Re: dance of death

[Eliezer Kaplan <zelwel...>]

The central 'memento-mori' of the Jewish wedding is the breaking of the glass. 
I doubt that the t'chiyas hamaysim dance as desribed here serves any serious 
purpose other than seriously trying to entertain the chossen kalleh.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lori Cahan-Simon 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2002 3:04 AM
  Subject: Re: dance of death


  I don't see any specific connection, but this reminds me of the many "memento 
mori" of the middle ages.  Particularly, a gorgeous painting of the Northern 
Renaissance period comes to mind: a beautiful bride and groom in a forest 
setting.  On the reverse is painted the same scene, but the subjects have been 
changed to skeletal figures, and they may be dancing, I cannot recall.  (In the 
Cleveland Museum of Art.)
  Lorele

  Moshe Berlin wrote:

    In Mazor's book on "The Klezmer Tradition in the Land of Israel", there is 
a reference to T'khiyes-Hameysim Tants, wherefrom it seems that this dance is 
not especially related to weddings. In Meron, like in other Jewish festivities, 
this dance was performed (by 2 dancers) to a Doina tune. In Mazor's CD 
(attached to his book) there is a recording  of  T'khiyes-Hameysim Tants as 
performed in Meron (#16). Originally it was a dance by itself, and later on a 
Broygez Tants was combined to it at the beginning. The relation "wedding - 
death" is worth another discussion.

    Moshe Berlin
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: klezmer (at) yiddishmusic(dot)com 
      To: World music from a Jewish slant 
      Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 1:08 PM
      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


      Cantor Sam Weiss wrote:

      >In the last couple of centuries it was more commonly called The Dance of
      >Resurrection (T'khiyes-Hameysim Tants),  a Chassidic variant of the
      >Broygez Tants.<br><br>
      >At 08:37 AM 7/2/02, Michel Borzykowski wrote:<br>
      ><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font face="arial" size=2>shalom
      >khevre!</font><br>
      >&nbsp;<br>
      ><font face="arial" size=2>Has anybody heard about a &quot;dance of
      >death&quot; played by klezmorim at Jewish weddings?</font><br>
      ><font face="arial" size=2>Michal</blockquote>
      ><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep> 


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