Religious ensemble combines prayer and dance
You haven't seen anything like it – a group of religious men has established a ground-breaking dance troupe, and are now putting on a show in shul. 'It's great to serve as combat troops, but what about religion and the body?'
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Liron Nagler-Cohen
Published: 07.29.12, 14:11
Nine kippa-clad dancers take the stage. One is a rabbi, and the rest are graduates of hesder yeshivas. Their stage is a synagogue, and their dancing is a kind of Torah study and prayer.
Despite the fact that the Ka'et Ensemble (the name is taken from Psalms) has only been in existence for two years, it is making waves in the local dance community. It has held 30 performances. Earlier this month, it performed a new show at the Yakar and Yedidiya synagogues in Jerusalem.
Ka'et's dancers do not see themselves as groundbreakers, but nevertheless dance has been marginalized in the religious community, despite the fact that it is not halachically prohibited. Dancing in a synagogue is a new expression not only of the mind-body connection, but also of tolerance and faith.
"Our dancing attempts to examine aspects of Judaism," says Hananiya Schwartz, 30. "Our dance creations connect to our world. We come from a rich Jewish world. The meeting between dance and holiness has created a fruitful conflict."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4259428,00.html
