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Klez Act

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A Klez Act web site
Rachael Stark © 1999
Wedding and special occasion dances
Written by Jacob Bloom
THE DOUBLE RAINBOW
Written by Jacob Bloom
In honor of the wedding of Susan Elberger and William Kemler Stewart
Duple Improper
Actives split the Inactives with mirror image allemandes once and a half around
Inactives swing, end facing down
Inactives mirror allemande with actives once and a half around (same sex together)
Actives swing
Down four in line, Actives turn as a couple in the middle, return
Circle left once around
Balance the circle, California Twirl with partner to face new couple below
  
YOU MARRIED MY DAUGHTER
Written by Jacob Bloom
In honor of the wedding of Kris Arnold and Lynn Buddington.
Recommended music: You Married My Daughter But Yet You Didn't.
Duple Improper
Balance right and left in long lines, slide past one below.      4 bars
Balance left and right in long lines, slide back to place.      4 bars
Balance below, Allemande R 3/4, Gents Allemande L once and a half.      8 bars
Balance and Swing partner.      8 bars
Promenade across.      4 bars
Ladies pull across, Allemande L with opposite Gent to long lines.      4 bars
 
FRIENDS AND FLOWERS
Written by Jacob Bloom
In honor of the wedding of Diane Biglow and Michael Resnick
Duple Improper
Actives right shoulder gypsy once and a half around
Allemande R with person of same sex twice around
Actives left shoulder gypsy once and a half around
Swing neighbor
Down four in line, turn as couples, return
Actives pass right shoulders to start a hey for four
 
NANCY'S FANCY
Written by Jacob and Nancy Bloom, for their wedding
Four facing four, up and down hall
Hey for four with couple you face (up and down hall)
Four ladies circle right, right hand star back, go past partner
Allemande left corner, swing partner
Forward and Back, 1/2 R+L up and down hall, turn to face original direction
 
THE TAILOR AND THE MOUSE
Written by Jacob Bloom
A Morris dance in the Brackley tradition.
Music: The traditional English song The Tailor And The Mouse.
Figures: Foot up, DF, Side by side, DF, Back to back, DF, Whole hey, DF.
Distinctive Figure:
The first corners take six bars to cross with each other, turn, and come in to meet in the center. The footwork is single steps, ending with a quick ending.
The second corners wait for two bars, then take four bars to cross with each other, turn, and come in to meet in the center. The footwork is single steps, ending with a quick ending.
The third corners wait for four bars, then take two bars to cross with each other, turn, and meet in the center. The footwork is one single step and a quick ending.
All six dancers have now done a quick ending simultaneously in a tight ring in the center of the set. They now do a slow ending, using it to back out to a set again.
Ending: On the last chorus, in place of the slow ending, the dancers do four plain capers. On the first caper, the dancers turn to face down. On the remaining capers the dancers continue turning so as to end the dance facing up in the positions from which they started the dance. (The call is 'Caper down and up'.)
  
THE DANCE GYPSY
Written by Jacob Bloom
Duple Improper
Right shoulder gypsy with the one below      4 bars
Women pass left shoulders to start a hey for four      8 bars
Right shoulder gypsy with same neighbor      4 bars
Swing the same neighbor      8 bars
Long lines go forward and back      4 bars
Actives swing partner      4 bars
  
EAT, DANCE, AND BE MARRIED
Written by Jacob Bloom
In honor of the wedding of David Pasternack and Deborah Krause
Duple Improper
Actives Circle Left with the Lady below
Actives Circle Left with the Gent below
Actives Circle Left with the couple below
Same four balance in and out twice
Actives Swing with the person below
Active Couple Balance and Swing  
WELCOMING MATTHEW
Written by Jacob Bloom
In honor of Matthew Alexander Resnick
Suggested music: Road to Boston
Formation: Circle of Threesomes. Middle person of each threesome is "active".
Circle three hands round to the left
Middle person passes right shoulder with right hand person to start hey for 3
Circle three hands round to the right
Middle person passes left shoulder with left hand person to start hey for 3
Same three people right hand star
Middle person swings their choice of the other two people
Same three people circle left
The two who swung make an arch and pop the third person through, to become the new middle person in the next threesome forward
 
Sher
(This is a version of Sher that I collected, as it was danced in the New England Region of United Synagogue Youth, circa 1968. I'd be interested in seeing other versions of this dance, or any other dances readers know in the Klezmer tradition. Please e-mail information about and descriptions of dances to me at jacob@aklezact.com.)
Collected by Jacob Bloom
Chorus (danced with running step)
All circle left     4 bars
All circle right     4 bars
Couples one and three cross, couple one ducking under arch made by couple three     2 bars
Couples two and four cross, couple two ducking under arch made by couple four     2 bars
Couples three and one cross, couple three ducking under arch made by couple one     2 bars
Couples four and two cross, couple four ducking under arch made by couple two     2 bars
Basic Figure
Two people of same sex dance over two each other's partner, swing the other's partner, dance back to own partner, and swing own partner.
Four bars of music for each cross, and four bars of music for each swing.
Crossing is done with four twosteps. On each twostep, one hand is raised to eye level, and the other touches the elbow, with the hands reversed on the next twostep.
Swinging is done with right side to right side, right arm around the partner's waist, left hand up in the air, and a running step.
Final Figure
Lead dancer pulls rest of line through arch formed by last and next-to-last dancer, then successively through each arch until all dancers are wound up with their hands joined, and each dancer's right arm over their left shoulder.
Dance around in circle until end of phrase of music. Unwind by successively pulling leading dancers through.
Pattern of Dance
Chorus
First lady do crosses and swings with second lady, third lady, fourth lady
Chorus
Second lady do crosses and swings with third lady, fourth lady, first lady
Chorus
Third lady do crosses and swings with fourth lady, first lady, second lady
Chorus
Fourth lady do crosses and swings with first lady, second lady, third lady
Chorus
First gent do crosses and swings with second gent, third gent, fourth gent
Chorus
Second gent do crosses and swings with third gent, fourth gent, first gent
Chorus
Third gent do crosses and swings with fourth gent, first gent, second gent
Chorus
Fourth gent do crosses and swings with first gent, second gent, third gent
Chorus
Final Figure
Chorus
 
Need a dance written for a wedding, anniversary, holiday, Bat Mitzvah, Bar Mitzvah or any special event? Contact Jacob Bloom at jacob@aklezact.com.
         
         
   
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Contact A Klez Act at jacob@aklezact.com