Rikud Snippets

"Gadi decided that he could not attend without being able himself to select his fellow teaching staff, but has wished us all success."

Translation: Gadi won't work at a camp where some portion of the staff aren't in his stable of choreographers, or his groupies? It seems like fairly bad work ethics to me, although clearly he has enough power and prestige that he can do it. Heck, he can choreograph fluff and have it be "the hit of the year" by Rikud standards too...

(Background to the following: there is a dance, by Gadi Bitton, the gentleman mentioned above, to a recording of Ekhad Mi Yode'a, the counting song from Passover, with movements that are mostly symbolic of each number, although some get pretty far off: 2 turns for the two tablets of the law (and why the heck isn't there a better translation for that?), a bunch of claps for the 13 attributes of G-d. Some though are pretty relevant: standing and just moving your foot for Shabbat. The following question comes up from the fact that for 8, one is running away from the mohel, and for 9 one is rejoicing at the birth of a new baby. But well, as I understand it it's 9 months of gestation, rather than the actual birth?? This I'm taking from assorted translations, so- someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
My Question/Point on the choreography to Ekhad Mi Yode'a:
One question though- so we run away from the mohel, but we rejoice at
9 months of gestation? I mean, yes it's a wonderful thing, but I
gather it's also rather uncomfortable, and welcoming a new baby into
the Jewish people is also a wonderful thing...
Maya
who has spent too long in Women's studies classes
Boston, MA, USA

A Response:
Actually, my group interprets the 9th part of Echad as follows:
Hands up: Oh Lord!
Hands on thighs, please get this baby out of me!

No one ever forgets this step now--at least not the women. :-)

Carol
> (Nashville)

Thought you folks might enjoy. Sorry to folks for whom this is repeat reading.

Rikud Snippets

"Gadi decided that he could not attend without being able himself to select his fellow teaching staff, but has wished us all success."

Translation: Gadi won't work at a camp where some portion of the staff aren't in his stable of choreographers, or his groupies? It seems like fairly bad work ethics to me, although clearly he has enough power and prestige that he can do it. Heck, he can choreograph fluff and have it be "the hit of the year" by Rikud standards too...

(Background to the following: there is a dance, by Gadi Bitton, the gentleman mentioned above, to a recording of Ekhad Mi Yode'a, the counting song from Passover, with movements that are mostly symbolic of each number, although some get pretty far off: 2 turns for the two tablets of the law (and why the heck isn't there a better translation for that?), a bunch of claps for the 13 attributes of G-d. Some though are pretty relevant: standing and just moving your foot for Shabbat. The following question comes up from the fact that for 8, one is running away from the mohel, and for 9 one is rejoicing at the birth of a new baby. But well, as I understand it it's 9 months of gestation, rather than the actual birth?? This I'm taking from assorted translations, so- someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
My Question/Point on the choreography to Ekhad Mi Yode'a:
One question though- so we run away from the mohel, but we rejoice at
9 months of gestation? I mean, yes it's a wonderful thing, but I
gather it's also rather uncomfortable, and welcoming a new baby into
the Jewish people is also a wonderful thing...
Maya
who has spent too long in Women's studies classes
Boston, MA, USA

A Response:
Actually, my group interprets the 9th part of Echad as follows:
Hands up: Oh Lord!
Hands on thighs, please get this baby out of me!

No one ever forgets this step now--at least not the women. :-)

Carol
> (Nashville)

Thought you folks might enjoy. Sorry to folks for whom this is repeat reading.