For the past month Hadossa and I have been going to rikudei-am (ree-koo-dei--ahm) sessions around Tel Aviv--Beit Dani, the
Tel Aviv University Sports Center, and Gordon Beach. Hadossa has been able to
dance under leaders such as Dudu Barzilay and Gadi
Bitton. We are getting to know the rikudei-am crowd since many people come to the same places repeatedly,
like us. Beit Dani and the sports center fill up with literally 700 people or
more who dance for hours and hours. The dancing starts at 8 PM and goes until
1:30 AM. Some of these people do this 2-3 times per week. They know hundreds of
dances and have been dancing for many years. Their ages range from teenage to
above 70 years old. Hadossa used to think she was passionate about dancing
until she came to Israel and saw what dance passion really looks like. These
people are amazing!
It didn't take long to decide to take our love for folk
dancing to the next level. We signed up for Camp Bitnua, a rikudei-am dance camp
led by Gadi Biton, the most famous rikudei-am choreographer and teacher in
Israel. The camp took place in Eilat, the southernmost city of Israel on the
Red Sea, at a lovely sport hotel with every luxury you could imagine on
September 19-22, 2012.
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On the way to Eilat we enjoyed seeing the Negev for the first time, the desert of southern Israel.
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| The Negev |
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| The Negev |
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| The Negev |
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This was a view from our balcony. The mountains of Jordan
are in the distance. We stayed in the Royal Gardens Hotel nearby, which
was also very nice.
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| We also had a view of the Red Sea from our balcony. |
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| Beach in Eilat on the Red Sea. The city of Aqaba, Jordan is in the distance. |
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| Aqaba, Jordan |
Camp Bitnua had sessions for beginner, intermediate, and
advanced dancers, plus concerts, comedy shows, special dance performances,
contests, art exhibits, and all kinds of wonderful entertainment happening
non-stop. I was amazed at how much there was to see and do. There was no way we
could attend everything because these people never stop! We had to eat and sleep
sometimes, so we missed a few things. But I learned some new dances in the
beginner classes, and Hadossa had the time of her life.
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| There were concerts every night. |
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| There were special dance performances regularly. |
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| Gadi Bitton |
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| beautiful folk dancers |
I had to sneak away at one point and get on a boat. Hadossa
didn't want to stop dancing, but I needed to get out on the Red Sea and look at
some dolphins.
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| There was music blasting and my camera got just a little bit wet, but it still works. |
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| dolphin in Red Sea |
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| Red Sea |
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| Red Sea |
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| Some people on our boat went para sailing. |
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| Red Sea |
On the 2nd to the last day, Hadossa was asked to join a
group for the dance contest that would take place on the last day. She learned
the dance and practiced with her group twice. Their performance was really fun
to watch and they won 2nd place! The people who won 1st place were a group of
rikudei-am instructors who had been practicing for weeks, while the group
Hadossa participated in was thrown together at the last minute for fun.
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| Gadi Bitton pointing out the young woman from America |
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| the young woman from America |
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| Israeli comedy--they are funny even if you don't understand the Hebrew. |
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| the last show--saying goodbye--till next year! |
The four days we were there went by in a flash, and we can't
think of anything we have ever done that was more fun. I am so thankful we had
this opportunity. Eilat was beautiful (and not humid!), the dancing was superb,
and the rikudei-am crowd is indescribably fun and full of life.
