Beyond The Hora

So you’ve got a Jewish party coming up and they want to do some folk dancing, more than just the customary hora. Here are a few well-known Israeli folk dances that we have used at parties.

Zemer Atik

Music Source: Track 16 from “The Real Complete Jewish Party CD” by David & Gila’s Band (now called David and the High Spirit).

Also known as Nigun Atik, this is a very easy dance that many Jewish people will already know. There are two ways to do the dance. We’ll describe the basic circle dance that most people know (and taught at the 1998 DJ Expo). There is also a slightly more complicated couples dance version—check out “The Best of Israeli Folk Dances” (noted below) if you want to learn the couples version.

The dance has two parts. All of the steps will match up with instrumentation in the music (for this reason, do NOT use a remixed vesion of the song).

Part 1 (verse)

Start off by getting everyone into a circle, and having them turn to the person on their right. Have everyone hold their left hand up behind them above their left shoulder. The left hand should be slightly cupped. Now have everyone put their right hand up in front of them, resting their right hand in the palm of the left hand of the person in front.

The following sequence is done 4 times (then go to part 2/chorus):

Counts 1-4: With hands connected as described above, take 4 quick steps (right, left, right left).

Count 5: Release hands, take a slow step with the right foot

Count 6: Clap twice in front above the right shoulder.

Count 7: Take a slow step with the left foot

Count 8: Clap once in front above the left shoulder.

Part 2 (chorus)

Releasing hands and facing the center of the circle, this sequence is done 4 times (then go back to part 1/verse):

Counts 1-2: Take a big slow step forward (into the circle) with the right foot, bend the right knee and snap fingers of both hands in front of right shoulder.

Counts 3-4: Take a big slow step forward with the left foot, bend the left knee and snap fingers of both hands in front of left shoulder.

Counts 5-8: Take 4 small quick steps backward (right, left, right left) to bring the circle back to its original position. As you step, lower your arms and bend forward (done gradually and smoothly through the 4 steps).

Yaysh

Music Sources: Track 16 from Bobby Morganstein Productions CD #1—“The Complete Jewish Party CD” (instrumental version), or track 25 from “The Real Complete Jewish Party CD” by David & Gila’s Band (vocal version, speeds up and need to be careful to synchronize dance to song).

Start with an equal number of men and women in separate lines facing each other. If there are a lot of people, you might want to have more than two lines in order to finish the dance more quickly.

Part 1

The lead couple grabs hands and dances together down the center “aisle” between the two lines to the opposite end (tail), and then to the front (head) again. Everyone else should clap their hands and tap their feet while the lead couple is dancing down the aisle.

Part 2

They then separate and start the “peel off”—they turn to the outside of their line and dance toward the back, and everyone follows them (the lines look like U’s during the peel off). When the lead couple gets to the tail, they make a “bridge” with their hands, and the rest of the couples grab hands and pass under the bridge on their way back toward the head. At the end of this part, the lead couple will be on the tail end, and the next couple will be the new lead couple.

Now repeat from the top. Continue until the original lead couple is back at the head again.

Optional: Everyone can shout out “Yaysh,… Yaysh,… Yaysh Yaysh Yaysh” just before the lead couple starts dancing down the center.

Mayim Mayim

Music Source: Track 15 from Bobby Morganstein Productions CD #1—“The Complete Jewish Party CD” (instrumental version).

This dance has three parts:

Part 1

Start off by getting everyone into a circle, and having them join hands and face the center.

The following sequence is done 4 times, then go to part 2. It is called a “Mayim” step. It is basically a grapevine step with the body twists added in.

Count 1: Cross the right foot in front of the left foot, while turning your body to the left (for this dance, some people stamp down hard with the right foot for the first count, but this is optional).

Count 2: Step out to the left with the left foot, while turning your body back to the center of the circle.

Count 3: Cross the right foot behind the left foot, while turning your body to the right.

Count 4: Step out to the left with the left foot, while turning your body back to the center of the circle.

Part 2

The following sequence is done twice, then go to part 3:

Count 1: Leap forward (toward the center of the circle) onto right foot, with the body bent forward, and hands still joined.

Counts 2-4: Run forward towards the center of the circle (left, right, left) gradually straightening body and raising hands and head upwards.

Count 5: Leap backward (toward the outside of the circle) onto right foot, with the body bent forward.

Counts 6-8: Run backwards towards the original position of the circle (left, right, left) gradually straightening body and raising hands and head upwards. End with hands stretched sideways at shoulder level.

Part 3

This sequence is done once, then go back to part 1:

Counts 1-3: Turn to the left and run forward/clockwise (right, left, right) along the circle.

Count 4: Turn back towards the center and tap the left foot next to the right foot.

Count 5: Hop on the right foot, while pointing the left foot over the right foot

Count 6: Hop on the right foot, while pointing the left foot to the left side and back slightly (in line with the right heel).

Counts 7-12: Repeat counts 5-6 three more times.

Count 13: Hop on the left foot, while pointing the right foot over the left foot, and clap hands above the head.

Count 14: Hop on the left foot, while pointing the right foot to the right side and back slightly (in line with the left heel).

Counts 15-20: Repeat counts 13-14 three more times.

Where to find more:

Velvel Pasternak has compiled a number of Israeli Folk Dances in his book “The Best of Israeli Folk Dances” (Tara Publications). You can buy it on the web from Tara Publications/The Source For Jewish Music at http://www.jewishmusic.com (this web site is also a treasure trove of Jewish and Israeli music).

Steve and Roberta Rothkin own Dancemasters Disc Jockey Entertainers in Poughkeepsie, NY. Email info@dancemasters.net. Web: http://www.dancemasters.net

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