HoraWiki - User contributions [en]

Unusual Meters

2017-03-09T13:05:19Z

MatanS:

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, phrasing, or musical construction.

For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars.

A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Please keep this table in order by meter, then alphabetically by name of dance.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Machur Al Yevanit || 5/8 (3-2) || 2/4 || In the first part, the last measure of each phrase in the first part is in 2/4.
|-
| Da'asa (Moshiko) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Da'asa (Yakovee) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Darbashiya || 7/8 (3-2-2) || 5/8 (3-2) || The third measure of the third part is 5/8.
|-
| Halleluya LeGal || 7/8 (3-2-2) || || The first and third part consist of phrases with five measures each.
|-
| Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Laz || 7/8 (2-2-3) || ||
|-
| Isha Al HaChof || 9/8 (3-2-2-2) || ||
|-
| Sovev Gal Gal || 12/8 (3-2-2-3-2) || || Could be counted as 6. Further discussion in [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|}

==== Unusual Songs: Unusual Phrasing, Extra Beats, Changes in Meter ====

Many dances have an unusual meter which isn't asymmetrical or additive, or have unusual phrasing, extra or missing beats, changes in meter, etc. Due to the number of dances which exhibit multiple traits on this list, please keep this table in alphabetical order, and explain the musicality in the appropriate fields.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Anavai || 2/4 || 3/4 || The second part has a phrase of 8 followed by a phrase of 9, the last measure being 3/4 to give an extra beat.
|-
| BeLeilot HaKaitz HaChamim || 2/4 || || First part counted 4-4 and repeated, second part is counted 4-2-4-4 and repeated.
|-
| Chamsa || 4/4 || || The first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
|-
| Derech Eretz HaShaked || 2/3 & 2/4 || || First part has two phrases of 6-6-6-8, second part has phrases of 5-6-5-6 and then 6-6-6-8. The first group of 6-6-6 are made from 2/4 measures for a straight feel, the 6-6-6 in the second part is made from 3/4 measures for a waltz feel.
|-
| Dror Yikra || 2/4 || 3/4 || First part counts 6-8, second part counts 9-6-8. The third measure of the second part is 3/4 (7-8-9 of the phrase).
|-
| Eretz Israel Yafa || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last phrase of the chorus ends in a measure of 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Et HaGeshem || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last measure of the first phrase is 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Gozi Li || 7/4 & 4/4 || || First part is in 7/4 (or one measure each of 4/4 and 3/4), second part is in 4/4.
|-
| HaChinanit || 4/4 || 2/4 || The second part has an extra measure of 2/4 at the end. However, the dance behaves differently, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| HaReshut || 4/4 || 2/4 || First three parts have 4 measures of 4 beats, last part has 10 measures of 2 beats.
|-
| HaShual || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Hora Mamtera || 3/2 (6/4) & 4/4 || || First part is in 6/4, the rest in 4/4. The sheet music is written in 3/2, which is equivelant to 6/4, and it could be expressed either way. For the sake of keeping the dancer's beat the same, it makes more sense to count it as 6.
|-
| Mezare Israel || 6/8, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 || || First part counts 3-3-4, (one measure of 6/8, one of 2/4), and the second part counts 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2 (three measures of 4/4, one of 3/4).
|-
| Mishal || 6/4 & 4/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-6-6, second part counts 8-8-8-8. Dance is different, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| Mor VeKinamon || 2/4 & 3/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-5, second part counts 8-7-8-8.
|-
| Nitzanim Niru Ba'Aretz || 2/4 || 3/4 || The last measure of the first section is in 3/4, giving an extra beat. The first section phrases as 6-7, the second section as 8-8.
|-
| Shibolei Paz || 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 || || First part counts 4-4-4-2 and repeats, secound part counts 4-4-4-3-4-4-4-2
|-
| Shir HaHaflaga || 2/4 & 3/4 || || Eight phrases, with counds 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12. The Dance fits to this in a very complex way, see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here.]])
|-
| Shiru HaShir || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Tikvateinu || 4/4 || || The first part is a phrase of seven measures.
|-
| Uzi (Ozi VeZimrat Yah) || 7/4 & 6/4 || || First part is in 7, second part is in 6. Further discussion at [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| VaYeven Uziyahu || 4/4 || 2/4 || In the second part, there's an extra measure of 2/4. First part counts 8-8, second part counts 8-2-8
|-
| VaYnikehu || 2/4 & 5/4 || || The first part counts 4-4-4-2, the second counts as 5-5-5-4
|-
| Ya Raya || 2/4 || || Every phrase in the song consists of five measures, for a count of 10 beats per phrase.
|-
| Zemer Ikarim || 5/4 || || Entirely in 5/4.
|}

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T23:33:20Z

MatanS: /* Unusual Combination of Meter & Changes in Phrasing */

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, phrasing, or musical construction.

For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars.

A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Please keep this table in order by meter, then alphabetically by name of dance.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Machur Al Yevanit || 5/8 (3-2) || 2/4 || In the first part, the last measure of each phrase in the first part is in 2/4.
|-
| Da'asa (Moshiko) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Da'asa (Yakovee) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Darbashiya || 7/8 (3-2-2) || 5/8 (3-2) || The third measure of the third part is 5/8.
|-
| Halleluya LeGal || 7/8 (3-2-2) || || The first and third part consist of phrases with five measures each.
|-
| Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Laz || 7/8 (2-2-3) || ||
|-
| Isha Al HaChof || 9/8 (3-2-2-2) || ||
|-
| Sovev Gal Gal || 12/8 (3-2-2-3-2) || || Could be counted as 6. Further discussion in [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|}

==== Unusual Songs: Unusual Phrasing, Extra Beats, Changes in Meter ====

Many dances have an unusual meter which isn't asymmetrical or additive, or have unusual phrasing, extra or missing beats, changes in meter, etc. Due to the number of dances which exhibit multiple traits on this list, please keep this table in alphabetical order, and explain the musicality in the appropriate fields.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Anavai || 2/4 || 3/4 || The second part has a phrase of 8 followed by a phrase of 9, the last measure being 3/4 to give an extra beat.
|-
| BeLeilot HaKaitz HaChamim || 2/4 || || First part counted 4-4 and repeated, second part is counted 4-2-4-4 and repeated.
|-
| Chamsa || 4/4 || || The first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
|-
| Derech Eretz HaShaked || 2/3 & 2/4 || || First part has two phrases of 6-6-6-8, second part has phrases of 5-6-5-6 and then 6-6-6-8. The first group of 6-6-6 are made from 2/4 measures for a straight feel, the 6-6-6 in the second part is made from 3/4 measures for a waltz feel.
|-
| Dror Yikra || 2/4 || 3/4 || First part counts 6-8, second part counts 9-6-8. The third measure of the second part is 3/4 (7-8-9 of the phrase).
|-
| Eretz Israel Yafa || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last phrase of the chorus ends in a measure of 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Et HaGeshem || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last measure of the first phrase is 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Gozi Li || 7/4 & 4/4 || || First part is in 7/4 (or one measure each of 4/4 and 3/4), second part is in 4/4.
|-
| HaChinanit || 4/4 || 2/4 || The second part has an extra measure of 2/4 at the end. However, the dance behaves differently, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| HaReshut || 4/4 || 2/4 || First three parts have 4 measures of 4 beats, last part has 10 measures of 2 beats.
|-
| HaShual || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Hora Mamtera || 3/2 (6/4) & 4/4 || || First part is in 6/4, the rest in 4/4. The sheet music is written in 3/2, which is equivelant to 6/4, and it could be expressed either way. For the sake of keeping the dancer's beat the same, it makes more sense to count it as 6.
|-
| Mezare Israel || 6/8, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 || || First part counts 3-3-4, (one measure of 6/8, one of 3/4), and the second part counts 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2 (three measures of 4/4, one of 3/4).
|-
| Mishal || 6/4 & 4/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-6-6, second part counts 8-8-8-8. Dance is different, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| Mor VeKinamon || 2/4 & 3/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-5, second part counts 8-7-8-8.
|-
| Nitzanim Niru Ba'Aretz || 2/4 || 3/4 || The last measure of the first section is in 3/4, giving an extra beat. The first section phrases as 6-7, the second section as 8-8.
|-
| Shibolei Paz || 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 || || First part counts 4-4-4-2 and repeats, secound part counts 4-4-4-3-4-4-4-2
|-
| Shir HaHaflaga || 2/4 & 3/4 || || Eight phrases, with counds 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12. The Dance fits to this in a very complex way, see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here.]])
|-
| Shiru HaShir || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Tikvateinu || 4/4 || || The first part is a phrase of seven measures.
|-
| Uzi (Ozi VeZimrat Yah) || 7/4 & 6/4 || || First part is in 7, second part is in 6. Further discussion at [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| VaYeven Uziyahu || 4/4 || 2/4 || In the second part, there's an extra measure of 2/4. First part counts 8-8, second part counts 8-2-8
|-
| VaYnikehu || 2/4 & 5/4 || || The first part counts 4-4-4-2, the second counts as 5-5-5-4
|-
| Ya Raya || 2/4 || || Every phrase in the song consists of five measures, for a count of 10 beats per phrase.
|-
| Zemer Ikarim || 5/4 || || Entirely in 5/4.
|}

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T23:31:10Z

MatanS: Reformatted dances into a table and added meters for clarity, combined the sections Combinations, Variations, Phrasing, and Seemingly because of many overlapping dances

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, phrasing, or musical construction.

For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars.

A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Please keep this table in order by meter, then alphabetically by name of dance.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Machur Al Yevanit || 5/8 (3-2) || 2/4 || In the first part, the last measure of each phrase in the first part is in 2/4.
|-
| Da'asa (Moshiko) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Da'asa (Yakovee) || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Darbashiya || 7/8 (3-2-2) || 5/8 (3-2) || The third measure of the third part is 5/8.
|-
| Halleluya LeGal || 7/8 (3-2-2) || || The first and third part consist of phrases with five measures each.
|-
| Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani || 7/8 (3-2-2) || ||
|-
| Laz || 7/8 (2-2-3) || ||
|-
| Isha Al HaChof || 9/8 (3-2-2-2) || ||
|-
| Sovev Gal Gal || 12/8 (3-2-2-3-2) || || Could be counted as 6. Further discussion in [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|}

==== Unusual Combination of Meter & Changes in Phrasing ====

Many dances have an unusual meter which isn't asymmetrical or additive, or have unusual phrasing, extra or missing beats, changes in meter, etc. Due to the number of dances which exhibit multiple traits on this list, please keep this table in alphabetical order, and explain the musicality in the appropriate fields.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Main Meter(s) !! With a Few Measures In !! Notes on Meter and Phrasing
|-
| Anavai || 2/4 || 3/4 || The second part has a phrase of 8 followed by a phrase of 9, the last measure being 3/4 to give an extra beat.
|-
| BeLeilot HaKaitz HaChamim || 2/4 || || First part counted 4-4 and repeated, second part is counted 4-2-4-4 and repeated.
|-
| Chamsa || 4/4 || || The first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
|-
| Derech Eretz HaShaked || 2/3 & 2/4 || || First part has two phrases of 6-6-6-8, second part has phrases of 5-6-5-6 and then 6-6-6-8. The first group of 6-6-6 are made from 2/4 measures for a straight feel, the 6-6-6 in the second part is made from 3/4 measures for a waltz feel.
|-
| Dror Yikra || 2/4 || 3/4 || First part counts 6-8, second part counts 9-6-8. The third measure of the second part is 3/4 (7-8-9 of the phrase).
|-
| Eretz Israel Yafa || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last phrase of the chorus ends in a measure of 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Et HaGeshem || 3/4 || 4/4 || Mostly in 3/4 - last measure of the first phrase is 4/4, giving an extra beat.
|-
| Gozi Li || 7/4 & 4/4 || || First part is in 7/4 (or one measure each of 4/4 and 3/4), second part is in 4/4.
|-
| HaChinanit || 4/4 || 2/4 || The second part has an extra measure of 2/4 at the end. However, the dance behaves differently, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| HaReshut || 4/4 || 2/4 || First three parts have 4 measures of 4 beats, last part has 10 measures of 2 beats.
|-
| HaShual || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Hora Mamtera || 3/2 (6/4) & 4/4 || || First part is in 6/4, the rest in 4/4. The sheet music is written in 3/2, which is equivelant to 6/4, and it could be expressed either way. For the sake of keeping the dancer's beat the same, it makes more sense to count it as 6.
|-
| Mezare Israel || 6/8, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 || || First part counts 3-3-4, (one measure of 6/8, one of 3/4), and the second part counts 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2 (three measures of 4/4, one of 3/4).
|-
| Mishal || 6/4 & 4/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-6-6, second part counts 8-8-8-8. Dance is different, see [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| Mor VeKinamon || 2/4 & 3/4 || || First part counts 6-6-6-5, second part counts 8-7-8-8.
|-
| Nitzanim Niru Ba'Aretz || 2/4 || 3/4 || The last measure of the first section is in 3/4, giving an extra beat. The first section phrases as 6-7, the second section as 8-8.
|-
| Shibolei Paz || 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 || || First part counts 4-4-4-2 and repeats, secound part counts 4-4-4-3-4-4-4-2
|-
| Shir HaHaflaga || 2/4 & 3/4 || || Eight phrases, with counds 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12. The Dance fits to this in a very complex way, see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here.]])
|-
| Shiru HaShir || 4/4 || 3/4 || The second measure of the first section is in 3/4, feeling like a missing beat.
|-
| Tikvateinu || 4/4 || || The first part is a phrase of seven measures.
|-
| Uzi (Ozi VeZimrat Yah) || 7/4 & 6/4 || || First part is in 7, second part is in 6. Further discussion at [[Music vs Dance|Music vs Dance.]]
|-
| VaYeven Uziyahu || 4/4 || 2/4 || In the second part, there's an extra measure of 2/4. First part counts 8-8, second part counts 8-2-8
|-
| VaYnikehu || 2/4 & 5/4 || || The first part counts 4-4-4-2, the second counts as 5-5-5-4
|-
| Ya Raya || 2/4 || || Every phrase in the song consists of five measures, for a count of 10 beats per phrase.
|-
| Zemer Ikarim || 5/4 || || Entirely in 5/4.
|}

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T22:44:32Z

MatanS: Removed dances which moved to the Dance vs Music page

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, loosely grouped by the number of beats in a measure.
For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars. A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Five ====

* Machur Al Yevani, except that each phrase in the first part has a measure of 4 at the end
* Zemer Ikarim

==== Seven ====

* Da'ase (Yakovee)
* Darbashiya, except a single measure of 5 near the end
* Halleluyah L'Gal, where, furthermore, the first and third parts consist of 5-bar phrases
* Reiach Tapuach

==== Nine ====

* Isha Al HaChof - counted as 3+2+2+2

==== Combinations ====

* Anavai: Second part has a measure of 9 followed by a measure of 8 (first part entirely in 4)
* BeLeylot HaKayits HaChamim: First part is 4-4 repeated, second part is 2-4-4-4 repeated (Alternatively, counting quickly: First part is 4 measures of 4, second is 7 measures of 4, each part repeated.)
* Derech Eretz HaShaked: First part has two phrases with measures of 6-6-6-8 counts, second part has measures of 5-6-5-6 counts followed by another 6-6-6-8.
* Gozi Li: First part is in 7, second part in 8
* HaChinanit: First part in 4, second part in 4 and 5
* [[Hora Mamtera]]: First part is in 6, the rest is in 4
* Nitsanim Niru Ba'Aretz: First part alternates measures of 6 and 7, second part is measures of 4
* [[Shir HaHaflaga]]: Eight phrases, with counts 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12 (dance fits in a very complex way; see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here]])
* Shiru HaShir: First part has a measure of 7 followed by a measure of 8 (second part entirely in 4)
* [[Music vs Dance|Uzi]]: First part in 7, second part in 6; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* Vaynikeyhu: First part has phrases with measures in 4-4-4-2, second part's phrases are 5-5-5-4

==== Usual with Variations ====

* [[HaReshut]]: First three parts have phrases of 4 measures of 4 beats, last part's phrases are 2-4-4-4-4-2
* [[Hashual]]: In 4, but with a single measure of 3 in the first section
* Mezarei Yisrael: First part has phrases in 3-3-4, second part all in 4 with two beats missing at the end
* Mor V'Kinamon: First part is 6-6-6-5, second part is 8-7-8-8
* Shibolei Paz: Three phrases with measures 4-4-4-2, one phrase with 4-4-4-3

==== Unusual Phrases ====

* Chamsa: Entirely in 4, but the first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
* [[Music vs Dance|Mishal]]: Entirely in 6, but the first section has five measures. (The dance is completely different; see [[Music vs Dance]].)
* Tikvateinu: Entirely in 4, but first part has phrases of seven measures
* Ya Rayah: Entirely in 2, but with phrases of 5 measures (10 beats) throughout the song (broken down as 4+6 or 4+4+2, depending on how you count it).

==== Seemingly Unusual but actually completely or near-completely usual (don't be fooled!) ====

* Eretz Yisrael Yafa: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the penultimate measure (the extra step, in counterpoint, is added to the last measure)
* Et HaGeshem: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the first phrase
* [[Music vs Dance|Sovev Galgal]]: Entirely in 12/8; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* VaYiven Uziyahu: Entirely in 4, with an extra measure of 2 in the second part

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Category:Dance Lists

2017-03-08T22:34:14Z

MatanS: Created page with "These are lists and collections of dances with notable traits within HoraWiki. This page is maintained automatically. Whenever you create a new page listing a group of dances..."

These are lists and collections of dances with notable traits within HoraWiki. This page is maintained automatically. Whenever you create a new page listing a group of dances by trait, put [[Category:Dance Lists]] at the bottom of the page.

"Double" dances

2017-03-08T22:32:43Z

MatanS:

"Double" dances are those where two (or, rarely, more) choreographies exist to the same or to very similar music.

(Discussion needed about how double dances arise, why they're a problem, attempts at solution, how opinions differ among markidim and choreographers and dancers.)

=== List of double dances ===

Where appropriate, more details can be found at the individual page of each dance.

Please keep this list in alphabetical order.

* Ashbi'acha: couple dance by [[Yankele Levi]] and circle by [[Bentzi Tiram]]

* Ba-Pardess le-Yad ha-Shoqet: couple dance by [[Shalom Amar]] and circle by [[Aaron Raphaeli]]

* Barcheni / Birkat Elohim: circle dances by [[Eyal Ozeri]] and [[Yom Tov Ochayon]], respectively. Dances are done to different recordings of the same song.

* Debka Irit / Hora Galil: circle dance by Moshe Eskayo and partner dance by Se'adia Amishai

* Debka Oud: circle dances by [[Moshe Eskayo]] and [[Bentzi Tiram]]

* Erev Shabbath: circle dances by [[Shmulik Gov-Ari]] and [[Avner Naim]]

* Hadarim: circle dance by Shlomo Bachar, partner dance by Bentzi Tiram

* Hi Lo Yoda'at: circle dance by Ra'anan Mor, partner dance by [[Gadi Bitton]] (music cut differently; can't do both simultaneously)

* [[Machol Shakeyt]] / K'var Acharei Chatsot: circle dances by Rivka Sturman and Shlomo Bachar

* Na'ama: partner dances by [[Marco Ben-Shimon]] and [[Bentzi Tiram]]

* Simchu Na / HaChassida: circle dance by Moshe Eskayo and partner dance by Yonatan Gabai

* Shibolet Basadeh: circle dance by [[Leah Bergshtein]], partner dance by [[Yonatan Karmon]]

* Shir HaShirim [VeSha'ashu'im]: partner dance by Shlomo Bachar, taught at [[Hora Shalom]] 1988, then later a circle dance by the same choreographer

* Zer Kotzim / Kmo Balada: couples dance by [[Meir Shem Tov]], circle dance by [[Israel Shiker]]. Dances are done to different recordings of the same song.

[[Category:Dances|Double]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Leap Dances

2017-03-08T22:32:21Z

MatanS:

In honor of the Gregorian leap year calendar, here are many of the dances that include a leap step. Italicized dances are partner dances, "*" dances were choreographed during a Gregorian leap year.

[[Achai Bnei Teiman]] 
[[Agadelcha]] 
[[Al Hanisim]] 
[[Al Kanfei Hakesef]] 
[[Ana Hiya]] 
[[Anachnu Haro'im]] 
[[Avraham Avinu]] 
 
[[Bazman Ha'acharon]] 
[[Be'ikvotayich]] 
[[Bein Hachomot]] 
 
[[Chesed Matok]] 
 
[[Daraje]] * 
[[Debka Beduit]] 
[[Debka Bnot Hakfar]] 
[[Debka Hachamor]] 
 
[[Ein Li Ish]] * 
[[Eizo Rakdanit]] * 
[[Eshal Elohai]] 
[[Et Lirkod]] 
[[Etz Harimon]] * 
 
[[Geshem Bemai]] 
 
[[Hahelech]] 
[[Hanigun]] 
[[Hatzel Ve'ani]] * 
[[Hora Nadav]] * 
[[Hora Tzchok]] 
[[Horati]] 
 
[[Korim Lanu Lalechet]] * 
 
[[Malkat Hachatunot]] 
[[Marhaba]] 
[[Mechol Hamezeg]] 
[[Mecholot Damar]] 
[[Misgav]] * 
[[Mishal]] 
 
[[Op]] 
[[Orot Ve'ashan]] 
 
[[Shavnu]] 
[[Shibolet Basade]] * 
[[Shtu Adarim]] 
 
[[Think]] 
 
[[Yaffo]] 
[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Moshiko's descendants

2017-03-08T22:32:00Z

MatanS:

The descendents of [[Moshiko HaLevy]] and the dances he created for them.

* Uriah: [[Debka Uriah]], 1959
** Bosmat: [[Bosmat]], 1980
*** Yuvali: Yuvali Ninati, 1986
*** Ophir: Shir L'Ophir, 2009
*** Ma'or (no dance yet)
** Mor: Mor 1985
** Ariel: Ariel 1988
** Ro'i: Mizmor L'David (Adonai Ro'i), 1984

* Yiftach: no dance, since "it would conflict with Bat Yiftach"
** Dor: Debka Dor, 1986
** Na'or (no dance yet)
** Omer: Omer, 1996

* Chemed: Hora Chemed, 1971
** Yiska: Yiska, 1990
** Reichan: Reichan Gruzini, 1997
** Idan: no dance, because of Debka Idan by [[Moshe Telem]]

In addition, Moshiko choreographed Bracha in 1990 for his sister.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T22:31:43Z

MatanS:

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, loosely grouped by the number of beats in a measure.
For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars. A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Five ====

* Machur Al Yevani, except that each phrase in the first part has a measure of 4 at the end
* Zemer Ikarim

==== Seven ====

* Da'ase (Yakovee)
* Darbashiya, except a single measure of 5 near the end
* Halleluyah L'Gal, where, furthermore, the first and third parts consist of 5-bar phrases
* Reiach Tapuach

==== Nine ====

* Isha Al HaChof - counted as 3+2+2+2

==== Combinations ====

* Anavai: Second part has a measure of 9 followed by a measure of 8 (first part entirely in 4)
* BeLeylot HaKayits HaChamim: First part is 4-4 repeated, second part is 2-4-4-4 repeated (Alternatively, counting quickly: First part is 4 measures of 4, second is 7 measures of 4, each part repeated.)
* Derech Eretz HaShaked: First part has two phrases with measures of 6-6-6-8 counts, second part has measures of 5-6-5-6 counts followed by another 6-6-6-8.
* Gozi Li: First part is in 7, second part in 8
* HaChinanit: First part in 4, second part in 4 and 5
* [[Hora Mamtera]]: First part is in 6, the rest is in 4
* Nitsanim Niru Ba'arets: First part alternates measures of 6 and 7, second part is measures of 4
* [[Shir HaHaflaga]]: Eight phrases, with counts 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12 (dance fits in a very complex way; see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here]])
* Shiru HaShir: First part has a measure of 7 followed by a measure of 8 (second part entirely in 4)
* [[Music vs Dance|Uzi]]: First part in 7, second part in 6; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* Vaynikeyhu: First part has phrases with measures in 4-4-4-2, second part's phrases are 5-5-5-4
* Yalel Ha'awa: The music is in regular 4/4 meter, but, part 1 has 18 counts, part 2 has 16 counts, and part 3 has 18 counts. Given that the dance is [[Called dances|called]], it has very unpredictable phrases and ending.

==== Usual with Variations ====

* [[HaReshut]]: First three parts have phrases of 4 measures of 4 beats, last part's phrases are 2-4-4-4-4-2
* [[Hashual]]: In 4, but with a single measure of 3 in the first section
* Mezarei Yisrael: First part has phrases in 3-3-4, second part all in 4 with two beats missing at the end
* Mor V'Kinamon: First part is 6-6-6-5, second part is 8-7-8-8
* Na'ari Shuva Elai: the first part has the phrasing of 7-7-8-8-2, the rest of the dance is in 8s
* Shibbolei Paz: Three phrases with measures 4-4-4-2, one phrase with 4-4-4-3

==== Unusual Phrases ====

* Chamsa: Entirely in 4, but the first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
* [[HaGavia]]: First part has a phrase with three four-count measures, then two phrases with four three-count measures. [[HaGavia|''more'']]
* [[Music vs Dance|Mishal]]: Entirely in 6, but the first section has five measures. (The dance is completely different; see [[Music vs Dance]].)
* Tikvateinu: Entirely in 4, but first part has phrases of seven measures
* Ya Rayah: Entirely in 2, but with phrases of 5 measures (10 beats) throughout the song (broken down as 4+6 or 4+4+2, depending on how you count it).

==== Seemingly Unusual but actually completely or near-completely usual (don't be fooled!) ====

* Eretz Yisrael Yaffa: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the penultimate measure (the extra step, in counterpoint, is added to the last measure)
* Et HaGeshem: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the first phrase
* Shir Al Ets: Entirely in phrases of 4 measures, 3 beats each
* [[Music vs Dance|Sovev Galgal]]: Entirely in 6; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* VaYiven Uziyahu: Entirely in 4, with an extra measure of 2 in the second part

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Original Music

2017-03-08T22:31:24Z

MatanS:

Dances that are usually done to an adapted version of the music.

The adaptation is usually a Hebrew version of the lyrics set to
the original melody, sometimes a translation but often just similar-sounding words. Dances typically done to the original music aren't
listed here, even if the lyrics aren't in Hebrew.

Please keep this table in alphabetical order.

{| class="wikitable"
! Dance Name !! Original Name !! Translation !! Lyricist !! Composer !! Notes
|-
| Agadat HaSultan || Μέσ της πόλης τα στενά || Alleyways of Istanbul || Spyros Peristeris(?) || Giannis Papaioannou(?) || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRkMXTBGRf4 sung by Stella Haskil]; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V6KX9Mb4ho another version]
|-
| Ahava Asura || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elle_%C3%A9tait_si_jolie Elle était si jolie] || She Was So Pretty || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Barri%C3%A8re Alain Barrière] || Alain Barrière || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuHr_FhZGIQ watch]
|-
| Al Titni Lo || El Camino || The Road || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipsy_Kings Gipsy Kings] || Gipsy Kings || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0A9KU-xBEY watch]
|-
| Amru Lo || Azzurro || Blue || Paolo Conte / Vito Pallavicini || Paolo Conte / Michele Virano || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1VGoKBKR3I sung by Adriano Celentano]
|-
| Ani Bach Shavui || Πάω απόψε να τρελαθώ || I'm Going To Go Crazy Tonight || Kosmas || Savvas Iliadis|| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHNNm_h0vo sung] by Giorgos Giannias; [http://www.greeklyrics.gr/lyrics/view/3252/paw-apopse-na-trelathw lyrics]
|-
| Ani Chozer HaBayta || Lasciatemi Cantare || Let Me Sing || Toto Cutugno || Toto Cutugno || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRDVQT_MT-o watch]
|-
| BaAviv At Tashuvi Chazara || Au printemps tu reviendras || In the Spring, You Will Return || Charles Aznavour || Charles Aznavour || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjRBmHlgEig listen]
|-
| [[Chad Gadya]] || Alla Fiera dell'Est || At the Eastern Fair || Luisa Zappa || Angelo Branduardi
| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2gqdGf1qU performed by Branduardi]; [[Chad Gadya|''more info'']]
|-
| Chalon Mashkif || زَينة / عزيزة || Zeina / Aziza || Mohammed Abdel Wahad || Mohammed Abdel Wahad || [https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=sBFnM2gh1qo&t=1m35s Listen to Zeina] [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuFYi6mu-Ns&t=25s Listen to Aziza]
|-
| Cheruti || Libertà || Freedom || Albano Carrisi / Romina Power || Albano Carrisi / Romina Power || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2bZHSLA5Ew sung by Al Bano & Romina]
|-
| Ilu Tsiporim || Si tous les oiseaux || If All the Birds || Jean Broussolle || Jean-Pierre Calvet || [http://gauterdo.com/ref/ss/si.tous.les.oiseaux.html listen] (with French lyrics)
|-
| Isha Al Hachof || Τώρα που πας στην ξενιτιά || Now You Go to Foreign Lands || Nikos Gatsos || Manos Hadjidakis || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlnkkbhzSrQ As sung by Nana Mouskouri]
|-
| Kachol || Far From Home || || (instrumental) || folk (Shetlands?) || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GnC0GUDPgs listen]
|-
| Kmo SheAt || [https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comme_toi_(chanson_de_Jean-Jacques_Goldman) Comme Toi] || Like You || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Goldman Jean-Jacques Goldman] || Jean-Jacques Goldman || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySZBnMukO8g performed] by the artist; [http://lyricstranslate.com/en/comme-toi-just-you.html lyrics] (with translation)
|-
| Kulanu BaMitzad || В Путь! || Let's Go! || Mikhail Dudin || Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jqOGpzNrg4 performed] by the Russian Red Army Choir
|-
| K'shenavo || Τι θέλεις, γέρο; || What Do You Want, Old Man? || Giorgos Kalamariotis || Argyris Kounadis
| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5srFXu-fXk sung by Rena Koumiwti]
|-
| Lech L'Sfat HaYam || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puttin%27_On_the_Ritz Puttin' On the Ritz] || || Irving Berlin || Irving Berlin || [https://vimeo.com/6971656 Astaire]; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG3PnQ3tgzY Taco]
|-
| Le'ehov Im Efshar || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didi_Tera_Devar_Deewana Didi Tera Devar Deewana] || Sister, Your Brother-in-Law is Moonstruck || Dev Kohli || Raamlaxman || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V56f0xZNqw performed] in ''Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!''
|-
| Leylot Shel Ahava || Μίλησέ μου || Talk to Me || Nikos Gatsos || Manos Hatzidakis || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm4NySRt7ps listen], [http://www.greekmidi.com/songs/hatzidakis/milisemou.html lyrics]
|-
| Lu || Slave || Slavic || Jean-Marie Moreau || François Feldman || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjvExEjS3rU listen]; [http://www.lyricsbox.com/francois-feldman-slave-lyrics-2z9w31t.html lyrics]
|-
| MiGavo'a || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_a_Distance From a Distance] || || Julie Gold || Julie Gold || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLPj2h0N3bU sung by Bette Midler] (with lyrics)
|-
| Ohevet Ozevet || Κραυγή || Scream || Nikos Karvelas || Nikos Karvelas || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCWLin-JsPk sung by Anna Vissi]
|-
| Rikud HaYare'ach || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moondance_(Van_Morrison_song) Moondance] || || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Morrison Van Morrison] || Van Morrison || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFxGBB4UGU sung by the artist]
|-
| Shalom Lach Eretz Nehederet || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_New_Orleans_(song) City of New Orleans] || || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Goodman Steve Goodman] || Steve Goodman || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMS_ykiLiQ performed by Arlo Guthrie]
|-
| Shir Megaresh et HaChoshech || Gogov Shen Ki Genatsvale || You, Girl, My Beloved || Georgian folk || Georgian folk
| listen [http://denenberg.com/gogov.mp3 here]; and a [http://denenberg.com/gogovtechno.mp3 techno version]
|-
| Siman She'Ata Tsa'ir || Whiskey in the Jar || || Irish folk || Irish folk || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlWTASnnft4 listen]
|-
| Tni Li || Ελένη || Eleni (girl's name) || Nikos Karvelas || Nikos Karvelas || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7IF_BU62Tc sung by Anna Vissi]; [http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?info=Lyrics&act=details&song_id=4880 lyrics]
|-
| Yaldati (Pnei Malach) || Το τραγούδι μου || My Song || Stelios Fotiathis || Stelios Fotiathis
| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeWNXpU7lqs sung by Glykeria]; [http://larry.denenberg.com/Songs/yaldati-greek.pdf lyrics]
|}

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Music vs Dance

2017-03-08T22:30:56Z

MatanS:

Dances that have some unusual connection with their music.
(Not just dances whose music has nonstandard or irregular meter; those
dances are collected [[Dances with Unusual Meters|here]].)

Please keep this list in alphabetical order.

* Ashreichem Yisrael: The music of the second part has 19 counts, in measures of 4-4-4-7 (or 4-4-4-3-4). The dance has a section of 5 counts repeated 3 times, followed by a 4-count walk: 5-5-5-4. So the dance crosses over the measures of the music in interesting ways.

* [[Baba Kosmi]]: First part has pieces with counts 7-8-17, against eight four-count measures. More information [[Baba Kosmi | here]].

* Debka Meshuleshet (Debka Debka): The dance does not start on the first beat of the music, but rather on the fourth (pickup) beat of the intro measure. Each section of the dance follows this pattern, starting on the last beat of a measure.

* Eretz Nehederet: The singing begins on the second beat of a four-count measure, and the dance begins on the following beat, that is, halfway into the measure. The dance continues in this way throughout, every section beginning halfway through a measure, rather than at the start of a measure. That's why there's often confusion about when to start the dance; it seems to start too late. (Compare Zemer Nugeh, below.)

* HaChinanit: The music of the second part is a fairly regular phrase of 4 measures, 4 beats to a measure, ending with an extra measure of 2 beats (4-4-4-4-2). However, the movements of the dance are grouped into four steps, four steps, five steps, and five steps. These different phrases of music and dance add up the the same 18 beats, and therefore cancel out before the first part comes back around.

* [[HaGavia]]: The dance does not start on the first beat of a measure, but rather on the third (pickup) beat of an intro measure, giving dancers the sensation that the dance begins too early. The first phrase of the dance is also three groups of four steps, while the rest of the dance is four groups of three steps. The 6/8 waltz rhythm of the music is unchanged. [[HaGavia|''more'']]

* Leah: The dance does not start on the first beat of a measure, but rather on the third beat of the preceding measure. (Frequently the count is eight—that is, combining two measures—in which case the dance starts on count 7.) The singing starts half a beat earlier yet.

* Lenagev Lach Et HaDma'ot: The first section of the dance is done twice, to the first section of the music, but offset by two beats; that is, the second time through, the dance starts half a measure later against the same music.

* Matzlichim: The first repetition of part II starts with both-R-both-L, four counts. The second repetition, to the same music, starts with a two count sway R sway L. As a result, the following steps of part II fall differently against the music. There is a compensating hold on the right foot at counts 11-12 which puts the two repetitions back in sync.

* Mishal: The first section of music comprises five measures of six counts each. In the same thirty counts, the dance is four repetitions of a seven-count phrase followed by two stamps. So the dance keeps crossing measure bars in different places.

* Na'ari Shuv Elai: The music of this dance is in 4/4 throughout, with 4 beats to a measure and 4 measures to a phrase. However, in the first part, the phrases of movement in the dance comprise counts of 7-7-8-8-2. This adds up to the same 32 counts as the music (8-8-8-8), and so the difference cancels out by the time you begin the second part.

* Shechani: The music has four beats per measure regularly throughout, but the dance is eleven counts long (4-3-4), so dance and music keep crossing each other and rarely line up.

* Shir Al Etz: The music has three beats per measure throughout the whole song, but the last part of the dance has a walking feel (during the cross-open section), which plays a counterpoint 2 feeling against the 3 of the music. This can make it confusing to stay on the right foot (since every other measure during this part will begin with a different foot, but the cross-open step always begins with the right foot no matter where you are in the measure).

* [[Shir HaHaflaga]]: Complex intertwining of music and dance; see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here]].

* Sovev Galgal: The dance does not start on the first beat of a measure, but rather on the final (pickup) half-beat of the intro measure.

* Tsiporei Nedod: The pattern of the music is AABCDCD (each letter representing four measures of four beats each) but the pattern of the dance is AABCDBC. So, for example, the second repetition of part II of the dance is done to the music that was just used for part III of the dance. (This confusion of which piece of music to use for which piece of dance is appropriate for a dance about wandering birds.)

* Uzi (Ozi v'Zimrat Yah): The dance does not start on the first beat of a measure, but rather on the penultimate beat of the intro measure, that is, a beat ''before'' the single pickup beat of the music, so that the dance actually starts before the music. This pattern continues through the dance, in both sections. The rock back-forward that begins the dance is quick and quite distinct from the deliberate walking steps that follow, making it in structure very much like a pickup itself; a couple of light eighth notes before the downbeat.

* Yalel Ha'awa: The music for this dance is in regular 4/4, with four measures to the phrase. However, the dance parts are of unequal length. Part 1 has 18 counts, part 2 has 16 counts, and part 3 has 18 counts. Given that the dance is called, it has very unpredictable phrases and ending.

* Zemer Nugeh: The singing begins on the second beat of a four-count measure, and the dance begins on the following beat, that is, halfway into the measure. The dance continues in this way throughout, every section beginning halfway through a measure, rather than at the start of a measure. That's why there's often confusion about when to start the dance; it seems to start too late. (Compare Erets Nehederet, above.)

[[Category:Dances]]
[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Called dances

2017-03-08T22:28:53Z

MatanS:

A called dance is one where a leader controls the dance by signalling the upcoming steps. Typically, the leader is the first person in the line and signals by calling out the name or number of a section of steps. Called dances are extremely rare in recreational Israeli dance; normally the sequence is unchanging, or, at most, follows the music, which may have multiple versions. In a true called dance, the sequence is completely at the whim of the caller.

=== List of called dances ===

Where appropriate, more details can be found at the individual page of each dance.

* [[Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu]]: circle dance by [[Levi Bargil]]

* Tcherkessia: circle dance of folk (possibly Circassian) origin which became part of the early canon of folk dances in Israel, and is still done with children in Israel and in America.

* [[Yalel Ha'awah]]: circle dance by [[Moshe Eskayo]]

* [[Zakariya]]: circle dance by [[Moshiko Halevy]]

[[Category:Dances]]

[[Category:Dance Lists]]

Called dances

2017-03-08T22:28:07Z

MatanS: Added: Tcherkessia

A called dance is one where a leader controls the dance by signalling the upcoming steps. Typically, the leader is the first person in the line and signals by calling out the name or number of a section of steps. Called dances are extremely rare in recreational Israeli dance; normally the sequence is unchanging, or, at most, follows the music, which may have multiple versions. In a true called dance, the sequence is completely at the whim of the caller.

=== List of called dances ===

Where appropriate, more details can be found at the individual page of each dance.

* [[Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu]]: circle dance by [[Levi Bargil]]

* Tcherkessia: circle dance of folk (possibly Circassian) origin which became part of the early canon of folk dances in Israel, and is still done with children in Israel and in America.

* [[Yalel Hawah]]: circle dance by [[Moshe Eskayo]]

* [[Zakariya]]: circle dance by [[Moshiko Halevy]]

[[Category:Dances]]

Music vs Dance

2017-03-08T22:24:11Z

MatanS: Added dances from the Unusual Meters page which belonged here - Shir Al Etz, HaChinanit, Yalel Haawa, and Naari Shuv Elai

Talk:HaGavia

2017-03-08T20:03:34Z

MatanS: Unusual Dance, but not an Unusual Meter

The meter of this song seems to be an ordinary 6/8, with the phrases of 4 being a feature of the dance, rather than a feature of the music. I suggest it be moved from the Unusual Meters list to the Dance V Music list. [[User:MatanS|MatanS]] ([[User talk:MatanS|talk]]) 20:03, March 8, 2017 (UTC)

Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T19:58:13Z

MatanS: Explaining different types of meter, using examples from Israeli dance.

__NOTOC__
On this page you can find a collection of dances to songs with unusual meter, loosely grouped by the number of beats in a measure.
For our purposes "usual" means measures of two, three, four, or six beats, grouped in phrases of two, four, six, or eight bars. A further explanation can be found below the lists of dances.

==== Five ====

* Machur Al Yevani, except that each phrase in the first part has a measure of 4 at the end
* Zemer Ikarim

==== Seven ====

* Da'ase (Yakovee)
* Darbashiya, except a single measure of 5 near the end
* Halleluyah L'Gal, where, furthermore, the first and third parts consist of 5-bar phrases
* Reiach Tapuach

==== Nine ====

* Isha Al HaChof - counted as 3+2+2+2

==== Combinations ====

* Anavai: Second part has a measure of 9 followed by a measure of 8 (first part entirely in 4)
* BeLeylot HaKayits HaChamim: First part is 4-4 repeated, second part is 2-4-4-4 repeated (Alternatively, counting quickly: First part is 4 measures of 4, second is 7 measures of 4, each part repeated.)
* Derech Eretz HaShaked: First part has two phrases with measures of 6-6-6-8 counts, second part has measures of 5-6-5-6 counts followed by another 6-6-6-8.
* Gozi Li: First part is in 7, second part in 8
* HaChinanit: First part in 4, second part in 4 and 5
* [[Hora Mamtera]]: First part is in 6, the rest is in 4
* Nitsanim Niru Ba'arets: First part alternates measures of 6 and 7, second part is measures of 4
* [[Shir HaHaflaga]]: Eight phrases, with counts 10-12-9-11-13-12-13-12 (dance fits in a very complex way; see [[Shir HaHaflaga|here]])
* Shiru HaShir: First part has a measure of 7 followed by a measure of 8 (second part entirely in 4)
* [[Music vs Dance|Uzi]]: First part in 7, second part in 6; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* Vaynikeyhu: First part has phrases with measures in 4-4-4-2, second part's phrases are 5-5-5-4
* Yalel Ha'awa: The music is in regular 4/4 meter, but, part 1 has 18 counts, part 2 has 16 counts, and part 3 has 18 counts. Given that the dance is [[Called dances|called]], it has very unpredictable phrases and ending.

==== Usual with Variations ====

* [[HaReshut]]: First three parts have phrases of 4 measures of 4 beats, last part's phrases are 2-4-4-4-4-2
* [[Hashual]]: In 4, but with a single measure of 3 in the first section
* Mezarei Yisrael: First part has phrases in 3-3-4, second part all in 4 with two beats missing at the end
* Mor V'Kinamon: First part is 6-6-6-5, second part is 8-7-8-8
* Na'ari Shuva Elai: the first part has the phrasing of 7-7-8-8-2, the rest of the dance is in 8s
* Shibbolei Paz: Three phrases with measures 4-4-4-2, one phrase with 4-4-4-3

==== Unusual Phrases ====

* Chamsa: Entirely in 4, but the first section has (appropriately) five phrases of two measures each, and the last section is a phrase of nine measures.
* [[HaGavia]]: First part has a phrase with three four-count measures, then two phrases with four three-count measures. [[HaGavia|''more'']]
* [[Music vs Dance|Mishal]]: Entirely in 6, but the first section has five measures. (The dance is completely different; see [[Music vs Dance]].)
* Tikvateinu: Entirely in 4, but first part has phrases of seven measures
* Ya Rayah: Entirely in 2, but with phrases of 5 measures (10 beats) throughout the song (broken down as 4+6 or 4+4+2, depending on how you count it).

==== Seemingly Unusual but actually completely or near-completely usual (don't be fooled!) ====

* Eretz Yisrael Yaffa: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the penultimate measure (the extra step, in counterpoint, is added to the last measure)
* Et HaGeshem: Entirely in 3, with a single extra beat in the first phrase
* Shir Al Ets: Entirely in phrases of 4 measures, 3 beats each
* [[Music vs Dance|Sovev Galgal]]: Entirely in 6; further discussion [[Music vs Dance|here]]
* VaYiven Uziyahu: Entirely in 4, with an extra measure of 2 in the second part

==== Introduction to Meter ====

When counting music, the small repeating cycle of the percussion, bass, and sometimes melody which tells us where to start over and count again from 1 is known as the measure. Measures can be of different sizes, for example, most measures consist of four counts, or beats, but a waltz song will have only three beats to each measure. These measures can be described in time signatures, a pair of numbers which explains how many notes are in each measure. The bottom number tells you what size notes you're using, and the top number tells you how many are in each measure. A time signature is not the same thing as a meter. For example, the time signature 9/8 could express two or more different types of meter. Rhythm and meter are also related, but distinct - for example, a 7/8 with a metric construction of 3-2-2 could be accented to produce several different traditional rhythms. Meter, then, can be thought of as being halfway between time signature and rhythm. There are three major groups of meters: simple, compound, and asymmetrical, all of which have made there way into the music of Israeli dance. Meter can also be grouped by number, for example, all meters divisible by two are said to be duple meters, and meters divisible by three are triple.

==== Simple Meters ====

Simple meters are composed of quarter notes (so the base number will always be 4), with the number of beats in each measure being the top number, and the number we count to. A beat composed of one quarter note is called a simple beat, hence the name of the meter. The three most common simple meters are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
*A simple 2/4 can be thought of as a "march," like Ahavat HaChayalim.
*A simple 3/4 can be though of as a "waltz," like Yedid Nefesh.
*A simple 4/4 is called common time, the most used meter both worldwide and in Israeli dance.
*We can also have "simple" meters of different numbers, for example 5/4 (like Zemer Ikarim), 6/4 (like the beginning of Hora Mamtera), or even higher.

==== Compound Meters ====

Compound meters are composed of eighth notes (so the base number will always be 8), with the total number of eight notes in each measure being the top number. A compound beat is composed of three eighth notes (making it 1.5 times the length of a quarter note). Compound beats are so named because they give both a triplet feel ( by counting all three eight notes) or a straight feel (by counting each group of three as one beat). Compound meters include 6/8 (like a Viennese waltz), 9/8 (like an Irish slip jig), and 12/8 (like an American swing or jazz song).
*Compound 6/8 can be counted as 123456123456 (like Ani Eshtagea), or as 1--2--1--2-- (like Yoreket Esh), with a swinging triplet feel.
*Compound 9/8 can be thought of as a "double waltz" - you have three big beats per measure, and each of those divides into three smaller beats. It's usually counted as 1&a2&a3&a, but you could technically count eight notes for 123456789. It doesn't occur in any Israeli dances (that we're aware of), but it often found in the slip jig genre of Irish dance.
*Compound 12/8 is almost always counted as 1&a2&a3&a4&a, and the main different between this meter and a plain 4/4 is that 12/8 has a swinging feel because each beat is a compound beat. Examples in Israeli dance include many swing style dances like Im Rak Tavoi BeChamesh, and arguably many Moroccan style songs like Malkat HaChatunot or Mabruk Aleikum.

==== Asymmetrical Meters ====

Asymmetrical or additive meters are composed of both simple beats (one quarter note, equal to two eighth notes) and compound beats (three eighth notes) within the same measure. This means that the beats of these meters are of unequal length, hence the name asymmetrical. Often, these meters are counted in groups of 2s for simple beats and 3s for compound beats, hence the alternative name additive. For example, one might count Isha Al HaChof as 3-2-2-2. Because the smallest unit used in these meters is always the eighth note, the base number is always eight. Usually, the top number is an odd number, such as 5/8, 7/8, or 9/8, but iterations of asymmetrical meters in 8/8, 10/8, and 12/8 also exist.
*Asymmetrical 5/8 is the simplest of its family, and can only be expressed as 3-2 or 2-3. Machur Al Yevanit, the only 5/8 Israeli dance, uses a 3-2 construction.
*Asymmetrical 7/8 is usually expressed as 3-2-2 or 2-2-3. Because of the Yemenite drum rhythm called da'asa, and because of the influence of Greek music (which often favors placing the compound beat at the beginning), most Israeli dances in 7/8 use a 3-2-2 construction, including Darbashiya, Da'asa (both Moshiko's and Yankalee's), Halleluya LeGal, and Reiach Tapuach Odem Shani. A notable exception is Moshiko's Laz, which takes it's music from the Laz region of northern Turkey and uses a 2-2-3 construction and a drum rhythm also called Laz.
*Asymmetrical 8/8 is an asymmetrical meter that, by its nature, adds up to 4/4, and is often counted as such. There are two rhythms in middle eastern music which use this meter, known as wahda and bolero. Bolero is a fairly common rhythm in Israeli dance, showing up in such songs as Al Na Tishal, Tzel Etz Tamar, Pireus, and Ma SheBenainu. Again, it's perfectly logical to count these songs in 4, since the 8/8 rhythms simplify to that number.
*Asymmetrical 9/8 is totally different to compound 9/8, and is usually constructed as 2-2-2-3 (especially in Turkish influenced music) or as 3-2-2-2 (more common in Greek tunes). The only Israeli dance to use an asymmetrical 9/8 is Isha Al HaChof, which, translated from a Greek song, uses the 3-2-2-2 construction of this meter.
*Asymmetrical 12/8 is a very uncommon meter, but does exist in the dance Sovev Gal Gal, in a 3-2-2-3-2 construction (possibly a variation of the Arabic Iqa called Warashan).
*There are many other rhythms and meters of the middle east which fall into this family, including the 10/8 rhythms of Arabia, Armenia, and Turkey (Samai al-Thaqil and Curcuna) and the Arabic iqaat and Turkish usuls. However, as yet, none seem to have been used for music extant in the Israeli dance tradition.

==== Changes in Meter ====

In addition to understanding all these meters, we have to take into account that some songs change meter, whether for major portions of the music or for a single measure. For example, Hora Mamtera begins in 6/4 (sometimes written as 3/2), but in the second part of the dance shifts into a more regular 4/4. Eretz Yisrael Yafa, on the other hand, has only one measure of 4/4 at the end of the chorus, producing an "extra beat." Dror Yikra has the same phenomenon, being a song in 2/4 with a single measure of 3/4 during the second part.

==== Changes in Phrasing ====

Finally, even if a song stays a consistent meter throughout, it might still throw dancers off their normal counts by having unusual phrasing. Most songs have phrases (combinations of measures) which are even, usually in groups of two or four. It's one of the reasons dancers often count to 8. However, particularly in middle eastern music, phrases are sometimes made of a strange number of measures. Halleluya LeGal, for example, is in 7/8 through the whole song, but has five measures in the first and third parts. Tikvateinu has seven measures of 4/4 in its verse, rather than a more typical 8 measures.

==== A Few Common Errors ====

A final consideration when dealing with unusual counts is that dancers sometimes ignore the actual meter and time signature, and count to four or eight. This can result in three phenomena in which dancers don't articulate the reality of the music very well.
*"Extra Beats" vs. Extra Measure - In a 4/4 song, you might have perfectly even phrasing - four beats to a measure, four measures to a phrase - but very often there's an extra measure at the end of a phrase as a way to transition musically (for example, between the verse and chorus of Tagidi Lo, or at the end of part A in Bimkom Prida). Dancers often mistakenly call this "extra beats," when in reality it would be better to say "extra measure." Extra beats would technically mean you have a measure of a greater size, like in Eretz Yisrael Yafa or Dror Yikra.
*"Missing Beats" - Missing beats can certainly exist, in the same way that extra beats can: for instance, if you had a song in 4/4 and you suddenly had a measure of 3/4, that could be thought of as a missing beat. However, often dancers refer to "missing beats" when there was no actual change in meter. For example, in a 2/4 song, dancers sometimes (read: almost always) count to either four or eight, and a phrase of three measures of 2/4 will feel like two measures of 4/4 with two beats suddenly missing.
*"False Changes in Meter" - Similarly the the "missing beats" described above, if a song which is actually in 2/4 is being counted in fours, and there is an extra measure of 2/4, it will seem as if there was a change of meter when actually, none occurred. Usually, the meter of a piece can be ascertained by listening for the smallest repeating pattern in the percussion and/or bass line.

[[Category:Dances]]

Talk:Unusual Meters

2017-03-08T17:30:11Z

MatanS: Shir Al Etz

Note by [[User:Orpheus|Orpheus]] ([[User talk:Orpheus|talk]]) 06:36, November 25, 2015 (UTC) - the breakdown of Ya Rayah as a measure of 10 is questionable. Versions of the sheet music DO exist notated as 10/4, but so do versions written as 4/4 (also incorrectly) or more correctly as 2/4.

The song actually uses a common north African rhythm called karachi, and is in 2/4 time. The melodic phrases, as pointed out in this page, are indeed 4 beats and then 6 (or arguably 4 beats, 4 beats, 2 beats), but if you listen to the stress of each beat you can hear than the actual measure is only 2 counts long, even though the melodic phrase is always 10 beats long, employing 5 measures of 2.

Ya Rayah probably would be better placed in this article under "songs with unusual phrasing" rather than usual meter. After all, we don't say a song is in 16/4 meter just because a phrase is 4 measures of 4 long. (For actual ME music with measures of 10 beats, listen to songs using Samai Thaqil or Çurçuna rhythms.)

If anyone disagrees, feel free to continue the discourse and/or move it back. It's not a party without some cheerful disagreement.

: Thanks for the corrections (and for your other contributions). I'm happy to be instructed on this topic. [[User:Larry|/Larry D]] ([[User talk:Larry|talk]]) 11:01, January 6, 2016 (UTC)

Does Shir Al Etz really belong on this page? It's 3/4 all the way through, with phrases of 4 measures each. I think the issue with that particular dance is the step-cross walking in the last part, which gives a walking feel over the waltz rhythm of the music. I think this might be better expressed on the Dance vs Music page, and I plan to move it there. [[User:MatanS|MatanS]] ([[User talk:MatanS|talk]]) 17:30, March 8, 2017 (UTC)

Original Music

2017-03-08T17:23:22Z

MatanS: SheK'shenavo --> K'shenavo, Yaldati --> Yaldati (Pnei Malach)

Talk:Original Music

2017-03-08T16:56:20Z

MatanS: Answered Aziza/Zeina question, added songs for potential research and listing.

Do the original (Arabic) songs making up Chalon Mashkif actually have lyrics? The composer is also listed as the lyricist; should this say "(Instrumental)" as with Kachol / Far From Home? [[User:Larry|/Larry D]] ([[User talk:Larry|talk]]) 05:35, January 7, 2016 (UTC)

Zeina does have lyrics in Arabic, though they aren't sung in many versions of the song - to the extent that they're somewhat hard to find online. Aziza has lyrics in Turkish which were added later, but not written by M. Abdel Wahad. Chalon Mashkif is a synthesis of these two songs (which are indeed written in very similar maqamat).

While going through choreographer and dance historian interviews from the Grapevine newsletter, I found a few other songs listed as being Hebrew recordings using melodies from other cultures. If anyone would like to track down the original melodies and add them to the list here: Dabri Elai - Greek, Kmo Sira Trufa - Greek, Maga Shel Malach - Italian. These were listed in Vol. XVII No. 1, January 2001, in an article entitled "Israeli Folk Dancing is Alive and Well" by Israel Yakovee.

In other issues, certain melodies were mentioned as being borrowed from other cultures, though these might never have been formally recorded as songs: Debka Dror - Indian (of a secular of folk Indian source, or a Bene Israel melody?), and Hine Ma Tov (Rivka Sturman's circle) - Druze. These references can be found in the Grapevine, Vol. VIII No. 6 March 1991, in an article entitled "The Influence of Minority Dance and Music on Israeli Folk Dancing (Part II)" by Dr Zvi Fridhaber.

Lastly, in the Grapevine Vol. IV No. 10 May 1987, in "Interview with Yoav Ashriel," Yoav states that the melody for his dance, Ba Aviv (BaAviv At Tashuvi Chazara?) is of Armenian origin, though I was unable to find any evidence for an Armenian version extant before the French one listed here. /[[User:MatanS|MatanS]] ([[User talk:MatanS|talk]]) 16:56, March 8, 2017 (UTC)