’s repertory and worked with choreographers including Sharon Eyal, Mats Ek, Yasmeen Godder, and Inbal Pinto. In 2007, Noa received the prestigious Yair Shapira Award. In parallel with her work as a dancer, she began to create her own choreographies, which have been presented throughout Israel and internationally. Noa has been teaching Gaga since 2007.
MOA OASIS IN THE DESERT
Moa was established 12 years ago with the aim of creating a home for workshops and retreats. In the last year, Moa changed owners and underwent renovation and upgrading, including the design and refinement of the rooms and tents, the renovation of the lake restaurant complex, and the establishment of wellness facilities in the orchard for the enjoyment of guests. In the large hall, the floor was upgraded to wooden parquet, which we can enjoy in the workshop’s Gaga classes. Today Moa is used as a hotel, and we are proud that Gaga in the Desert remains one of the few workshops still held there. Moa is located in the Arava Desert along the Israel Trail and Incense Route, between Moshav Tzofar and Zukim. Its 60 acres include 30 rooms and tents, an orchard, a large lake, and amazing natural sights surrounded by the silence of the desert. The trip from Tel Aviv to Moa takes about two and a half to three hours and goes through the descents of Sodom and the Arava.
Workshop Meal Plan
The meals at the workshop will be vegetarian and based on fresh, seasonal raw materials. The meals will be cooked by Moa’s chef together with the kitchen’s staff. Moa invests thought and creativity in the menus, and we will enjoy a fine and nutritious culinary journey during the three days of the workshop. Free coffee and tea are provided throughout the workshop, and there is also a new coffee machine from which you may order cappuccino and espresso at an additional cost.
Moa Oasis Room Selection
Prices include accommodation for two nights, 6 Gaga lessons, production, meals, and VAT.
Twin/double room:
The room is built from local stone and includes a double bed or 2 single beds, air conditioning, toilet, shower, refrigerator, and tea corner. The rooms have been renovated and upgraded.
It is possible to add a friend to the room with an extra bed at an additional price per person.
Price per person in a room for 2: 3,400 NIS
An upgraded and designed pagoda tent for 4 participants:
A spacious tent of about 50 square meters with four single beds, curtain partitions, air conditioner, toilet, shower, refrigerator, and tea corner.
It is possible to add a friend to the room with an extra bed at an additional price per person.
Price per person in a tent for 4: 2,700 NIS
A Han room for 4 participants:
A spacious room with 4 single beds, air conditioner, toilet, shower, refrigerator, and tea corner. The rooms have been renovated and upgraded.
Price per person in a room for 4: 2,900 NIS
Price for only 3 people (friends) in the room: 3,200 NIS per participant – please register for a room for 4 people and write in the comments that you wish to have only 3 people (this option has limited availability)
Shared accommodations in a large tent
A large insulated and air-conditioned tarpaulin tent of 100 square meters, with shared toilets and showers. Guests receive a mattress, bedding, a blanket, and a towel. You may bring a personal tent for privacy and place it inside the shared tent.
Price per person in a shared tent: 2,200 NIS
Register for the workshop at the bottom of the page
Registration and Payment
To register for the workshop, scroll down to the registration form and fill in the details.
If you have comments or questions, you are welcome to write them at the end of the form, and we will answer you by email.
After submitting the form, you will be sent an email with a payment link. Your place will be held for 5 days from the submission of the form, and payment is required within this time frame to finalize your registration.
An invoice for the Gaga in the Desert retreat will be sent to you by email.
Cancellation Policy
In case of cancellation up to one month before the workshop, a refund will be given except for the registration fee of 250 NIS.
In case of cancellation between a month and 2 weeks before the workshop, a refund will be given minus 500 NIS.
In case of cancellation between 2 weeks and and 1 week before the workshop, a 50% refund will be given.
In case of cancellation less than a week before the workshop, there is no refund.
Alternatively, people who cancel can find another participant to take their place at any time.
In the case of personal or family emergencies related to the security situation at any time up to the date of the workshop, you will be given the option to join a future workshop or a refund (the amount will be determined by the production team).
Workshop Registration Form
Gaga in the Desert at Moa Oasis
Jan. 2-4, Thurs.-Sat.
Please fill out the form, and an email with a link to a payment page will be sent to you shortly (according to your room selection). Please note that this form does not guarantee your reservation. Reservations will be finalized upon completion of the payment. Thank you.