DANCING for DOLLARS

Twist two three four. Clap right. Clap left. Dance, dance, dance, dance.

Imagine being in a room with 250 women and teens who just love dancing, have a happy great attitude and never stopped smiling for two straight hours. Well, it's a fabulous feeling.
Last night, Motzei Shabbat Chayei Sarah about 250 women and teens danced their socks off for fun and fundraising. It was DANCE NIGHT, organized by the DAMES of the DANCE mega-dance spectacular and hosted by the Efrat Community Center. Women from all over Efrat and Gush Etzion came out for the fabulous festivities.
The idea for DANCE NIGHT began as a party for all those women who are about to begin three months of rehearsals for their upcoming show, DAMES of the DANCE 3 - THE SEVEN DAYS of CREATION, for which I am honored to serve as producer. Then, as women/girls asked, "Can I bring my mother/daughter/sister/friend?" We thought, "Why not!!??!! Let DANCE NIGHT be for everyone who loves to dance." And so it was.
DANCE NIGHT launched our rehearsal season in an incredibly joyous manner. We played music from just about every era, beginning with the 50s, and mixed Israeli and Anglo tunes. Women twisted with Chubby Checker, rocked with the BeeGees and then shimmied with Habibi. We began the evening with Udi Davidi's "Azeh Tov Hashem" and ended with Chevra's "Yehei yehei." In between everyone cheered, "Celebrate good times, come on..." and "We'll have fun fun fun 'til her Daddy takes her T-bird away." The evening passed with one great song after another. Teens danced with their mothers, and then their friends. Dance troupe members danced around their teachers. Choreographers popped around the circle grabbing dancers to join in.
And with every few songs, each of our DAMES of the DANCE choreographers took turns up on stage and taught the crowd a few steps from her type of dance - stomp, 60s, Israeli folk, jazz, INDance, Mediterreanean and hip hop. It was a blast. Hundreds of women were dancing everywhere and just enjoying the atmosphere of sisterhood and energy.
The event charged 10 NIS a piece admission (that's about $3) and the monies went to the DAMES project, which raises funds for needy families in the Efrat/Gush Etzion region.
DAMES will be performing, IY"H, in Gush Etzion and Efrat on Sunday March 7th, Thursday March 11 and Tuesday March 16. All DAMES' talented choreographers and dancers are volunteering their time for this project. They are donating their dancing to help lift the needy to their feet. And that's a pretty good reason to knock your socks off.
Thanks to the Matnas of Efrat and especially Neta Magen, Nechama Dotan and Levi Vinshinboim, plus our amazingly talented choreographers Ruthie Ben David, Yehudit Hirsch, Judy Kizer, Cheryl Mandel, Jocelyn Odenheimer, Nurit Rashi, Nicole Rosenfeld and our choreographer/DJ Tamara Spitz. Oh whatta night!!
If you'd like to find out more about dance troupes in Gush Etzion, purchasing a DAMES movie DVD (50 NIS) or music CD (20 NIS), or ordering tickets for this season's DAMES of the DANCE - THE SEVEN DAYS of CREATION, then email izzy@actcom.co.il.
We had a great time promoting DANCE NIGHT. We even created a funny video. Enjoy: http://voices-magazine.com/voices-videos.php?id=63