Israeli Dances Learned Monday with Videos

Published: Thu, 02/01/18


Congratulations on your first night of Israeli Dancing.
Learning to dance takes time.
Enjoy the process.
You only get to be a beginner once.
Do not try to learn everything.
Just try to get one thing you can work on.

Keep in mind, the first day is the hardest.
The second day will be the second hardest.
Each time gets a little easier.
Eventually you will learn.
All you have to do is keep showing up.

Safety, Courtesy and Comfort
Safety first,
Do not hurt yourself or anyone else.
Courtesy, do not tell anyone else what to do, no asking either, only the teacher.
Comfort, if something is affecting your comfort, speak up.

Go at your own pace.
Everyone learns in their own time.
If you feel the need to sit, sit.

I encourage you to do things.
If you do not want to do those things, you do not have to.
Do what works for you.

I have a method.
What I am trying to teach you is how to follow dances.
The method depends on you balancing over each step.
You must have good posture.
You must know in which direction to go.
You must listen to the music to keep the rhythm.
You cannot balance over each step if you are looking at feet.
You will have trouble listening to the music if you are focusing on someone else's foot movement.
You will not be able to tell in what direction to move in time to the music if you are watching feet.
To follow in time to music you must have good posture, keep the rhythm and watch the body.
Have you ever seen a professional dancer watching feet, or an athlete in any sport?
If you are brand new to dancing, you have not developed the habit of watching feet.
I can bother you enough to help keep you from relying on feet.

However, if you already know to how to dance and you already are in the habit of watching the feet,
I recommend you try my method, but I do not want to force you to do something you do not want to do.
You can do whatever you want, which includes watching feet (not newcomers though, only experienced dancers).

Lastly, the reason why I suggest experienced dancers learn to follow is because watching feet does not work.
The proof is this, if you sit down when there is a dance you do not know, the reason is because watching feet stresses you out.
If watching feet worked, I would not say anything.

Here are some of the dances we did on Monday

Nigun Atik - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLH4QW9lMqU
Yedid Nefesh – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlJ6cgF4E_Y
Ma Navu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IUJ0cjYaq4
Mayim Mayim – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X15ODiDDev8
Lo Ahavti Dai – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ0g8rOdDsE


Eretz Eretz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfvWbVTsuB8
Lech Lamidbar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn_5IPjrwfk
Od Yishama - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PLnF5QaC5s
Amalel Shir - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1sENlBISPI
Yaabud - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jZCLo78SnQ

Elu Tzipporim – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLrypjl57bU
Leor Chiyuchech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBVRaVPffkg

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Monday February 5 Week 2 of 4
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7:00 pm Israeli Beginner Series
7:45 pm Regular Israeli Dancing
$25 per family for remaining 3 weeks of beginner series, or
$10 per family for one night of beginner series, or
$5 per family for regular Israeli Dancing, or
Free for student age

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Thursday February 15 Week 3 of 4
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6:00 pm Salsa, Waltz, Rumba or something else
7:00 pm Swing, Waltz, Rumba or something else
8:00 pm Argentine Tango

$25 for remaining 2 nights, or
$15 drop-in, or 
$10 for those taking Andrea's class, or
$5 student, or
$5 Tango practice only

If financial considerations are keeping you from dancing, let me know.

At Congregation B'nai Israel
3830 NW 16 Blvd
1/2 mile east of Fresh Market
Around the left side in the social hall

Happy Dancing,
Andy

Our dance videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/PartnershipDancing/playlists

Andrew Weitzen
352-327-3672
publish@gainesvilledance.com