Bat Amanoot talked with Trudy Harowitz, currently the Artistic Director of Shalom Dancers. She is also a dancer performing with the group. As Artistic Director Trudy runs the rehearsals, teaches choreography to new dancers, organizes for new choreographers to teach their works; prepares technical notes for sound and lighting; writes blurbs for the MC, decides show order, dances and dancers; studies and critiques the group’s performance videos.. She is the contact person for performances, does performance follow ups, works out costume choices, etc.

Trudy Harowitz

BA:  What was the inspiration for creating Shalom Dancers (JCCGV)?

TH: Originally the Shalom Dancers began as a group of adults that came together in 1981 to prepare for a Yom Haatzmaot celebration in Vancouver. When that show was over, the dancers decided to stay together as they quickly realized that the Vancouver Jewish Community needed a performing Israeli folk dance troupe that would act as good will ambassadors for the Jewish community at large, to perform at both Jewish and non Jewish events. It was important for there to be a Jewish visual representation at multicultural events and Folk Dance is a common language that speaks to everyone.

BA:  When the group formed in 1981, how did you attract dancers? 

TH: Originally the group was comprised of avid folk dancers who folk danced at the recreational Israeli folk dance nights at the Jewish Community Centre.

BA: Were there try-outs?

TH: Not originally but after one year, as more people became interested in performing and new directors took over the group, the caliber of the group increased a selective approach was taken.

BA: How many dancers were there?

TH: The group started with 15 dancers both male and female. Over the years we have become an all female performing group.

BA:  What dance backgrounds did the dancers have?

TH: There was a certain level of dance experience required; most of the females came with some dance experience either recreational or formal. They knew the style and steps commonly used in Israeli dances (debkas, Yemenites, cherkissiah, grapevine, leaps, turns…).  The males were required to do partner work and lift girls as well as learn steps combinations.

BA:   What ages was the first group of dancers?

TH: The original group was comprised of adults ranging in age from 28 to 40. Currently The Shalom Dancers is an adult group ranging from ages 19 to 50+.

Contemporary Israeli dances that feature time honored songs reflecting high spirited,
youthful energy such as Hatishma Koli, Hora, Hora Galil

BA:  Who started the group?

TH: In 1981, Rivka Cohen and Tamar Cohen were the original creators of the Shalom Dancers. Since that time there have been 5 or 6 different Artistic Directors running the Shalom Dancers group. Currently I direct and dance with the group.

BA:  What is your dance background?  

TH: As a child I grew up taking tap, ballet and jazz classes. I loved to dance but when I became a teenager I got involved in the Habonim Youth movement and Camp Miriam. Israeli folk dancing was an integral part of that programming and that is where a connection was made for me. Israeli folk dance connected me to both my Jewish heritage and my love of dance. In 1971 Karen Uretsky-Hering ran the weekly recreational Israeli folk dancing at the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre (JCC) that I attended regularly. At that time she also formed and directed the performing Teen/Young adult Israeli folk dance group called Or Chadash where I was a performing member. Now 34 years later we have once again formed a youth performing group called Or Chadash, which is supported and sponsored by the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre.

BA: How did you get involved with the group?

TH: After living away from Vancouver for 8 years I moved back in 1983 with my husband and two children. At that time I joined the Shalom Dancers where it was operating out of one of our synagogues and had not yet moved to the Jewish Community Centre. I loved the challenge of learning new choreography and working together with fellow dancers in preparation for performances. Performances provided excitement and inspiration. For many years I was only a performer. Now I am involved in directing and running the group.

Yemenite- These dances include Shirat Teyman and Rachamim,
and  feature delicate hand and finger movements and light bouncy flexed foot movements,
helping to tell the story of a community coming together to work, build, establish, live and love.

BA:  How are the dances created? Who is your choreographer?

TH: We try to add at least one new work to our repertoire of dances per year. We hire choreographers to create dances for us. Choreographers from Vancouver, Mexico, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Israel have created pieces for us. We look at our repertoire and see what we feel is missing; or we get an idea of a story or theme we would like to represent and we work with our choreographers so they can create what we need. Sometimes we will put a piece to bed for a few years and then resurrect it again. We try to keep current and fresh but of course love to perform old favorites as well.

BA:  The group does a lot of performances out in the community. Please describe in what ways the programs educate, and entertain audiences?

TH: We always introduce our dances by orally giving some background to the dances the audience will see. We explain that Israel has gathered Jews from all over the world and that Israeli folk dance has developed a rich diversity reflecting the styling, music and stories of its immigrants. We educate the public by using themes in our dances that create a story; a shtetl scene with women working, men praying, studying; a desert dance which depicts a story told under the hot desert sun; Sabbath dance, wedding suite, community scene with a town waking up and working together towards a common goal; we use props such as a candelabra, a shofar, baskets… our costumes reflect the dance style; the music is reflective as well. We use Hebrew words and translations where necessary. But we also provide a diverse program with interesting choreography prepared for the stage, which enrich our performance program.

Sephardic - These dances draw upon the rich and colorful influences
of the Jewish people's life in Spain, the flirtatious flair and energetic
spirit of this vibrant culture.

BA:  In what ways are the cultural traditions of the dances communicated to audiences?  What has been the response? 

TH: We provide an MC who explains what the audience will see and give them focus for the show. We use some props to add an interesting dimension to the show. Our dances will often tell a story. The audiences are always appreciative and very supportive of our performances. They always comment on the beautiful costumes that change with every dance, the lively rhythmic music and interesting choreography.

BA: What goals did you start with when the group began? Which ones have already been realized, and which ones are planned for the future?

TH: Our current mission is to be cultural ambassadors for the Vancouver Jewish Community. Because we are housed and sponsored by the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver we are responsible for making sure we present ourselves in a professional, organized and respectful manner, staying true to the JCCGV’s name. The JCCGV Shalom Dancers take pride in our professional attitude and presentation; we present a varied and diverse program; we work hard at rehearsals and are strict about remaining true to our choreographers’ vision and artistic creation as well as to our culture.

BA:  What are some of the obstacles the group faced in the beginning and how have they been overcome?

TH: At the start, location for practices, money for choreography and costumes were the big issues. Since we’ve been in our home at the Jewish Community Centre, rehearsal space is not a problem. But new dancers are hard to find and keep; it takes a big commitment to be a performing adult in the group. Finding the money to pay choreographers is a problem. We do get some grant money, but being a non-profit organization we are only paid small honorariums for our performances. No one else gets paid. And of course we do some free fund- raiser and benefit shows as well. It takes a lot of work to keep the group organized and running smoothly: from running rehearsals, teaching new material, preparing dancers for performances to costumes and music and preparing the technical and administrative materials for each show. For me, it is all a labour of love.

BA:  Where do you get your costumes?

TH: Most of the material for costumes is donated to our group. We have sewing workshops and when we can, we hire a seamstress to make what we need. We do some research, look at photographs and create a costume that suits the dance, is versatile and works well for quick costume changes.

BA:. What is JCCGV Or Chadash?

TH: JCCGV Or Chadash is our youth performance group, which was formed two years ago. Inspiration to create this group came directly from our partnership program “Gesher Chai” with Kiryat Shmona in Israel. Twice, their youth performing group has traveled to Vancouver to perform. From this experience came the motivation to start our own youth performing group.  Or Chadash dancers are auditioned and it is intended that they will graduate into the adult group, Shalom Dancers. They too perform around the city of Vancouver at both Jewish and non-Jewish events. This summer (August 2007), 16 members of Or Chadash had the opportunity to travel to Israel to participate in the Karmiel Dance Festival and reconnect with the youth troupe from Kiryat Shmona, strengthening the “living bridge”. Coming full circle… in 1988 I performed with the Shalom Dancers as Canada’s representatives at the Karmiel Dance Festival in Israel and this summer my daughter went there with Or Chadash. “From generation to generation…”

BA:  Describe JCCGV Festival Ha Rikud? 

TH: Festival Ha’Rikud is a weekend festival providing a unique way to unite the Jewish youth in our community. Festival Ha’Rikud is an outreach program that brings our Jewish Youth (age 6-17) together using Israeli dance and music as the medium. Groups from our synagogues, high schools, day schools, and camps join together in a celebration of Israeli dance and music. It is an amazing experience to see all the different youth together dancing on stage. This coming year we will have groups joining us from outside Vancouver as well.

BA:  Describe the various kids groups?

TH: The JCC offers a weekly class for different aged kids. These kids learn some popular Israeli dances with an instructor but mostly they spend time preparing a choreographed dance for their performance at Festival Ha’Rikud. There are no auditions for these classes and all youth are welcome with the understanding that these classes will participate in the Festival in April.

BA:  How is Shalom Dancers associated with the Dena Wosk School of Performing Arts?

TH:  Because the Shalom Dancers are a performance-based group, we are considered part of the DW School of Performing Arts at the JCC. But we are also connected to the Cultural Arts and Youth and Family programs.

BA:  What would you like to accomplish with your dance group? 

TH: We hope that in some small way, we, The JCCGV Shalom Dancers, are doing our part to make the world a better place by promoting friendship, peace, tolerance and cultural awareness through our performances.

For complete information about JCCGV Shalom Dancers, go to:

http://www.jccgv.com/home/perf_arts_shalom.htm
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