belly dancing to Jewish folk songs

sedoniaraqs

New member
Can I get some opinions from the group? How appropriate/inappropriate do you think it would be to use a Jewish folk song, say Hava Nagila, as music for American oriental or some kind of world fusion dance (that would be introduced as such)? Appropriate with the accurate label? Sketchy? Inappropriate no matter what?

I'm talking something potentially along this line:

(No, it is not I who will be doing it, in case anyone is wondering)
 
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Marya

Member
Can I get some opinions from the group? How appropriate/inappropriate do you think it would be to use a Jewish folk song, say Hava Nagila, as music for American oriental or some kind of world fusion dance (that would be introduced as such)? Appropriate with the accurate label? Sketchy? Inappropriate no matter what?

(No, it is not I who will be doing it, in case anyone is wondering)

Hi Sedonia,

One of my first teachers told me that Jewish (or rather Israeli) folk songs used to be used quite frequently for fusion dances back in the 1970's. She passed along the same caution as with songs in Arabic: just be sure the lyrics are appropriate.

I once started working on a fusion dance to Hava Nagila because I had a fusion version of it that was really fun, but I never completed it. I was going to incorporate some of the "folk" dance steps into the choreography too.

Here in the ME Dance community of Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington, few would object to a fusion dance using Hava Nagila, in fact I think it happens frequently.

Marya
 

Gia al Qamar

New member
I dance quite often for many Jewish groups and organizations...and I use all kinds of Israeli folk songs...I have one rockin version of Hava Nagila to SURF music! It's hilarious and it always gets the crowd going!
My advice...When dancing folk...wear the appropriate costume...if it's a more orchestral version of the music...cabaret costume...fusion music should be used with fusion costuming...Don't dance to Egyptian classics wearing yarn hair (and I'm not saying that you would..this is general advice to all dancers!) don't perform bouncy Israeli folk songs wearing the "Dina" mini-skirt ensemble...know your audience...the gals in that clip look silly to me in their mix-n-match attire.
Gia
 

Salome

Administrator
I've danced to Hava Nagila a couple of times. Brothers of the Baladi have a great version that I really liked.
 

nicknack

New member
Well it does translate to "let's rejoice and be glad", it's a perfect song to dance to.

Another good Jewish folk song to dance to would be Yasmin Levys version of De Edad De Kinze Anyos, bit I'd say it calls for a more gypsy, bellydance, flamenco fusion thing
 
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