Re: dancing with klezmer music

[H. Kaufman <hkaufman...>]

Shalom Susan,
There are relatively few experts, films, videos, etc. on Eastern European
Jewish dance. It just so happens that a good part of the 1997 Shorashim
Labor Day Dance Weekend (Aug.30-Sept.1) will be dedicated to such dance.   
In this part of the program I have tentatively scheduled the following:

1. Films/videos of Hassidic Dance presented by Ayalah Goren Kadman who
is in charge of ethnic dance at Jerusalem's Rubin Academy of Music & Dance.

2. A workshop on Eastern European Jewish dance movement by Felix Fibich,
the world's expert in this specialized genre.  

3. Films/videos and a workshop on Hassidic womens dances presented by Jill
Gellerman, a dance ethnographer who has specialized in this type of dance.

4. A workshop on Eastern European Jewish folk dance presented by Michael
Alpert--who brought you "In the Fiddlers House" with Izhak Perlman and
has a Klezmer band, Brave Old World--is an ethno-musicologist who also
collects the dances that Jews did back in Russia and the Ukraine. 

5. Workshops on Israeli folk dances that have been influenced by Eastern
European Jewish dance taught by Ayalah Goren Kadman and Danny Pollock.   

There will also be part of the program dedicated to other Jewish Ethnic
dance including those derived from Yemenite, Kurdish, Bukharian and
Sefardic cultures. 
(Inquiry to those on this list: Is there a Jewish list on the net
dedicated to these non-Eastern European cultures?)

This year Shorashim will be held in New York City--to allow for a maximum
number of participants.  However, we have not been able to get a site yet.
If anyone on this list knows of a large hall with a good wooden dance
floor (preferably sprung) that is reasonable in cost, please let me know
ASAP. We are non-profit and our work is voluntary. 

Hope this information is helpful--will post an update when the program is
in place and we have a site.  

Haim Kaufman

 On Fri, 9 May 1997, Susan
Gertz wrote:

> Hi!
> I hope someone can help me find what i'm looking for. My daughter takes a
> character dance class where students perform folk dances from different
> countries. My daughter's teacher asked me to find a videotape or a dance
> workshop where she (the teacher) could learn some traditional Jewish
> dances. Since I love klezmer music, I thought maybe I could find some
> appropriate Eastern European Jewish dances are traditionally danced with
> klezmer music.
> 
> One person I have communicated with is sending me clips from some old
> yiddish movies that have dancing. Does the movie Fiddler on the Roof have
> any appropriate dancing? Does anyone have any other thoughts?
> 
> Susan Gertz
> Document Production Manager
> Terrific Science Press
> 
> Center for Chemical Education
> 4200 East University blvd.
> Middletown, OH 45042
> 513/727-3389
> gertzse (at) muohio(dot)edu
> 
> 
>