Re: Dance of Death

[Ethan Minovitz <eminovitz...>]

Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 07:08:55 -0400
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-
music (at) shamash(dot)org>
 From: klezmer (at) yiddishmusic(dot)com
Subject: Re: dance of death

I'm familiar with the T'khiyes-Hameysim 
Tants/Dance of Resurrection -  but I have never 
seen one danced.  My understanding is that two 
men fight, one "accidentally" kills the other, 
but with the help of bronfn, the killee is
revived.  All in the context of the khasene, 
like the broyges tants.

Would be interested to read an eye-witness 
report (and which community it took place in, 
when, what city, etc.) - and also, what is the 
ostensible purpose?

Dena

________________________________________


I (and hundreds of others!) saw the dance in 
late December 1997 shortly after a wedding held 
as part of the 13th annual KlezKamp at the 
Paramount Hotel in Parksville (Sullivan County), 
NY. Yes, a genuine wedding was held there, and 
all the KlezKamp participants were invited to 
the ceremony and subsequent celebration, 
complete, of course, with all-star klezmer 
musicians. 

At the time, I thought it was simply clever 
improvisation, not a traditional dance!

Lots of laughter and cheering came from the 
audience as these two guys -- I never did get 
their names -- threw air punches at each other 
and one went "down for the count." No words were 
exchanged between the two, just lots of action.

But the cheering was almost deafening when 
the "winner" compassionately proferred a bottle 
to the "loser's" mouth, whereupon the victim was 
instantly resuscitated...and how! *Both* guys 
started dancing something resembling the 
kazatske.

As I recall, there was nothing in the bottle, 
but the two were acting as if something were.

Face it:  Some of us are like babies. We stop 
crying when we're handed a bottle.


Happy Fourth of July from your northern 
neighbors!


Ethan Minovitz
Vancouver, British Columbia

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