The executive of the Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society at their annual BeLev Echad event, which took place May 29-31 this year. (photo by Galit Lewinsky)
Over the weekend of May 29, the Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society hosted their annual BeLev Echad (With One Heart) event. This year’s gathering brought dancers from across North America: Toronto, Chicago, Halifax, Boston, Portland and San Francisco. Workshop director Nona Malki was joined by instructors Marcelo Marianoff (Argentina) and Dror Davidi (Israel).
The workshops culminated in a party on Saturday night, attended by more than 100 guests. Beginning with a Havdalah service, the party was DJ’d by local dance teacher Yael Levy Morantz, announcing the tunes, many of which were played by request.
The evening was filled with almost nonstop dancing and singing. A buffet table of snacks and treats was on offer. While some of the dances were energetic and fast-paced, there were also couples and line dances. Giant fans kept the dancers cool.
Dancers took a short break to watch a phenomenal tap dance solo by 11-year-old Li-Ya Atia, who had come up from Washington with her dance teacher parents, Ohad and Victoria. An accomplished dancer with a repertoire covering five different styles, she also studies musical theatre. Li-Ya’s mom threw in a couple of split-jumps in the middle of one dance.
According to longtime VIFS member Arthur Weinstein, Israeli folk dance is a terrific example of cultural growth and conservation. “Anyone can choreograph a dance to a song they have chosen and register the steps with an agency in Israel,” he said.
New dances are sourced from the agency and shared at events like BeLev Echad, with teachers memorizing the steps to bring home to their students. This way, an international group can gather anywhere in the world – and dance together, in unison. It’s a great way to stay connected to the global Jewish community, exercise and enjoy good music.
The evening also featured a silent auction for a unique set of wind chimes. While Israeli hostages remained in Gaza, many VIFS members wore “Bring Them Home” dog tags to keep them front of mind. When all the hostages were finally returned to Israel, VIFS members removed their dog tags but, rather than hiding them in a drawer, the tags gained new meaning as a piece of collaborative art created by Glenda Leznoff, Rina Vizer and Dave Smith. (See jewishindependent.ca/a-chime-of-metal-tags.) Avi Malki made the winning bid.
Music included traditional favourites like “Hine Ma Tov” (“Behold How Good”), familiar Israeli songs like “Naama” by Ofra Haza and contemporary mixes. There was also an offering from Chava Alberstein (1992), “Shir Megaresh Et Hachoshech” (“A Song Dispels the Darkness”), which it certainly did.
Many VIFS members are passionate about dance and loyal to their roots. Esti Livne has been coming consistently for 30 years. The only time she missed it, she said, was when her son was graduating from Yale University.
The goal of VIFS is to ensure that Jewish culture is both accessible and affordable. Thanks to donations by local sponsors, VIFS can offer these inclusive programs. Indeed, the party welcomed visitors from all over the Lower Mainland, not all of whom were Jewish. The inclusivity was also apparent from the playpen in the corner of the hall, which allowed young parents to dance without excluding the rest of the family. During his visit to Canada, Marianoff took the time to teach wheelchair folk dance at Louis Brier Home and Hospital, and gave classes on Vancouver Island.
According to teacher Levy Morantz, “every part of the weekend was filled with joy.”
For more information about VIFS, contact Pam Wolfman at 604-839-3931, Malki at 778-834-3488 or Levy Morantz at 604-993-0223. You can also visit vancouverisraelidance.com.
Shula Klinger is an author and journalist living in North Vancouver.