Re: Looking for Dance Info: "Broyges Tantz"

[Joe Kurland <ganeydn...>]

Peggy and I dance the broygez tants to teach the bride and groom a 
lesson about how to deal with anger at many weddings since the 
in-laws rarely if ever know how to do it.  It's pretty much as 
described below.  The basic structure is that the couple approach 
each other on one phrase of music, and turn their backs on each other 
on the next phrase of music, repeating that pattern with angry 
gestures at each other until one of them turns away halfway through a 
phrase so that now they are "talking" to each others backs.  Finally, 
one of them turns away slowly enough to see the other approaching 
with conciliatory gestures and they make up.  Every couple should 
work out their own timing and gestures acting out anger, not-talking 
to each other (the kind of anger characterized by the word broygez), 
regret, and reconciliation.

We initially learned some of the gestures at our wedding from Peggy's 
great aunt z"l who was then in her nineties and had seen it as a 
child.  Since that time, we have picked up other traditional gestures 
from elders among the audiences where we have performed it.


L'shono toyve,

Yosl (Joe) Kurland
The Wholesale Klezmer Band
Colrain, MA 01340
voice/fax: 413-624-3204
http://www.WholesaleKlezmer.com


At 9:05 AM -0700 9/13/02, helen winkler wrote:
>There's a nice piece about the Broygez Tanz written in the book "From a
>Ruined Garden." It describes two inlaws dancing it .  One thought that her
>son Berl was marrying below his station and thus was angry.  They danced
>away from and toward each other acting out a pantomime of anger, while the
>guests at the wedding made a circle around the two dancers and sang out
>"Let's make up, the world is like a dream
>Let's make up, let us be at peace."
>In the end they make up, kissing and hugging.
>Then they danced together, hands on each others shoulders.
>If you want to read it for yourself, it's From A Ruined Garden, The Memorial
>Books of Polish Jewry,  edited by Jack Kugelmass and JOnathan Boyarin,
>published in 1998.
>
>I know other members of this list also dance the Broygez and perhaps can
>give more information.
>
>Helen
>

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