VeShuv Itchem

Hebrew: ושוב איתכם, "Once More with You". Circle dance by Yonatan Gabai, 1976. (Another circle dance by Shlomo Bachar and a kids' version by Raya Spivak seem to have disappeared.) Music by Nurit Hirsh, lyrics by David (Dudu) Barak.

Choreographic notes

• When going into the center in the first part, we go down with weight on R and hold, continuing with L-hop-R-L-R-hop-L-hop to finish the part.

• The beginning of the second part has a variation that includes a jump with both feet back to kick the buttocks and maybe even slapping them (the feet, not the buttocks). The original choreography is:
  (1-2) jump on both, jump onto R raising L behind R
  (3-4) reverse 1-2
  (5-6) repeat 1-2
  (7-8) bounce twice on both (not "reverse 1-2").

• The just-described sequence is followed by a two-count turn to the right and bounce twice on both, then the same to the left, with no clap anywhere.

Turkish cover

The song was written in 1970. In 1971, it was covered by Turkish singer-songwriter Şenay. She set lyrics in Turkish and called it Sev Kardeşim (Enjoy, Brothers and Sisters!); it was her first hit. At some later time, international folkdance teacher Bora Özkök used the music for a simple circle dance he called Turkish Hora, choreographer unknown but likely "folk". That dance is still done in many international groups. Since VeShuv Itchem wasn't choreographed until 1976, it's unclear whether the Turkish or the Israeli dance came first.

External Links

The dance as demonstrated by the choreographer, from a Yehuda Emanuel hishtalmut

Video of Turkish Hora; notes and lyrics; translated lyrics

VeShuv Itchem at israelidances.com

Video at Rokdim