Last week we went for a walk to Mont Royal. We ran into some international folk dancing festival. There must have been 150 people there. Some were dressed up.
It seemed that the music and dancing style was %95 Bulgarian and the people who were dressed up were wearing traditional Bulgarian clothes. To make it an ‘international event,’ they played a song or two in some other languages.
But here’s what blew my mind. The song ‘Hine Ma Tov,’ which I think is by the Miami Boys Choir, suddenly came on, and there were around 150 people dancing in step to the song. It was obviously not their first time hearing this Jewish tune. The steps most have been practiced dozens of times over the course of weeks or months to have them so fluid.
We as Jewish people have long been taking music from the non-Jews but this is the first time I’ve heard non-Jews take Jewish music and make it theirs.
Maybe there were a couple Jews there. It is possible. But certainly not a trace of religious enough Jews to know about Miami Boys Choir.
The video was shot on an iPhone, the lighting wasn’t too great, but it gives an idea.
WARNING – There are a few seconds of some blurred females dancing in this clip. They are fully dressed in traditional clothing, though I can’t guarantee it will meet all standards of modesty. Please to not watch if you may be offended by this.
