Re: Dancing

[glenn tamir <klezska...>]

Thank G-D for the "Dance Police"


--- Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan (at) staff(dot)chuh(dot)org> wrote:
> That's right, Helen.  My impression is that people
> "dance the way the
> music moves" you because they don't know what else
> to do.  If they knew
> how to dance to the music they would do it.  No one
> really enjoys the type
> of experience Helen describes and I've been in the
> midst of.  They do it
> because it's the only "Jewish" dance they have
> experienced, as a large
> group.
> 
> If you know how to dance to this music, there is
> still the chance to dance
> the way the music moves you, the improvisatory
> opportunity of "shaynen" in
> the middle of the circle.  People have much more fun
> knowing what comes
> next rather than what you usually see --everyone
> running and hopping their
> way around a circle, then rushing in to the center
> and out again.  Then,
> someone remembers, "The Chairs!", and the poor
> subjects of the simkhe are
> bounced around, hanging on for dear life until they
> are put down again,
> your aunties spin around in the middle of the
> circle, holding hands, while
> everyone else claps.  Then, no one knows what else
> to do, so the moment is
> over and people go back to their seats and the band
> plays a slow song.
> 
> Time to educate people.  Hire a "Yiddish" dance
> teacher for your
> community!
> 
> love,
> Lorele, former runner and hopper  ;-)
> 
> 
> glenn tamir wrote:
> 
> > Yes, Toe stepping and arm wrenching are definitely
> not
> > cool.
> >
> > --- Helen Winkler <winklerh (at) hotmail(dot)com> wrote:
> > > I think something to keep in mind is that
> > > improvisation is part of Yiddish
> > > dancing.  It isn't quite like most people's
> > > conception of folk dancing.
> > > When you really get into the spirit of it, it is
> > > very creative and often
> > > there is  a sort of adrenalin that goes round
> the
> > > circle that is hard to
> > > explain.  However, it is still different than
> the
> > > chaotic things that happen
> > > on the dance floor when people are confused
> about
> > > the dance and end up
> > > crashing into each other, stepping on other
> peoples'
> > > toes or wrenching the
> > > arm of the person beside them.
> > > Helen
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "glenn tamir" <klezska (at) yahoo(dot)com>
> > > To: "World music from a Jewish slant"
> > > <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> > > Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 3:54 PM
> > > Subject: Re: Dancing
> > >
> > >
> > > > I suggest that everyone just dance the way the
> > > music
> > > > moves you.  If a group of people want to go
> around
> > > in
> > > > a circle - fine.  If you feel like jumping up
> and
> > > down
> > > > - kol hakavod.
> > > >
> > > > I remember when my grandparents used to
> criticize
> > > the
> > > > dances I used to enjoy as a kid because they
> grew
> > > up
> > > > doing organized folk dancing.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> > > ---------------------+
> > >