Re: MItzvah music and dance

[Willadance <Willadance...>]

In a message dated 7/18/02 10:09:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
lkoenick (at) erols(dot)com writes:


> 
> I suspect the difference is who is attending “Greek fests” and who 
> attends 
> a nightclub.
>  
> Leonard
>  
> 
> In a message dated 7/17/2002 5:32:31 PM Central Daylight Time, 
> lkoenick (at) erols(dot)com writes:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is not just our Jewish community that has lost the ability to do its
> social dances.  The general population has done the same.  
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know....All the Greek fests that I have attended have lots of 
> traditional Greek dancing, and both men and women seem to know how to do 
> it.  But it may all be inconsequential--one generation from now, no one 
> except a few old people and folkdancers/singers may know the traditions of 
> ANY culture.  Kind of like the conquistadors burning down the Mayan 
> libraries, except this time it's being done by radios and CDs.
> Lori
> 
> In the CT area I find that the Irish, Ukrainian, Polish, Greek and some of 
the Balkan communitities make a great effort to keep their music and dance 
traditions alive.  Many kids and adults know how to dance to the folk music.  
Some can play instruments too.  But I see that the Jewish community here 
places little value on this.  We have 9 Federations some with JCCS.  The 
three that have Israeli dancing engage their dance leaders' services on an 
independent contractor basis instead of hiring them as staff as they do with 
the ballet and tap dance teachers.  The regional USY used to have a Chug 
Rikud for many, many years.  It died out several years ago and attempts to 
revive it have been met with difficulty/negativity from the regional staff. 

Willa 



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Willa Horowitz 

Leader and teacher of Israeli, Jewish and International folk dance 

130 Mount Sanford Road 
Hamden, CT 06518 
203-248-0291