Zev Feldman's Yiddish dance weekend

[klezmer <klezmer...>]

Have already heard that Ari posted something to the list re. the above but am writing before I've read it (can't read it anyway since it didn't arrive yet!).

In a comfortable, pretty, and soothing roundish room with a custom built dance floor, transpired 2+ days of about 20 people learning and/or improving their Yiddish dance skills.  Zev Feldman was unanimously deemed a fantastic teacher.  We learned the various zhok (Romanian hora), honga, and bulgar steps and variations - and the historical context (and definition!) of each dance.  Zev, in addition to his talents in the dancing and teaching departments shared his ethnomusicological expertise as it related to the dance of the region he was teaching us - Southern Bessarabia.  His father grew up there and Zev, in the 1960s saw the Yiddish dance at events sponsored by landsmenshaftn in New York City and at simkhes.)

The instruction was accompanied by live music from a kapelye ably led by list member Seth Austen comprised of tsimbl (Beverly Woods), mandolin/mandocello (Jim Dalton) mandolin/mandola/guitar/fidl (Austen) and clarinet.  The band also was provided pointers by Zev, and if you stayed late enough, you heard Zev playing Beverly's 2 tsimblim and a santori - an added bonus!

Dancers included makhers the Yiddish dance and Jewish music worlds (list members  Helen Winkler (all the way from Calgary!) Jacob Bloom - both of whom teach Yiddish dance in their neck of the woods, as well as recently married Ari Davidow and Judy Pinnolis.  It was a treat to be with so many lovers of the music and dance in such an intimate setting.

The hostess of the event, Jenny Deupree, was most generous, gracious, and receptive.  Neskaya, the dance center which Jenny runs and at whose building the event was held, is nestled in the White Mountains and, this being the peak of the leaf-peeking season, we were treated to a breathtaking view of mountains aflame in fall colors as we circled around the room.  I even got my first ever view of a black bear (a yearling) scampering across a nearby road during a morning walk.

After the event was over, Beverly (who invited Zev in the first place!), Jenny, and Zev talked about the possibility of another weekend at Neskaya, perhaps in September - so keep your eyes on this list for details and another extraordinary opportunity to learn more about Yiddish culture.

Dena Ressler