Re: Dancing

[allen watsky <awatsky...>]

As I am the type of musician who never plays for anything BUT dancers (or so
it seems) . I need to say that I think the music we are calling  klezmer
must be presented as a dance music. Of course folks can do anything they
like with their music, sit down listen, whatever.While I make no claims for
my knowledge of the dance, my intention is to advance the Idea that Jewish
Wedding music was and is a social music that is danced to(not very
controversial). At Frum affairs people dance constantly, not to klezmer mind
you but to the latest in (what to call it?) Orth Rock ? Many people consider
that genre the main stream , with all other styles "fringe musics". I have
been at some events where the band played some "Klezmer" and the Rabbi
asked" was the klezmer part the bit that sounded a little like Hava
Nagila?". Everyone recognized the Carlbach and etc.,  they can dance to
that, so it serves its social function. The older Eastern European Jewish
Wedding Music played by us, they had no use for.Not 'cause the feel was
wrong,though we do tend to play our eighth notes to evenly(an easily
corrected malady). They did not know the steps, so they sort of "vogue" to
it for a while.Its nostalgia, everybody likes it,but if its to do more than
trend,  it needs the dance. Its like jazz in that respect. When people
danced to jazz it was the popular music of the day, when that same music
diverged from its dance roots it nearly died in the main stream (commodified
culture) it took 20 yrs.  and the Nuevo swing movement to get it back in
peoples minds as a choice in entertainment. So.. dance teachers.... think
what they did for "Latin" music in the Catskills. Thanks to all, Cordially,
Al Watsky



> Orrigional Message
> As a musician who plays often for dancing, I was going to say in response
to
> earlier parts of this thread that lack of knowledge of the dances affects
> the music and the musicians, not just the dancers. For instance, I
wouldn't
> know if I was playing the sher incorrectly if no one knew the dance.
There's
> nothing like playing for dancers who are doing traditional dance, to
really
> 'get' the music.
>
> Beverly
>
> ----------






---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+