I appreciate this nicely put attempt to summarize this dilemma. I would take issue with the way Israeli dance has been viewed in some circles. Israeli dancing is, I admit, not my “thing”, and I looked on it as “fakelore” for many years. However, I now view it like I view contra dancing, a very important American and “authentic” form, where the “tradition” is for good callers to create dances based on standard motifs and movements, and the dancers and musicians present. Indeed, a caller who merely does “Jefferson and Liberty” over and over would be considered a bad caller. Yet, this is what Israeli dance is – you study the work of a choreographer, not how it fits into a regional style. Similarly, there are those “ballroom kolos” (Biserka-Bojarka, Seljančica, etc.), and ballroom Russian dances (karapyet, kohanochka, Espan, etc.) which were brought to this country by immigrant populations long after their creation in the “old country”.
Please understand I have little interest in the often non-idiomatic dances being created for sale to Americans, when there is such a rich feast of living dances still to be found in Europe, some rarely taught here in the US. There are teachers who present that material – Joe Graziosi for Greek, Alex Marković for Serbian and Roma dances, and Steve Kotansky for a wide variety of Balkan dances (but only when teaching to the folks at Balkan Camp and the few recreational groups that he knows will appreciate that material), and -guess what – those dances are fun and energetic, and you get window into how others live and think.
So “Sacred circle” dances can be fun, but I agree with the author – call them what they are, not but any supposed nationality.
This is an excellent perspective on the state of folk dances in this day and age. I began folk dancing in 1956 and there was practically no question as to the country of origin for most of the dances we did then. But I must admit I also enjoy many of the dances, which we do nowadays and are questionable as to their origin. Thank you Loui for your perspective!
Dick Weston – Prescott International Folkdancers, Arizona
I love this article! Thank you, Don. It was you who finally opened my eyes to the big difference between folk dances and recreational folk dancces, and traditional vs choreographed. Once seen, it cannot be unseen. We have several sacred circ
Folkdance Footnotes 
catchy title! interesting article.
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I appreciate this nicely put attempt to summarize this dilemma. I would take issue with the way Israeli dance has been viewed in some circles. Israeli dancing is, I admit, not my “thing”, and I looked on it as “fakelore” for many years. However, I now view it like I view contra dancing, a very important American and “authentic” form, where the “tradition” is for good callers to create dances based on standard motifs and movements, and the dancers and musicians present. Indeed, a caller who merely does “Jefferson and Liberty” over and over would be considered a bad caller. Yet, this is what Israeli dance is – you study the work of a choreographer, not how it fits into a regional style. Similarly, there are those “ballroom kolos” (Biserka-Bojarka, Seljančica, etc.), and ballroom Russian dances (karapyet, kohanochka, Espan, etc.) which were brought to this country by immigrant populations long after their creation in the “old country”.
Please understand I have little interest in the often non-idiomatic dances being created for sale to Americans, when there is such a rich feast of living dances still to be found in Europe, some rarely taught here in the US. There are teachers who present that material – Joe Graziosi for Greek, Alex Marković for Serbian and Roma dances, and Steve Kotansky for a wide variety of Balkan dances (but only when teaching to the folks at Balkan Camp and the few recreational groups that he knows will appreciate that material), and -guess what – those dances are fun and energetic, and you get window into how others live and think.
So “Sacred circle” dances can be fun, but I agree with the author – call them what they are, not but any supposed nationality.
-John Uhlemann
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This is an excellent perspective on the state of folk dances in this day and age. I began folk dancing in 1956 and there was practically no question as to the country of origin for most of the dances we did then. But I must admit I also enjoy many of the dances, which we do nowadays and are questionable as to their origin. Thank you Loui for your perspective!
Dick Weston – Prescott International Folkdancers, Arizona
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I love this article! Thank you, Don. It was you who finally opened my eyes to the big difference between folk dances and recreational folk dancces, and traditional vs choreographed. Once seen, it cannot be unseen. We have several sacred circ
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Thanks for the kind words! However your reply got cut off in the middle of “We have several sacred circ” what’s the rest?
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Here is a copy/paste of wh
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