Re: +shers

[Steve Weintraub <dancinsteve...>]

I've got to say- I'm enjoying this thread very much! It won't resolve all the 
issues of relating the music to the dance, in our era, but I'm glad to see 
folks thinking about it.  My time and opinions can be had cheaply for a cup of 
hot beverage or a glass of something strong -depending on the time of day- at 
Klezkamp or wherever else you find me.

Anyway, a few more cents from my pot of pennies:
re: Buby8's comment- according to the source, after threading the needle, the 
band struck up Artza Alinu or some such Zionist tune and everyone formed a big 
circle and danced the Zionist 6 count hora. (the bulgar dressed in blue and 
white) If anyone is interested in my complete notes, contact me offlist.
dancinsteve (at) comcast(dot)net(dot)   Lynda, I'd be interested in your 
recollections!

If the sher was commonly danced to music that simply established the beat, it 
would certainly be unique in western dance - sort of a hybrid between a set 
dance and a freylakhs.The major problem in keeping the phrasing with the dance 
is the addition of "shout choruses": phrases with an additional 4 bars.  Since 
most of the figures in the shers I've seen are 16 bars long, the addition of a 
repeated 12 bar phrase is going to put things out of synch.  If those choruses 
occured at regular, predictable, intervals, that might indicate that something 
specific happened during that time, but, for instance in the Philadelphia 
shers, they crop up every which where.

Don't get me started about "shining"

-Steve (its got a good beat, but can you dance to it?) W.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Buby8 (at) aol(dot)com 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 12:53 AM
  Subject: Re: +shers


  yes i remember that which you are calling threading the needle but it was 
done after horas as well
  lynda