Yiddish in Motion: Language & Dance

Program Description

Dance and language are frequently portals to developing greater cultural understanding. In this mini-course (with drop-in options), we will encounter the world-view of Ashkenazi Jews through language and movement. Each week will explore a different dance with roots in Eastern Europe, such as freykekhs and shers, paired with a different mini-language lesson. Here's how it works: The dance portion will be taught in English and Yiddish, and the Yiddish we use to learn the dances will help us practice what we learned during the language lesson beforehand. To participate, you need a basic intro to Yiddish language (ability to read the aleph-beys), but absolutely no prior dance experience. Come with an open attitude and we will enjoy Yiddish culture together! ***Schedule*** This course includes four in-person classes on Thursdays (7-8:30pm) from July 3rd to July 24th. All classes will take place at the Peretz Centre or, if the weather is right, at Tisdale Park (across the street). ***Registration & Fees*** Drop-in class: $25/class For youth under 18: Use the code TANTS18 for 50% discount for all classes or drop-ins The last class will be a dance party, open to all! (Register from the homepage.) All 4 classes: $90/person Tsuzamen (2 people, 4 classes): $150 Payment plans are available to address financial access barriers. To set up a payment plan, select the “payment plan deposit” ($13) option and Peretz staff will reach out to finalize the details. ***Accessibility*** Modifications, including chair dancing, will be offered to welcome all bodies. Participants can also bring a tikhls (handkerchief) to dance without physical contact. ***Instructor Bio*** Emily Glass is a professional language teacher who grew up in North Vancouver hearing no Yiddish at all. Since falling in love with Yiddish at her first beginner class with Rebecca Margolis in 2015, she has been active in the Yiddish cultural world, participating in the Steiner Summer Program at the Yiddish Book Centre, KlezKanada, Yiddish Summer Paris, and Yiddish New York. This past year, Emily took a break from teaching high school French to do a masters in Yiddish Studies at the University of Toronto. During her graduate studies and under the mentorship of KlezKanada's Avia Moore, she ran language seminars and researched the ways that Ashkenazi ways of being have been expressed in dance cultures.