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March 10, 2006
Multicultural moves expand
Israeli dancing links participants from all backgrounds.
KELLEY KORBIN
Israeli dancing isn't just for kibbutzniks anymore. In fact, it's
enjoying unprecedented attention from folk dance aficionados everywhere.
A quick scan of sites on the web will lead you to Israeli dance
classes around the world, from Beijing to Budapest.
And if the idea of Israeli dancing conjures up an image of the horah
that you perform at weddings and bar mitzvahs, think again. Israeli
dancing has come a long way, with new dances being choreographed
to modern and popular music all the time.
This has led to a nostalgia for the traditional forms of Israeli
dance – and some instructors are beginning to offer classes
specializing in the "classic" dances from Israel's early
days. Jenny Wright is offering such a class in Vancouver, tailored
to people who long to perform the dances they learned at camp as
youngsters.
But other Vancouver teachers, like Nona Malki who teaches at the
Greater Vancouver Jewish Community Centre or Naomi Taussig who teaches
at the North Shore's Har El Synagogue, are embracing the new dances,
music and choreography with open arms and tapping feet.
What you might also find surprising is just who is doing all this
dancing. Of course, in Israel, where Israeli dancing is extremely
popular and up to 1,000 people often attend nightly dance sessions
in the major cities, most of the dancers are Jewish. But across
the Diaspora, it's a different story. Even here in Vancouver many
of the participants in local dance evenings are not Jewish.
Malki says the majority of the dancers in her well-attended classes
are Jewish, but that the non-Jewish people who attend often come
through a connection with their own religion. However, she did add
that, "in Europe they say maybe 10 per cent [of people attending
Israeli dance sessions] are Jewish."
Taussig's classes are relatively small, with about 30-40 people.
She said this intimate atmosphere partly contributes to the fact
that in her class, "We have Jews, born-again Christians and
regular Christians." She said that the Jews in her group are
mainly there for the music and the exercise, but "for some
people, there's a definite sense of it being a biblical connection
and some Christians see it as a way to connect to the Bible –
many of the older dances have biblical inspiration and they look
for that."
Jim Hamilton and his wife Roma have been participating in what they
call "Messianic dancing" for years. "My Messiah is
Jewish," said Hamilton, who added and that he and his wife
dance to get closer to the Jewish roots of Jesus. Messianics are
not necessarily Jews, although some belong to groups like Jews for
Jesus. Most believe that Jesus was Jewish and therefore Christianity's
roots are in biblical Judaism. As such, some of them believe that
Jewish ways, like wearing kippot, donning tallit or using tefillin
are the right way to honor Jesus – not to mention offering
praise and worship through dance.
"What I have a concern about is taking Israeli dances ... and
just maybe modifying them or not and calling it Messianic dancing,"
said Taussig. I don't have a problem with people's beliefs, as long
as they don't proselytize in my group. I'm very clear about that.
I'm an Israeli dance teacher, not a Messianic dance teacher....
A lot of messianic dances are choreographed based on Israeli dancing,
but it's not Israeli dancing."
Taussig, who is a lay cantor at Congregation Har El, says that to
her, Israeli dancing is non-religious.
Of course, the majority of non-Jews who partake in Israeli dance
are not Messianic. Many get their exposure to Israeli dancing through
their Jewish friends. Susan Hoch's husband Severin is Jewish. They
met years ago at an international dance night in Stanley Park. Now
they are both hooked on Israeli dance.
Severin likens Israeli dancing to a kind of meditation: "There
is a combination of beautiful current music, beautiful dances and
you cannot think of any of your problems while you're dancing because
of the [intricate] steps," he said. The Hochs said that almost
everywhere they have travelled in the world, they have been able
to find Israeli dancing. "You just never know who's going to
pop up," said Severin. "A lot of Jews for Jesus come trying
to get closer to Israel and I've even seen nuns Israeli dancing
in Rome."
Gabriella Wieczorek is originally from Poland and first tried Israeli
dancing at a Christian camp. Now she attends sessions regularly.
She lives in Langley but drives all the way to the North Shore to
participate in Taussig's class. "I feel really drawn to things
that are Jewish," she said. "It started with Israeli folk
dancing – I love the music."
Noli Cole, director of the dance troupe Keff L'Olam, said that many
non-Jews get exposed to Israeli dance through other types of international
dance. She has found that many are active in their churches, but
hasn't met many "Messianics." She added that it often
surprises her how much Israeli dance "transcends cultures and
religions, as well as ages."
Cole reminisced that one summer night, she was totally surprised
when she heard "blasting Israeli dance music" coming from
Kits Beach around midnight. When she went to investigate, she was
delighted to come across a group of 12 excellent Israeli dancers,
all of them Chinese.
So what is it that attracts so many diverse people to Israeli dancing?
Taussig explained it this way: "The music is fabulous, very
upbeat and draws people in – even people with two left feet
can get the basics ... it gives a good base for dance, it is very
current and very hot and it is very internationally flavored. That's
its appeal. Also, it's a fabulous workout and very social."
To Taussig, the question is not what draws people, of all religions,
to Israeli dance, but "why it has not become more of a rage
than it is, because it's aerobic and fun." She lamented the
fact that more Jews don't dance. "I wish more Jewish people
would try it," she said, "they see it as dancing, not
exercise, but there is a great aerobic component."
Taussig said she would not entertain the notion of limiting her classes
to Jews. "I won't do to others what has been done to the Jewish
community," she said. "This is a positive statement, to
have a place where everyone is welcome. I want the dance experience
to be where we get away from the politics. [Dance is] a fabulous
aspect of Israel, a thriving alive and vibrant movement."
She added that she believes that exposing non-Jews to Israeli culture
through dance makes people more supportive of Israel. "These
are the friends," she noted, "that Israel and the Jewish
community needs."
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