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Bat Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah
The Hora Immediately following the Candle Lighting Ceremony
your In The Mix USA Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah DJ will schedule a full-blown Hora segment segueing into a joyous session of partying featuring the Guest of Honor with his or her friends, the friends of the family, and older relations celebrating on the dance floor together.
During the planning process, it is determined who will be lifted in the chair(s), and who will be holding the chair(s). The chair(s) are positioned near the dance floor in readiness. It's also established if any gifted guest or relative would like to enhance the Hora production, because they possess a strong and melodic singing voice, they will be ready with a hand held microphone to lend their singing talents to sections of an instrumental version of the Hora Medley.
As the Candle Lighting Ceremony is completed, the DJ makes an excited and enthusiastic announcement: “Ladies and gentleman. . . it’s time for the Horrraah!” Simultaneously, a seven and a half minute Hora Medley kicks in at the appropriate volume. The DJ irresistibly encourages "everybody" to join in. This moment is always filled with jubilation and excitement. As the Hora Medley reaches its climax and concludes, the DJ elatedly reminds everyone, “It's a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah Celebration! I'm sure you'll agree, we have a lot to celebrate!” While this announcement is delivered, the introduction to “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang commences. Immediately following the introduction, a confetti canon shoots confetti streamers high over the heads of the crowd still on the dance floor. At this point, a brilliant addition of lighting effects is added to the washes of color that accompanied the Hora. Those partying on and around the dance floor are inevitably drawn into the continued festivity. Soon, “Celebration” flows into an overlaid, beat-mixed introduction to the “Cha Cha Slide” by Casper as the DJ/Party Host joins those on the dance floor and leads the crowd in this easy line dance, fun for all ages. Props for the game that is to follow are already in position, and game assistants are already selected—all part of the party-staging approach to hosting the high impact, and fun-filled event that is a Bar / Bat Mitzvah Celebration. Often employed as the all-out invitation to officially get the main Bar or Bat Mitzvah festivities underway, the Hora segment of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration leads to full-scale participation on the dance floor and it's frequently followed by a confetti launch which segues into an initial, fast-paced dance music segment programmed for all ages. Hora is a Romanian, traditional circle folk dance which gathers all people present in a big closed circle. The dancers hold each other by hands and the circle turns on itself usually clockwise as each participant follows a sequence of taking three steps forward and one step back. During their living in the Romanian Principalities, Jews were heavily influenced by the traditional Romanian folklore, in music and in dances. The Hora is now the unofficial king of Israeli folk dances. Everybody gets in a circle, holding hands and starts stepping forward toward the right with the left foot, then followed by the right foot to match. Bring the left foot back again followed by the right foot. All this is done while holding hands and circling together in a fast and cheerful motion to the right. In large groups you can create several circles while the smaller circles are inside the bigger circle and so on. In the early days, Hora was popular mainly in the Kibbutzim and small communities, later on becoming a "must" in weddings, celebrations and group dancing all over Israel. At B'nei Mitzvah, it is custom to raise the honoree and his or her family members on a chair during the hora. This is also often done at Jewish weddings. The Hora dance could be performed to many of the traditional klezmer and Israeli folk songs. Typically, Hora is danced to the music of Hava Nagila, a popular, well-known song in Israel and throughout the world. How To Do the Hora Instructions STEP 1: Stand in a circle holding the hands of the people on either side of you. STEP 2: When the music starts, follow the circle as it rotates. STEP 3: Step to the side, passing your left foot behind your right. STEP 4: Move the right foot beside the left foot. STEP 5: Step to the side again, passing your left foot in front of your right this time. STEP 6: Continue as the circle keeps spinning, adding a little hop to your steps as you go faster. STEP 7: Move toward the center of the circle and throw your hands, still holding those of the people beside you, in the air. STEP 8: Lower your hands and move backward. STEP 9: Repeat several times. STEP 10: Resume spinning around the circle. |
