Memories... I've Always Loved to Dance

The last time I performed in the Israeli Folk Dance Festival was in 1970. This was the late Fred Berk's dream festival as finally the dancers danced onto the performance area of Felt Forum, which usually featured sports games, not dancers. Each dancing group was given a spot to dance to then sit down, until it was time to perform. Then we got up and danced to the center, danced our dance and then danced back to the waiting spot. After all of the groups performed we all got up and danced "Kumah Eicha" in separate circles and then exited. That was my last dance at the festival, since a few months later I got married; two months after that we boarded Greek Lines Anna Marie... Yes, that's how we came to Israel as olim chadashim, new immigrants.

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In 1970, for the second year in a row I led the NCSY National Conference of Synagogue Youth Dance Group. We had the bride and the long skirts. Yes, we stand out in the movie. I also danced in the 1967 festival, when our group was led by the amazing Leah Weiner, Z"L. 

I was privileged to attend Fred Berk's 1967-8 Leadership and Choreography course offered to potential dance leaders from the different youth movements. I learned a lot from him that year. And I have no doubt that is the reason my 1969 NCSY Dance Group was accepted to perform in the Israeli Folk Dance Festival, even though he wasn't crazy about my choreography. One of the festival's staff members met with us and choreographed the actual dance we performed. I had to coach and dance it. Luckily my dancers had a better memory than I did, so Fred and the choreographer were pleased and allowed us to participate. 

I also danced with the NCSY delegation as we marched in the Salute to Israel Parade. The organizers used a picture of me and my friend dancing in the 1968 Parade as part of the advertisement for the 1969 Parade. Today we both live in Israel and not all that far from each other.

Can you guess which is me?

Memories...

Memories of Israel Folk Dance Festival, New York, 1970

I'm someplace in this video. I've watched it many times even in slow motion and can't really find myself. My sister also danced in the NCSY group which I had led. I can't find her either, though she should be easy to find. She's relatively short. Ours is the Wedding Dance with the bride. 

The NCSY National Conference of Synagogue Youth was the youth organization that changed my life. By attending its events in the middle 1960s I became familiar with Torah Judaism. I don't like the term "orthodox."

I'm sure you can guess
which is me.

In 1967 I danced in the NCSY group when it was led by the legendary Leah Weiner, Z"L, May Her Memory Be a Blessing. In 1968 we didn't have a group, (Leah didn't head the group then) though we danced in the Salute to Israel Parade. Look at the picture on the right. The parade organizers used the picture of me and my friend for the advertisement for the following year's parade. 

After the disappointment in 1968 that we hadn't danced in the Israeli Folk Dance Festival headed by Fred Berk, I made it clear to NCSY that I'd be taking over the dance group. There was no way that we'd miss another festival.

In 1969 we danced a "Shabbat Candle-lighting Dance." My choreography was considered "horrendous," so the head choreographer put something together for us, and I had the "whip" the girls/dancers into performance shape. I guess I'm a better leader than choreographer, since we surprised them with a well-danced performance. We had been warned that if we weren't up to par, we wouldn't participate in the festival. We were also given tips for costumes and props. I may have sewn all the skirts, which we used again the following year. Possibly others helped with the sewing.

Now for Israeli Dance Festival 1970--

After my experience the previous year, I had decided not to dance with the group. It's very hard to make sure lines are straight and everyone's movements are coordinated when dancing with everyone. And again the head choreographer redid the dance. 

I didn't mind not dancing the "dance," because I'd still be dancing the in the finale. For the very first time, Fred Berk had the type of stage he had always been dreaming of. There wouldn't be a theatrical stage with curtains. Fred had always said that folk dance includes and entrance and exit. He envisioned a large area where the dancers would wait together, each group rising and entering when it was their turn. This was able to happen in Felt Forum- Madison Square Garden a huge indoor sports stadium in midtown Manhattan. And since there was enough room, we were to end with all the groups dancing together. You'll see that in the film.

Back to the NCSY group. Somehow we ended up with one too many dancers, but thankfully, two didn't mind only dancing in one performance, rather than both afternoon and evening. And I found it much easier to lead the group to "perfection" when not dancing with them. Being that this was my third festival and second time leading, I was confident that we'd do a great job. 

But... the morning of the performance when we arrived for the one and only dress rehearsal... I discovered that two of my dancers weren't there. They were both out sick. One had a bad flu and the other being checked for possible appendicitis. Okay... yes... and how did we solve that problem?

Even though I had never danced the dance, only supervised, I found myself having to dance. And even scarier, I had to lead a line, so it was hard to cheat and follow the others. But somehow I pulled it off. One of the sick ones felt better by evening performance and participated then. So I don't know if I'm in the dance part of the movie; though I was in the finale for sure.

That's the behind the scene story of the NCSY Dance Group 1970.

Salute to Israel Parade, NY, 1970

We've been pulling out old albums of late, and found these irreplaceable photos.

They are from the Salute to Israel Parade. Marching are members of the NCSY Dance Group which had performed in Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden that year. I was group leader. It was the first time the Israeli Folk Dance Festival had performed there.

Previously it had been in Carnegie Hall, which has, or had, an ambience all its own. But festival director, Fred Berk had been itching for a more genuine folk dance festival feeling. He hated the stage and curtains in the illustrious concert hall. When I took his Leadership and Choreography course in 1967-68, he always stressed that true folk dance required dancing onto the performance area and dancing off of it. NO CURTAINS raised and lowered.

At the 1970 festival we all sat around the performance area, getting up to dance on and off when it was our group's turn. Then at the very end of the show, all of the groups and dancers danced together in separate circles.

A couple of months later, at the parade, my dancers and I donned our costumes and danced up Fifth Avenue. We had sewn the skirts the year before for the 1969 festival, but then we added white trim on the bottom plus the "belts" in 1970. And we wore our own white blouses. For the festivals, we danced barefoot, but of course that wouldn't work on the NYC streets.

In 1970, NCSY was given a spot near the beginning of the parade, and Betar was towards the end. So, after dancing the entire way to the end, I quickly, literally ran back down Fifth Avenue to join Betar and march again. Being just a spectator was not for me.

Who else was at that parade?

New York's Salute to Israel Parade, 1969 or 1970

When I was going through pictures the other week, I came across two from the Salute to Israel Parade. Here I am with other members of the NCSY National Conference of Synagogue Youth Israeli Folk Dance Group, which I had led those two years.

Yes, that's me in the middle holding up the Israeli Flag.

Those were our costumes made for the big Israeli Folk Dance Festival, which had been run by the legendary Fred Burk. I have a feeling it was the 1970 parade, because I think we added the white trim on the skirts that year. We wore them without the trim in 1969, if I'm not mistaken. I led the group both those years, before I got married and made aliyah.

In 1970 I marched the parade twice. First I marched/danced with NCSY and then ran back to close the beginning to catch Betar and march with them, too.

I participated in all the parades until our aliyah, from the very first. And in 1977, we visited New York in the spring and marched again with Betar if I remember correctly. I know we were there. It was the end of our two year shlichut, doing Jewish Zionist youth work in London, and we visited family in New York before returning to Israel.

Does anyone else have great memories of those early Salute to Israel Parades?