Dance, Dance, Revolution

Jewish Women's Archive. "Israelifolk-03 - still image." <http://jwa.org/node/4746&gt; (February 21, 2011).

Take a study break.

Get some exercise.

Dance away the winter blahs.

Sunday, February 27th @ 4Pm, OWU Hillel will host the first of three Israeli Folk Dance lessons with Neev Granite.  Neev is originally from Israel, but has lived and danced in the U.S. since the early 1990s.  We’re hoping to attract a large and diverse crowd – to keep our energy levels up and share our heritage with the OWU community-at-large.

While Israeli dancing is native to Eretz Israel (The Land of Israel), it is a popular pastime for Jews around the world.  Drawing on other traditions – primarily Yemini and European Orthodox Jewish dances – Israeli folk dance was created in the early 20th century as part of the Zionist movement’s efforts to create a homeland for the Jews.

A good, brief history of this development can be read here.  As an art educator and a Jew, I find it interesting that Israeli folk dance was created and practiced as a means of brining people together, to build a shared culture and sense of community.  The steps are as easy to learn as the Macarena, so you have no excuse not to give it a try!  (Check out the videos below if you don’t believe me.)

I wonder, How might these dances bring our community together?

Come dance with us and find out.

OWU Hillel dancing Yesh Lanu Tayish (We have a Goat) @ Culture Fest 2010

Mayim Mayim (Water Dance)

Tags: Community, Culture, Israeli Folk Dance