Commentaries

 1. Israeli Folk Dancing: A View from Inside the Circle

 2. History of Israeli dancing  [Article 1]

 3. History of Israeli dancing [Article 2]

 4. Why is this fun? By Howard Wachtel

 5. Tidbits: About Israeli dance steps

6. More history...

7. What about the music?

8. Not your father's hora

9. Wednesday_Night_Fever[New! June 2005]

Israeli Folk Dancing: A view from inside the circle
by Gloria Bilchik

Israeli folk dancing is like DNA. It has a few components and a million combinations. Almost everything boils down to four steps: mayims (known as “grapevines” to international folkies and country line-dance aficionados); debkas (bouncy heel-steps); yemenites (three-count combos); and cherkaziyas (forward-and-back steps that are easier to do than to spell).

The words and music range from patriotic, political and militaristic to romantically schmaltzy and just plain silly.

Choreographers [and there are a lot of them in Israel] keep adding to the repertoire, and making these dances more complex. Only lifelong addicts know all 4,000+ in the burgeoning repertoire. Some folk purists object to contemporary Israeli dances, because the choreography shows. But everyone sweats to the oldies, because they evoke that idealistic, founding-pioneer spirit.

Newer editions reflect Israel’s cultural potpourri, spiced with Arabic, Yemenite, Russian, Turkish, Moroccan, American and Latin rhythms and moves.

Israelis have elevated folk dancing to a national sport, complete with hero worship for the sexiest choreographers. In Israel you can dance every night. At some sessions, a foot count of 800 is considered a so-so turnout. Some dancers come dressed to kill and looking for love.

There’s also a big Israeli dance network here in the U.S. The seriously obsessed, with nothing else to do and a big budget for airfare, can dance across America and attend weekend workshops year-round.

One thing you learn right away is that Israeli folk dancing is not for the aerobically challenged. Israeli folk dancing etiquette (now there’s an oxymoron) calls for neophytes and klutzes to dance at the outskirts of the circle. Otherwise, there are few restrictions.    Click here to read more about dance etiquette.

Bottom line: to make it in Israeli dancing, you don’t have to be Jewish, and you don’t have to take sides on Middle Eastern politics. Just stick with it, give yourself permission to stumble, and wear cotton.

[This article first appeared in  Folk Fire the St. Louis-area folk dancing and folk music newsletter. Copyright 1999, Gloria Bilchik.] 

What do you think?
Veterans and “newbies:” Please share your observations about Israeli folk dancing with us. We want to hear from you, whether you’re a participant in our St. Louis group, or a dancer somewhere else in the world. We’ll post your comments here. Thanks! To share your thoughts, email us at: gloria@israelidancing-stl.com