Hora & Hava Nagila
Most Americans think of the hora (and the popular song Hava Nagila) when they hear the term “Israeli dance.” The irresistible rhythm and joyful melody have made this song one of the most popular party dance tunes in the United States. It is pretty much required for any bar mitzvah or wedding.
Here, the hora is danced moving to the right (counter-clockwise), but in Israel, it moves to the left, as you can see in this video:
By contrast, here’s a Yiddish/Klezmer version of the hora, with very different music and footwork: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gCaasGjtR0
The song Hava Nagila, which means “Let Us Rejoice,” has been covered by an astounding variety of musicians, including Glen Campbell, Lena Horne, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, surf guitarist Dick Dale, and the Barry Sisters. Singer Harry Belafonte recorded it in 1959; it became one of his most popular songs, and he rarely gave a concert without singing it.
Check out these versions of the song:
Harry Belafonte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTCmKmofaKA
Serbian brass band master Boban Markovic:
Take your pick, or dance to them all as you shelter in place.
No comments:
Post a Comment