Proposal for Mediterranean Dance

Shira Destinie Jones

Proposal for Mediterranean Folk Dance Classes

Washington, DC

1. Justification for classes (Israeli, Greek and Bulgarian dances):

The traditional folk dances of the Greek Islands, the Peloponnese, and the mainland have long been a means of enduring the hardships of occupation and loss, as well as celebrating the joys of life. The folk dances of Israel come out of the Jewish tradition which celebrates the bitter-sweet taste of life in both the exile from a beloved homeland and the struggles to build a sense of home in an unstable world. Both of these traditions can be heard and felt in the sad and then unstoppable strains of traditional Bulgarian music, mingling the melodies of eastern Europe with the weaving steps of the Mediterranean Sea in a union of spiritual movement which recalls both the heartbreak and the excitement of living in a turbulent world.

2. Objective of classes:

   1. Folk dance classes will demonstrate the shared spiritual connection via traditional dance among these three areas, illustrated through dance postures and leadership roles.

   2. Classes will also provide both exercise for the body and exercise for the mind as we stretch, move, and discuss the meaning of each dance.

   3. Students beginning with no background in Mediterranean folk dance will learn the essential basic steps of all Mediterranean dances, common hand holds, and variations on common basic “hora” steps, and specific individual dances including Zemer Atik, Misirlou, and the Tsamiko and for advanced students, Kalamatianos. The first four classes will cover basics and Kalamatianos will be taught beginning the second month of classes after review of each basic dance.

   4. Students should all be able to follow and eventually lead each dance. Opportunities to attend Greek festivals and Klezmer events will be shared on an ad-hoc basis to encourage practice of dance skills and enjoyment with groups of experienced dancers in social settings.

3. Resources needed for classes:

   1. A cd player with adequate speakers for the space in which classes are held

   2. Floor space for approximately 5 to 20 dancers in a circle or semi-circle

   3. Water is advisable

   4. A white handkerchief is advisable for Greek dances

   5. Light clothing is best since after Warm-Up stretches, the dances can become quite energetic. Cool-down stretches are done after dances are taught and reviewed at the end of each class.

   6. Classes are free (assuming no liability insurance is required on my part).

Shira Destinie Jones, Mediterranean Dance Proposal

4. Potential concerns to be resolved:

   1. Since these dances can be quite energetic, all students should take care to avoid overstressing any joints or back injuries if necessary. Warm-up stretches are intended to lead up slowly to any energetic dances, but precautions are also the responsibility of each individual student.

   2. Students with learning disabilities or fear or movement will gladly to be given extra help on an ad hoc basis to help make classes more enjoyable for them.

5. Accomplishing these objectives should be educational, entertaining, and spiritually uplifting for students and instructor, as dance is a mixture of movement and meditation, and also often a form of prayer. In this spirit, these classes are proposed as a way of bringing the quality of mindfulness to our playful times, and awareness of the spiritual in our celebration of joy and even the celebration of our sorrows, as the Rabbis say that all joyful events must also recall a touch of sorrow as well.

Yassou and L’Chaim

Shira Destine Jones

Read, Write, Run, Teach !

ShiraDest
11 February, 12016 HE