Musical Showcase: A Jazzy Independence Day Tour of Jerusalem with The Betty Bears

Jerusalem is the pulsating heart of Israel's story throughout history, where old and new, East and West, religious and secular, all meet. 

To celebrate Israel's 69th Independence Day, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has produced Meet Me in Jerusalem, a swinging, singing, dancing tour through the beautiful capital of Israel. 

The music is by Jerusalem's own Betty Bears, a jazz band of 7 Bears and 1 Betty, led by singer Ella Daniel. The green-clad dancer is Jerusalem-born Tamar Sonn, a graduate of the Music and Dance Academy. The choreographer & mustached dancer is Nadav Zelner, who graduated with honors from Telma Ya'alin - Arts school. The project was produced by "The Hive" boutique Film & Animation Studio.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places: The Charleston and Swing Find a Place in Jerusalem

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" are the words in a 1921 composition by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills, now accepted as a jazz standard, characterized by jazz historian Gunther Schuller as "now legendary", "a prophetic piece and a prophetic title." 

Swing has now come to Jerusalem and other cities in Israel, thanks to Holy Lindy Land, an organization founded by a group of dedicated dancers . Weekly classes, street parties and concerts with the best jazz bands are just part of its activities whose purpose is to expose many peoplethe the pleasure of swing dancing.

Holy Lindy Land was established in 2007. It is bringing Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues, Balboa, and more dance forms to Israel. The Holy Lindy Land staff members teach effective  techniques, improvisation and musicality, while maintaining a fun and lively atmosphere. 

The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one of the most popular hits of the decade. Runnin' Wild ran from 29 October 1923 through 28 June 1924.

In this video, Holy Lindy Land teams and dancers from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa bring the Charleston to familiar locations all around Jerusalem.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)       

 

(A tip of the kippah to Debbie Drachman for bringing this video to our attention.)