The Kurt Jooss Prize was established as a prize for young choreographers in 2001 on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Kurt Jooss, co-founder of the Folkwang Academy and founder of the Folkwang Dance Studio. On 24.May 2007 the prize was awarded to choreographers Nicola Mascia (Italy) und Matan Zamir (Israel) collectively known as Matanicola, for their work under 1 .

In under 1 Nicola Mascia und Matan Zamir explore the idea of creating a common identity by confronting contradictions and similarities of their cultural and religious backgrounds and playing with our perceptions of intimacy and gender expectations.

Carrying an endowment of 6.000 Euro, the »Kurt Jooss Prize« is sponsored by the Anna Markard (b. Jooss) and Hermann Markard Foundation Amsterdam together with the City of Essen and is awarded every three years.

Jury 2007: Nils Christe, Anna Markard, Prof. Oliver Scheytt, Martin Schläpfer, Dr. Patricia Stöckemann

Orginisation : Alfons Wafner, Kulturbüro Stadt Essen

Direction/choreography UNDER I: Nicola Mascia, Matan Zamir

Direction/choreography UNDER II: Yasmeen Godder

Creation, performance: Nicola Mascia, Matan Zamir

Stage design: Heike van Bentum

Costumes: Beate Borrmann

Music: Tal Hadad

Piano composition: Matan Zamir

Light design: Thorsten Schneider

Technical direction: Andreas Harder

Sound: Maximilian Brauer