Israeli Folk Dances

Early in the 20th century when Jews first started to return to their homeland after hundreds of years in exile, immigrants from many different cultures from Russia to Yemen to Poland to Romania brought a variety of folk dances with them. Together in their new home they created  a new language in dance.

I started my folk dancing journey when I was still in kindergarten and these dances have been with me, a part of me, since I started walking. I first danced with my mother, my family and with other kids who grew up in the same village and went to the same school. Later in life, I studied to become a dance instructor and focused on the healing and therapeutic impact of dance on people with Parkinson’s and other cognitive challenges. Early on I learned that the work of one Israel’s folk dancing pioneers, Rivka Shtoorman, influenced many in the field of dance and her work inspired me to modify her (and others’) dance routines for work in seated positions as well as movement when standing and movement is limited.
Israeli folk dancing is a unique phenomenon with large groups of men and women who enjoy dancing together several times a week in organized activities. Particularly in Israel but in many more countries including the US dance routines include dancing in circles, rows and couples with new routines being created for songs old and new every year. It is my hope that you too will discover this magic.