|
Get up, worship, dance
By Caroline Maas
In the kehillah Beth-Yeshua in Amsterdam we enjoy the privilege to worship the Eternal One by songs of praise and by dance. It is a great privilege to serve and honour the Living G’d of Avraham, Yitschak and Ya’akov. We adore his Name and for those looking with eyes of the Spirit, the angels are dancing as well. Every human being was indeed created to worship G’d, for He is the Creator of heaven and earth, HaShem, the Holy One of Israel, praised be his Name. Do not keep quiet and sit down. Get up and worship the One and Only True G’d. Do you realise that the presence of Adonai is there at the very time of worship? Praise Him, be glad and joyful and give Him the best you have got.
Motives for dancing
Regularly people come and tell me they are afraid to dance, because they are not yet familiar with the steps, might make a mistake or two, have the feeling they are not yet good enough, or feel insecure being watched, and they stay in their chairs very quietly during worship.
Personally, I didn’t dare to dance at the beginning, because in my whole life I had never been dancing before! At that time it was my conviction that dancing is a ‘wordly’ and therefore pagan thing. But these dances for worshipping HaShem made a deep impression om me. My desire to serve HaShem with all my heart, all my soul and all of my strength has pulled me over the edge. So, examine yourself to know with what state of the heart you are worshipping HaShem. Let me say it again: get up, dance, be glad and joyful and give Him all the best you have got.
Worship and dance
So the main thing is worship and dancing techniques are of lesser importance. Show HaShem your love and desire to worship Him alone in Spirit and truth. If your heart, soul and body are all tuned in to HaShem this will become visible in your physical expression and emotions. For example in exuberant dancing, skipping, jumping for joy, being glad and joyful, smiling, cheering, bowing and shedding tears in awe before HaShem. Lovingly, humbly and willingly obeying the will of the Father by doing the commandments. This implies a relationship of love: loving HaShem above all and your neighbour as yourself. Worship is also going into battle with a joyful noise, because Yeshua has won the victory. The joy of the Father is complete, when his children rejoice and are glad and joyful. Zephaniah 3,17 says that the Eternal One will be glad, rejoice and shout over/with his children!
Some encouragements
We live, move and worship in a world which is polluted and godless. An uninvited guest during worship and dancing is the adversary. He will be there to attack as quickly as he can. Worshipping and dancing joyfully, giving yourself, which is demonstrated by physical expression and emotions, will evoke a reaction of the adversary. He reacts through people expressing jealousy, envy, annoyance, irritation, bitter condemnation, disregard or contempt. Why? Because your dances look silly? Be cheerful of heart, give thanks and praises to HaShem in all circumstances. Without HaShem we cannot do a thing! Without his guidance we are not able to worship and dance. In particular those who are called to worship HaShem are tried and attacked! Stop looking for approval from human beings, for HaShem will guide you in fulfilling your call. Do not forget that the victory has already been won by Yeshua. Finally: do not stay sitting in your chair, but get up, dance, be glad and joyful and give HaShem the best you have got.
Dance to share
I love to start each sabbath with the song from David Tel-Tzur called ‘Lechoe nerannena ladonai’. The words are from Psalm 95,1-3. The following dance ‘Klezmer 2’is very joyful. You can use it with any medium of fast music, but it is advisable to use Klezmer music which is so exciting. “Klezmer” is a combination of two Hebrew words: ‘Klee’ and ‘Zimmer’meaning Instrumental Song. Traditionally, Klezmer is Eastern European Yiddish Dance music, usually identified with the Ashkenazi community. It started in the 16th century with itinerant musicians who played it at any Jewish event where dance music would be required, such as a wedding or Bar-Mitzvah. Elze Erwteman received this choreograpy from Vera Chierico Copyright 1995.
KLEZMER 2
Speed Fast Abbreviations:
Rhythm 2/4 4/4 CCW CounterClockwise
Formation Cirlce NHH No Holding Hands
Direction CCW OTS On The Spot
FWD Forward
BWD Backward
Counts Part A
1 – 8 4 heel drags to the R (CCW) Step with R heel leading – put L behind R
(arms in outward rotation, palms to palms)
1 – 4 Walk into the centre R – L – R – L hop on R
5 – 8 Walk BWD L – R – L – R hop on L
1 – 8 2 maims to the L starting on R – NHH (See Five Basic Steps)
1 – 4 Coupé to the L – place your weight on R leg in front of L – step on L – OTS
bring R back to place – hold for last count
5 – 8 Coupé to the R – place weight on L leg in front of R – step on R – OTS
bring L back to place – stomp with R next to L
For maims and coupés, R arm follows R leg, L arm follows L leg.
Clap once on stomp
Counts Part B
1 – 4 Turn to the R side – walk FWD 4 steps R – L – R – L – CCW
(cross hands behind)
5 – 8 Touch R heel FWD – (2 counts) raise hands FWD palms up
Touch R toe behind – (2 counts) hands on hips
1 – 4 Move away from centre circle – step to the R on R – L behind R
step to the R on R – touch L heel on the L (snap fingers at heel touch)
5 – 8 Move back to centre hands on hips – reverse L to side – R behind L –
L to side – touch R heel on the R (snap your fingers)
Repeat Part B
Verbal Cueing Klezmer 2
Counts Part A
1 – 8 Right – Drag – Right – Drag
Right – Drag – Right – Drag
1 – 4 Centre – Left – Right – Hop
5 – 8 Back – Right – Left – Hop
1 – 4 Cou – pé – Left – Three – Four (direction not foot)
5 – 8 Cou – pé – Right – Stamp (direction not foot)
Counts Part B
1 – 4 Right – Two – Three – Four (direction and foot)
5 – 8 Heel – Front – Heel – Back
1 – 4 Right – Behind – Right – Heel
5 – 8 Left – Behind – Left – Heel
Repeat Part B
|