Purim is the Jewish carnival festival, celebrating the bravery of Queen Esther, who saved the Jewish people from the evil Haman, who was an adviser to her husband, the Persian king Ahasuerus. The story is read from a scroll called a megillah. Symbols of the festival include the gregger or ra’ashan (a kind of rattle to drown outHaman’s name), masks and clowns. Cakes called hamantaschen or oznei haman –
Haman’s pockets or ears are eaten. It is a custom to wear fancy dress and to give gifts of food called mishloach manot.
These dances, created to be danced at Purim celebrations for children and their families, can be easily adapted to a smaller setting.
Each dance has a short explanation and a link to video instruction. We can send music files, sheet music, song lyrics and/or dance notation to educational institutions on request to our email address: info@idi.org.uk
Mishenichnass Adar – When the month of Adar arrives
This dance celebrates the arrival of the month of Adar, when Purim occurs and our joy increases.
On the video the dance is taught in a circle. For dancing at home it can be done as a line dance:
Part 1 as in the circle dance, facing forward.
Part 2 clap your hands together to the right and then to the left twice, then turn in a circle for 8 steps and repeat.
https://vimeo.com/313634075/e9918b4344
Leitzan Katan – Little Clown
This is a very simple dance shown in two versions, circle and line, in which the dancer becomes a little Purim clown.
