Israeli Folk Dancing
Q4 PE 2008
Monday 8-9PM and Wednesday 930-10PM
Instructor: David Karger, karger@mit.edu
News
Course Summary
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the skill of Israeli Folk Dance (IFD). Upon completion of the course students will
- Be familiar with the basic steps that recur in many dances, including the mayim, Cherkeziya, double Cherkeziya, Yemenite, triple step, balance, pivot turn, two step turn, skip, leap, and chug
- Be familiar with the three major dance forms---circle, line, and partner dances
- Be familiar with the variety of IFD styles---traditional ones including Hora, Yemenite, waltz, and debka, and newer imported styles such as Hip Hop and Latin
- Be aware of some of the major IFD choreographers and have some understanding of their distinctive choreographic styles
- Have a repertoire of tens of dances spanning all the forms and styles listed above
- Be able to learn easy dances taught in the standard way at open sessions
- Be familiar with the method of learning new dances by active following, and be able to follow and learn easy dances using this method
Resources
Additional information can be found at several web sites:
As I teach, I will try to get videos or written description of the dances we are learning posted on the video web index listed above, so
that you can use them to review the dances.
Schedule
There are twelve scheduled meetings, with enough minutes of instruction so that you can miss any one of them and still meet the PE requirements. Of course, you will need to pick up the material you missed since it will be part of the following class material. However, if you miss two sessions you will fall below the required minimum, and will need to find a way to make up the time. Since there are no makeup sessions scheduled, this will be difficult---you may have to attend my Wednesday 6-9PM class in Watertown.
Session 1
Monday, March 31 2008, 8-9PM in Sala
Session 2
Wednesday, April 2 2008 930-10PM in Room 491
NO CLASS Monday April 7
Session 3
Wednesday, April 9 2008 930-10PM in 66-168
Session 4
Monday, April 14 2008 8-9PM in 66-168
Session 5
Wednesday, April 16 2008 930-10PM in Student Center Room 491
- Review of session 3 and 4 dances
- Discussion: self teaching by "following outside the circle"
- Field Trip: attend MIT Wednesday night IFD session. Students will experience the process of trying to pick up new dances by copying them. Students will learn one new dance at the session.
NO CLASS Monday April 21 --- Patriot's day
MAKEUP SESSION
Wednesday, April 23 2008 8-9PM in 66-168.
We'll look at all dances learned so far, and review specific ones by request.
Session 6
Wednesday, April 23 2008 930-10PM in 66-168
Session 7
Monday, April 28 2008 8-9PM in T-club lounge
MAKEUP
Wednesday, April 30 2008 830-930PM in Student Center room 407
- If you are shaky on certain dances, I will be happy to
review/practice them. So, bring a list of whatever you want to work
on.
- If you have missed some classes, you probably need review of some
of the dances you've missed (category 1). But if you have mastered everything
we've done so far and just need some extra time in class to meet the
requirement, or just feel like some extra dancing, I will teach an
"out of the curriculum" dance or two to keep things interesting.
Session 8
Wednesday, April 30 2008 930-10PM in Student Center room 407
Session 9
Monday, May 5 2008 8-9PM in W16-033 (Kresge Basement, Rehearsal Room A)
Session 10
Wednesday, May 7 2008 930-10PM in W16-033 (Kresge Basement, Rehearsal Room A)
- Review of session 9
- Partner dancing with pivot turns: Ahava P'shuta
Session 11
Monday, May 12 2008 8-9 in W16-033 (Kresge Basement, Rehearsal Room A)
Session 12
Wednesday, May 14 OR May 21 2008 9-1130PM in student center room 407
- The "final exam": extended attendance at open Israeli Folk dance session
- Participation in open session dance teaching