Dance Orchestra
Aug 14 – 19, 2023
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

with Christian Dawid, Patrick Farrell, Jacobus Thiele and Michalis Kouloumis
Accompaniment for dance teaching sessions: Alan Bern and Mark Kovnatskiy

For six days each year, Weimar turns into the hottest spot in the world for Yiddish and related dance music! In keeping with this year’s special topic, repertoire will include Yiddish, Greek and Turkish urban dance tunes that clearly reflect their mutual influences dating back to the Ottoman period, as well as dance tunes which are more idiosyncratic to each culture.

Led by Christian Dawid, Patrick Farrell, Jacobus Thiele and Michalis Kouloumis with the additional support of Mark Kovnatskiy and Alan Bern, this workshop will explore roles of melody, accompanying and rhythm instruments in creating a free-wheeling, high energy musical groove. As every year, the YSW Dance Orchestra meets partly on its own and partly with the Dance Workshop to bring it all together.

Previous experience with klezmer music and/or Greek music helpful but not necessary – if your musical home is Anglo-American, Irish, German, BalFolk, Swedish, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian or Balkan dance music or even jazz (to name a few) you will thrive in this workshop. All instruments are welcome! To get the most out of this workshop, you should have a good command of your instrument, be able to read written music, and be open to some learning by ear.

Workshop fee: 465 € Standard / 315 € Reduced / 645 € Sponsor / 165 € under 18