Re: Cleveland Workman's Circle Bendix workshop: Fun!

[Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan...>]

Yakov, I'm so glad you enjoyed the day and you're welcome for the ride.  

We danced from 9:30 am to about 3pm.  I expect my legs will tell me 
about it tomorrow!  I had so much fun.  I even convinced my husband to 
dance the bulgar with us because we needed a fourth in our group.  Now 
that's an accomplishment.  Despite his protestations before joining us, 
he had a good time.

During the morning session we must have had around 30 people dancing, 
including 13 children, and about 10 observers.  In the afternoon the 
kids left and we had a dozen participants.

Yakov, the one you can't remember the name to was the Honga, I think. 
 And the "chusidl-type dance" you mention was indeed the khusidl.  Oh, 
and then there was the Kolomeyke, which was a lot of jumping around, 
comparatively.  We also did the Shiffers tants, which is one of my 
favorites.  For those who have never seen it, the "yidish hora" is a 
completely different dance than the Israeli version.  
As social dances, one of the enjoyable aspects is the simplicity, in 
that you could hold a conversation with your neighbor as you dance.  I 
could see it now..."Nu, Sheyndl, your son, Shmerl, is now bar mitsve and 
starting to learn a trade.  Now, my daughter, Blime, is a gem, and can 
she cook!"  "That's right, Feyge, you hardly even notice her limp 
anymore, and since the doctor used the leeches on her that condition 
seems to have cleared up..."  

As to the Terkisher, Helen, Oy! I don't know if any further description 
will help and I think the tape ran out before then, unfortunately.  It 
was fun, with your feet and legs all twisty to the sexy music.  There 
were a number of variations on the step, but I was busy doing something 
administrative at the time, so I missed most of that dance.  :-(  But, 
it was as you describe.

By the way.  We will be editing the tapes and putting in titles of 
dances and music, so we may be able to make a few copies available on 
VHS for those who would like one.  I imagine it will be about 3 hours of 
tape.

We will have more workshops to come.  The next one with Erik should be 
June or July, owing to his busy schedule.  We were talking about this 
summer's Yiddish Concert in the Park in Cleveland, which will be July 
21st, and saying that what has been missing is the dancing.  People want 
to dance, but again, don't know how.  The most you ever see is the line 
snaking around the park.  We hope to go with our core/corps of dancers 
and attempt to lead "impromptu" dances during the concert.  I'm looking 
forward to that.  The Workmen's Circle Klezmer Orchestra always does a 
pre-concert show.  That may be the perfect time to present the dances. 
 What fun!

A FREYLEKHN PURIM, ALEMEN!

Lorele


Helen Winkler wrote:

>What kind of dance did he teach to the Terkisher?  I have a written
>description of one that I'm having trouble understanding.  It has a walking
>section in a syrtos rhythm, and then some sort of rocking movement in and
>out of the circle but I can't quite visualize it from the written
>description.  Did Erik teach anything like this?
>Helen
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Yakov Chodosh" <ync8 (at) softhome(dot)net>
>To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2002 5:41 PM
>Subject: Cleveland Workman's Circle Bendix workshop: Fun!
>
>
>
>Hey dudes and dudettes and chevrei.
>I went to Cleveland today for the Eric Bendix klezmer dance workshop, and it
>was FUN! We learned the hora, chusidl, terkisher, a bulgar square dance, and
>another chusidl-type dance that i don't remember the name of. Also another
>one that was like "step (stomp) step (stomp) step step step step" in a line.
>Eric was a great teacher and he had some great cds. A bunch of kids were
>there for the first part and they really seemed to be getting into it. Very
>cool. Oyeah he also had a big packet of handouts with detailed descriptions
>of each dance and a big story. Nice. Anyone who can go to the next one or
>learn from Eric somewheres else totally should. Next time there might be a
>live band (i.e. my band, perhaps, if we can find a ride)
>
>Also I got Lori's CD and we listened to it in the car on the way back. Verry
>nice. I only listened to it once so far though so i won't talk more
>
>That workmen's circle place is a real trip... there was this like five year
>old kid wandering around the whole time singing yiddish songs... crazy
>
>btw and lori thanks for finding me the ride. (from pittsburgh.)
>
>-yakov
>a happy and drunken purim to everyone!
>

-- 
Lori's new CD, Songs My Bubbe Should Have Taught Me; Vol.1: Passover, is 
available! All Yiddish, all Passover! Great music, fun songs, famous musicians! 
Only $15 & postage. Email me for more info.



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