Dance Lesson Ideas

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Anticipatory Set (tell students this as an intro before teaching the dance: This dance was done in Israel in 1938 to celebrate the discovery of water. After a ten year search water was discovered on a kibbutz. A kibbutz is a rural communal settlement where people live and work together. A more detailed description of the kibbutz can be found at: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/kibbutz.html

Steps of Dance:

1-8 Step R foot in front of L (1), Step L foot to side (2)
Step R foot in back of L (3), Step L foot to side (4)
Step R foot in front of L (5), Step L foot to side (6)
Step R foot in back of L (7), Step L foot to side (8)
1-8 Repeat all of the above 8 counts

1-8 Run 4 steps into center of circle RLRL (1-4) Students will raise arms as they run
As the class runs into the center of the circle raising their arms they will chant:

Hebrew Lyrics: Mayim, mayim, mayim, mayin
English Translation: Water, water, water, water

Run 4 steps backward, away from the center of the circle RLRL (5-8)
Students will lower arms to starting position as the run back.
As the class runs back from the center of the circle they will lower their arms and chant:
Hey mayim besason (be-sa-sone): Joyful water

1-8 Repeat the runs and the chants moving in and out of the circle

1-4 Entire circle will run to the right - stepping RLR and touching L foot while turning to face the center of the circle.

On the four runs to the right the class will chant: Hey, hey, hey, hey

1-8 Hopping on R foot point L foot forward (1), hopping in L foot point R foot to the side (2) hopping on R foot point L foot forward (3), hopping in L foot point R foot to the side (4), hopping on R foot point L foot forward (5), hopping in L foot point R foot to the side (6), Hopping on R foot point L foot forward (7), jump with feet together (8)
1-8 Reverse all of the above, hopping on L foot and touching front and side with R foot. Dancers will drop hands and clap each time the R foot is pointed forward. Remind students to hold on to the scarf in their right hands.

On the hops and points to the front and side the class will chant:

Mayim, mayim, mayim, mayim, mayim, water, water, water, water, water, water
Mayim, besason joyful

Students will join hands and begin the dance again. Continue to repeat the dance until the end of the song. Emphasize that the dance is lively and fast because it is a celebration!

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Translation for the Hebrew phrases was taken from:

www.shira.net/music/lyrics/mayim-mayim.htm