Connie Louise Katz
Leslie Asaraf
World Dance Premiere
In celebration of Israel Yakovee’s 60th Birthday (April 20, 2007) IFD choreographers Connie Louise Katz and Leslie Asaraf choreographed and performed a special surprise Presentation Dance during Yakovee’s Westwood, dance session.
Connie Louise Katz |
Leslie Asaraf |
Photo credit: courtesy of Rosanna Horton
Choreographed to the song “Wish Me Luck,” by Yemenite singer, composer Ofra Haza, the dance was performed during a break during Yakovee’s Thursday evening session on April 19.
Ofra Haza recorded “Wish Me Luck,” “Fatamorgana,” “Middle East” and some of her other songs primarily in English. She felt this was extremely important. In a 1991 interview she said, “It’s very important for people to understand the message I sing. When we write songs, the English comes very naturally for us, because I want to say something and I want people to hear it.”*
“Wish Me Luck” Dance Premiered
Video credits Kimmie-Che
Video credits Earl Fisher
Connie Louise Katz is an IFD dance choreographer and IFD guest teacher; co-founder of the monthly session, Vintage Israeli Dancing group; national/international magazine and newspaper writer, and publisher/editor/writer of Bat Amanoot
http://www.jewishaustralia.com/choreographer.asp?name=connielkatz
http://israelidances.com/search.asp?S=A&intPageNo=1&ChoreographerName=Connie%20L.
%20Katz
http://www.batamanoot.com
Leslie Asaraf is an IFD dance choreographer, teacher, and artist
http://www.israelidances.com/search.asp?SearchThis=Leslie+Asaraf&S=&ChoreographerName=
&intPageNo=1&OrderBy=&Search=Search+the+Database
http://earringsanddesigns.com/About%20Us/AboutUs.htm
You Tube link Ofra Haza music video of “Wish Me Luck” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U6yGKBqPjs
http://www.youtube.com/user/Maganona
The song is “Wish Me Luck”
Music and lyrics by Ofra Haza and Bezalel Aloni, and sung by Haza
It is described as:
“…an optimistic song which is partly a prayer.
After the hard work, the pressured days, the lonely nights, what will tomorrow bring? Happiness or sorrow?”
….from “Desert Wind”
LYRICS
Balagan
Balagan
When I'm losing patience
So hard to smile
Come and sit with me together
You are the one
All the weekdays are over
I worked so hard
All the weekdays are over
I feel so down
What will be tomorrow
Aha we aha we
Happiness or sorrow
Aha we aha we
Who will open up my door
Aha we aha we
Inshallah
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Ash ma oh ma ya da be roo kol ha yom
Oo mi lo te vo to vi ha shalom
Ha sad wa aa mat yar ninoo lev ra hoom
Tov oo me tiv ha aa zi no el ha noon
What will be tomorrow
Aha we aha we
Happiness or sorrow
Aha we aha we
Who will open up my door
Aha we aha we
Inshallah
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Ba la gan
Ba la gan
Ba la gan
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Inshallah
Wish me luck
Wish me luck
Inshallah
Wish me luck
*(from an interview with C. L. Katz, 1991) To read the complete interview story with Ofra Haza; see Bat Amanoot Archives, Edition 1, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 To learn more about Fatamorgana, and Middle East, see Bat Amanoot Archives, “Meeting Ofra Haza,” Edition 1, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3
Israeli folk dancer, choreographer, and session leader Israel Yakovee was featured in our Premiere issue of Bat Amanoot (archives section, Edition 1, Vol. 1.)
Israel Yakovee is a native of Rehovot, Israel. His family was a very religious Yemenite Jewish family. He is one of 8; he has two sisters, Yoni and Rinah, and five brothers.
For this special issue, we asked Mr. Yakovee to share some new insights into his Yemenite culture.
BA: What were some of your early performing experiences?
IY: My brother Rehavia and I, we were, at different times, members of Inbal Yemenite Dance theater in Tel Aviv. That experience was a big influence on my cultural development.
BA: What are the aspects of traditional Yemenite dancing?
IY: It is divided between Men’s dances and Women’s dances, Religious events, Sukot, Simchat Torah and life cycle events, birth, Bar Mitzvah Wedding etc.
BA: Tell us about the Yemenite performing group you created dances for called Finjan?
IY: The group was created by my brother Rehavia and his partner Avremi. Both Inbal graduated dancers, when they stop dancing I kept the group and continued on my own. For me the group was first a place to choreograph and express myself and second an opportunity to preserve our Yemenite culture and dance.
BA: What does Finjan mean?
IY: It is the shape of the Turkish coffee pot.
BA: What are some of the classic traditional Yemenite steps that you incorporate into your dances? Give some examples of the dances.
IY: I have done research in Israel trying to incorporate the diversity of the Yemenite Jews in Yemen. I have found out that the Yemenite Jewish community was isolated in three areas. South Yemen Heyadanim, North Yemen Habanim and Central Yemen Zananim, each one of this group developed their own dialect, culture and customs in songs and dances, I incorporated some of my dance to present those differences, For an example, the dance Im Ninalu has the typical Habanim step, the way they will dance it will be a row of men facing each other going forward and back doing just this step.
Israel Yakovee's Mother in Yemenite Costume |
Israel Yakovee in Yemenite Costume |
BA: Describe some of your Yemenite style dances and explain how the steps show the Yemenite mood, music and words with steps:
IY: Chatuna Teymanit (Yemenite Wedding dance)
In this dance, I created a dance that is Tzanani dance with typical small Yemenite steps where the bride follows her husband, in various elements of surprise and timidity; because that is the first time they actually see each other and have any physical contact.
Aba Shimon
Also central Yemen elements, typical men’s dance; originally done in two rows of men facing each other competing who will dance better.
Yonati
A women’s dance using small steps and arm movements, describing child labor and the face veiled.
BA: In your opinion, what does Yemenite style mean in Israeli Folk Dancing? Is it the beat of the song? Is it the steps in the dance? All of these?
IY: Yes, all the above
BA: In what ways are you bringing Yemenite style and culture to your session and dancers?
IY: I am actually happy to have my session as a play ground to create new dances and teach them at my session.
http://israelidances.com/search.asp?S=A&intPageNo=1&ChoreographerName=Israel%20Yakovee
All content on Bat Amanoot is the property of Bat Amanoot and may not be reprinted or reproduced without prior written permission and consent of Bat Amanoot.
©Bat Amanoot 2007
http://www.batamanoot.com