Basic Dance Steps
Machol Dance Ministries
Basic Dance Steps
Click on a link to the left to find out more about these basic Israeli folk dance steps.
Dance Abbreviations
3X - Repeat part 3 times
CW - ClockWise
CCW - Counter ClockWise
HH - Holding Hands
L - Left
R - Right
YouTube Videos have been added to this page to help you learn the basic steps in Israeli Folk Dance. They say "one picture is worth a thousand words". I hope the videos help make learning the basic steps simpler.
Balance
(Sway-Sway) With feet in place, sway RLRL
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Basketball Turn
Facing center of circle, step forward on R foot, keeping L foot on ground.
Pivot on both feet 1/2 turn to the L facing outside of circle
Repeat. At the end you should be facing the center of the circle.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Box Step
Hop on R foot facing forward (R hand swings up)
Turn 90 degrees over L shoulder & Hop on L foot (R hand swings down
during turn & up on hop)
Turn 90 degrees over L shoulder & Hop on R foot (R hand swings down
during turn & up on hop)
Hop backwards on L food, R hand swings down.
Brush
(an 8-count step) right foot brushes counter-clockwise and then crosses behind left foot; follow with six grapevine steps.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Chug Step
With weight on R foot and R knee bent, quickly straighten R leg and drag R foot backwards a short distance.
Coupe
Right Coupe
In Right direction… Fall on L, lifting the R, R in place, L joins.
Left Coupe
In Left direction… Fall on R, lifting the L, L in place, R joins.
(can be done holding hands --or--one hand to the front and the other to the back (R hand copies R Foot)
YouTube Demonstration Video - Coupe - CLICK HERE
YouTube Demonstration Video - Coupe Hands - CLICK HERE
Debka StepStep with the right heel to center of circle, and then bring it back to join the left foot. Step with the left heel to center of circle and bring it back to join the right foot. Debka steps are usually bouncy, quick steps.
Debka step can also include a jump on both feet.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Grapevine
Similar to a Mayim, only without a specific amount of counts.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Holding Hands
Right palm up, Left palm down
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Hora 1 "Cha-Cha"
Right Hora
3 quick steps to the Right RLR
Left Hora
3 quick steps to the Left LRL
Front Right Hora
3 quick steps to the center of circle RLR
Front Left Hora
3 quick steps to the center of circle LRL
Back Right Hora
3 quick steps backward RLR
Back Left Hora
3 quick steps backward LRL
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Hora 2
L foot steps L; R foot crosses behind L; L foot steps L
R foot kicks L; L foot kicks R (“Step behind, step kick, step kick”)
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Jazz Square
Step on R foot forward (1), step on L foot across R foot (2), step on R backwards (3), step on L foot to L (4).
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Kibbutz Step
R steps R, L behind, R steps R, L heel to L Side - reverse to L
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Mayim
(Mayim begins by crossing in front)
Right Mayim
L crosses in front of R, R moves R behind L,
L crosses behind R, R moves R behind L.
Left Mayim
R crosses in front of L, L moves L behind R
R crosses behind L, L moves L behind R.
YouTube Video CLICK HERE
Open Mayim
Right Open Mayim
begins with a step to the Right (with R foot) before Left crosses over.
Left Open Mayim
begins with a step to the Left (with L foot) before Right crosses over.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Mayim Lift
(allows for changing of circle direction)
Begin with R Mayim. On 4th count of second R Mayim, lift R foot pointing toes to the left, PAUSE, then use that foot to go directly into L Mayim
Right Mayim with a 7-Up Hop (or 7-Up Lift)
(allows for changing circle direction)
Perform R Mayim twice and replace 4th step with a 7-Up Hop the second time through. Dance goes into Left Mayim twice with a 7-Up Hop.
(Count 12342234Hop) (For Hop) R foot is lifted with toes pointed L, Hop, go directly into a L Mayim with a 7-Up Hop.
YouTube Video Demonstration CLICK HERE
Praise Movement
Part 1
Facing toward center of circle, Double-Hop in R R L L
(R arm rotates from back to front, clap Hands on 3rd count entering)
Hop-Out R R L L (L arm goes upward & over L shoulder)
Part 2
Double-Hop in R R (turn 180 , backing into circle), Hop Backwards L L
Hop Backwards R R - ( R arm rotates backward)
Hop Backwards L L - (L arm rotates backward)
Part 3
Double-Hop Facing Out R R L
(R arm rotates from back to front, clap Hands on 3rd count exiting)
Hop-Backwards toward Center R R L L
(L arm goes upward & over L shoulder)
Part 4
Double-Hop Out R R
(turn 180 degrees, backing out of circle)
Hop Backwards L L
Hop Backwards - R R ( R arm rotates backward)
Hop Backwards - L L (L arm rotates backward)
7-Up Lift
2 L mayims (after the 7th count, lift L foot, pause, 2 R mayims.)
7-Up Lift (or hop) allows you to change the direction of circle movement
YouTube Video Demonstration CLICK HERE
Tcherkessia
(Done to a 4 count – R L R L)
R forward (hands up when you step forward)
L in Place (lifting L, then back down)
R behind (while lifting L in place, then L back down)
L in Place
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Three-Point Turns (and Two-Point Turns)
Right - Facing center of circle, pivot on right foot in clockwise direction until facing outside circle. Step on left and continue pivoting, until facing center of circle; step on right.
Left - Facing center of circle, pivot on left foot in counter-clockwise direction until facing outside circle. Step on right and continue pivoting, until facing center of circle; step on left.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
World Hands
Standing with hands at side, cross hands front lower center, continue circular movement until hands are raised to ceiling.
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Yemenite
Right Yemenite
Imagine a "circle" drawn around your two feet.
Step out of "circle" with R foot to R.
Step out of circle with L foot to behind the R.
Step into circle with R foot
(R steps out of circle; L steps behind R; R steps back into circle)
Left Yemenite
Imagine a "circle" drawn around your two feet.
Step out of "circle" with L foot to L.
Step out of circle with R foot to behind the L.
Step into circle with L foot
(L steps out of circle; R steps behind L; L steps back into circle)
There is also a Back Right Yemenite, Back Left Yemenite, Yemenite-Hop
YouTube Demonstration Video CLICK HERE
Left Yemenite Right Yemenite
