Israeli Dancing with Ken Avner

09/10/2026

Shana tova שנה טובה!

The Jewish High Holidays (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) begin tomorrow and Shaare Tefila is already set up for them, which means that our dance space will instead be prayer space for the next 2 weeks. No dancing tonight or next week; we'll be back on the 24th.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, healthy, and sweet 5787

Shana tova שנה טובה! The Jewish High Holidays (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) begin tomorrow and Shaare Tefila is already set up for them, which means that our dance space will instead be prayer space for the next 2 weeks. No dancing tonight or next week; we'll be back on the 24th. Wishing ev...

09/03/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). Last week I reviewed Shki'a Vruda שקיעה ורודה (Tuvia Tishler / Ronit Ofir / 1998 / circle) and taught Mada Bidyoni מדע בדיוני, (Gadi Bitton / Eyal Golan / 2025 / couples), which I'll review this week. I didn't play Ha'ahava Hayeshana Sheli האהבה הישנה שלי which I'd taught the week before, so that's definitely on the playlist for this week, along with other favorites.

While we're in this period at the end of the Jewish year, a time when we look back and look forward, I'll also teach one more new circle dance, Livluvim לבלובים by Erez Tubul, which won the new dance competition at the Karmiel Dance Festival this year. The dance is in the style of a good old fashioned hora, so it's a bit of old and new all wrapped up in one.

Speaking of the holidays, after this week we'll be off for the next 2, while the Shaare Tefila social hall is set up for High Holiday services. Shana tova!

Scheduling first, so get out your calendars. After this week we'll be off for the next 2, while the Shaare Tefila social hall is set up for High Holiday services. So I'm looking forward to a great night of dancing this week! Last week I reviewed Shki'a Vruda שקיעה ורודה (Tuvia Tishler / ...

08/27/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). Last week the watermelon was delish (and the ice cream cake was extra special yummy - thanks to Sarah K. for that!) but there was an issue with the WiFi. You can tell in the room when it happens because the dance name info on the wall stops working: an inconvenience but not a show-stopper. However, it also completely knocks out the Zoom connection, so the show is over for any of our Zoom friends until / unless I'm able to fix it. I've done some updates on the laptop since last week so hopefully we'll be back and glitch-free this week.

On the dance floor, I reviewed Ha'ahava Hayeshana Sheli האהבה הישנה שלי (Gadi Bitton and Yaron Carmel / Eyal Golan / 2024 / couples), and taught Shki'a Vruda שקיעה ורודה (Tuvia Tishler / Ronit Ofir / 1998 / circle), which I'll review this week. I'll also teach Mada Bidyoni מדע בדיוני, another couples dance from Gadi Bitton from last year, sung by Eyal Golan.

Last week the watermelon was delish (and the ice cream cake was extra special yummy - thanks to Sarah K. for that!) but there was an issue with the WiFi. You can tell in the room when it happens because the dance name info on the wall stops working: an inconvenience but not a show-stopper. However,...

08/21/2026

Technology is a cruel mistress! Wonderful when it works, drawing us in to deeply rely on it, and then snickering at us from behind a polite smile with an "oh, I did what?" when it, pixie-like, pulls the IT rug out from under us.

Which is to say that last night the laptop I run the Zoom from decided to remind me that "you ain't all that" and took itself off the network for a while, perhaps to gain parity with the *other* laptop, which had its summer vacation during the harkada a couple of weeks ago. Criminy.

Of course, you can skip all the technology issues by coming to the harkada in person, where I'd love to welcome you and dance with you! We had several visitors / guests last night which was delightful. Plus there was watermelon, and even birthday cake for one of our dancers. Y'all really ought to stop by.

08/20/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). I'll teach (reteach?) a lovely circle dance from Tuvia Tishler called Shki'a Vruda שקיעה ורודה, from 1998, sung by Ronit Ofir, and review the couples dance I taught last week, Ha'ahava Hayeshana Sheli האהבה הישנה שלי (Gadi Bitton and Yaron Carmel / Eyal Golan / 2024 / couples). Based on y'all's preferences when I asked a while ago, I've been mixing older dances into the teaching along with newer ones. Let me know how this is going for you.

See you on the dance floor or in the little Zoom boxes!

So sorry about the watermelon last week! (I know that's why you show up, and the dancing is just an extra bonus, ;-) right?) I'm usually able to pick juicy and sweet watermelons, but somehow I got a dud. I'll try to do better this week. I'll also review the couples dance I taught, Ha'ahava Hayeshana...

08/13/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US).

Old, new, circle, couple, fast, slow - I try to bring a bit of everything to our Thursday harkada. I've been following this approach with teaching as well, mixing the types of dances each week. After a few weeks of older couples dances, I'll introduce a newer couples dance this week: Ha'ahava Hayeshana Sheli האהבה הישנה שלי, by Gadi Bitton and Yaron Carmel. The dance is from 2024 and is sung by Eyal Golan. I'll also review the circle dance I taught last week, Debka Itzik דבקה איציק (Yaron Malichi / Shlishiat Ma Kashur / 2025 / circle).

08/06/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). Last week I reviewed Afifonim עפיפונים (Michael Barzelai / Amir Dadon / 2026 / circle) and taught Rak Hed Kolech רק הד קולך by (Shlomo Maman / various / 1992 / couples). This week I'll review the couples dance and introduce Debka Itzik דבקה איציק, from Yaron Malichi. It's a different style compared to a lot of what we've done lately - enjoy the variety!

Last week I reviewed Afifonim עפיפונים (Michael Barzelai / Amir Dadon / 2026 / circle) and taught Rak Hed Kolech רק הד קולך by (Shlomo Maman / various / 1992 / couples). This week I'll review the couples dance and introduce Debka Itzik דבקה איציק, from Yaron Malichi. It...

07/30/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). I'll review Afifonim עפיפונים, which I taught last week, and also teach a very lovely couples dance, Rak Hed Kolech רק הד קולך by Shlomo Maman, from 1992.

Last week I taught a new dance, Afifonim עפיפונים (Michael Barzelai / Amir Dadon / 2026 / circle) and an older dance, Yam Hashibolim ים השיבולים (Shoshana Kopelovich / Gevatron / 1977 / couples). I'll review Afifonim again this week and since some of y'all already knew Yam Ha...

07/23/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US). We're starting at our usual time even though we'll overlap a bit with the end of Tisha B'av.

I hope y'all enjoyed "אמצע הקיץ, אמצע הדרך" , Middle of the Summer, Emtsa Haderech (Middle of the Road) dances last week. There are so many good dances from the past, sometimes we lose track when we spend too much time chasing after new new new. There are good new dances too! of course, but Israeli dance is more than just one thing: fast / slow, circle / couple, old / new. I try to mix them up in my programs every week, but once in a while it's fun to shine a spotlight in one particular direction.

In that spirit, tonight I'll teach a new circle dance, Afifonim עפיפונים from this year by Michael Barzelai, sung by Amir Dadon; and a much older couples dance, Yam Hashibolim ים השיבולים from 1977 by Shoshana Kopelovich, sung by the Gevatron. This classic is still done in many, many sessions. While preparing for tonight, I discovered that I've never actually done Yam Hashibolim "correctly", ever! How about you?

I hope y'all enjoyed "אמצע הקיץ, אמצע הדרך" , Middle of the Summer, Emtsa Haderech (Middle of the Road) dances last week. There are so many good dances from the past, sometimes we lose track when we spend too much time chasing after new new new. There are good new dances too! of cou...

07/16/2026

Dancing tonight at Shaare Tefila and on Zoom, 8-11ish pm (Eastern US), and this week it's "אמצע הקיץ, אמצע הדרך" , Middle of the Summer, Emtsa Haderech (Middle of the Road) dances, meaning that all the dances we do will be from 1980 - 2005. So many great dances from those years!

Thanks to all of you who came for my (pre)birthday party last week. More goodies in store this week ... This week it's "אמצע הקיץ, אמצע הדרך" , Middle of the Summer, Emtsa Haderech (Middle of the Road) dances, meaning that all the dances we do will be from 1980 - 2005. So many great...