DUDI AMIR, center, teaches Israeli folk dance at the Fulton Community Center every Sunday.

Israeli folk dancing opens door to Jewish roots, new friends

By Polina Olsen

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As Allison Victor turns the lively music on, 40 people swirl around the room. Blue streamers and balloons decorate the wooden-floored gymnasium. A colorful menorah lights the table full of treats. Licorice, cheese, oranges, driedels, it’s Tuesday night Israeli folk dancing at Café Shalom, and it’s time for the Hanukkah party.

“There’s a sense of community and high energy fun,” says Diane Montané, who says it’s her fourth time here. “Other groups are for performance—you have to be so uptight. This is more like fun.”

And, Israeli dancing is always fun as people gather twice a week in Southwest Portland. Tuesday evening dance meets at Café Shalom, Sunday evening at the Fulton Community Center. Both groups begin with an hour beginner’s class. All levels and ages are encouraged to come.

“I love to dance to Hebrew words and music,” says Victor, who has taught Israeli dancing for 20 years and now leads Café Shalom. “It feels like chanting Torah. It’s movement with your body instead of music with your voice.”

Café Shalom met at the MJCC until it closed for renovation. Now it meets in a private home with a gymnasium built just for dancing.

“They’ve created a sense of community. It’s like the way people daven,” says Harriet Cooke, a physician who specializes in holistic counseling and energy medicine. “And, you don’t need a partner. If you’re single—come by yourself,” she adds, joining hands with the group circling the room.

Once folk dancing director for the City of Portland, Bill Nelson now leads the Fulton Park Community Center group. A student at Reed in the 1950s, he remembers dance expert Rivka Sturman’s visits from Israel. “Choreographies have risen exponentially over the years,” he says.

Tonight, the cozy, brightly lit building stands out against the pouring rain, and 50 people take their places around the room. Instructor Dudi Amir, an Intel engineer who grew up near Tel Aviv, chats with several Israelis. He begins each year’s repertoire in March and teaches one or two new dances per week. Although he usually combines new and old music, the biggest attraction are the Oldies Only dances. “Last time around 80 people came—even from Seattle,” he says.

Nina Bindi takes a break and sits down as a woman holding a baby girl dances by. An accomplished artist, she just moved to Portland and “uses dancing as a way to meet people.”

Ehood Geva danced on and off for 15 years. Now he goes Israeli dancing every week. “Practice, practice—I pick the best dancer and watch her steps,” he says, explaining how he learns. “Before you know it you get the feeling.”