  
|
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
Syosset, New York
|
|
Do you remember the old Eastman Kodak commercial, "Daddy's Little Girl," which uses a father's dance with his "tokhter" (daughter) to showcase many such dances through their lives "tsuzamen" (together)? My dad, who is now 93, believed that once you're confident in dancing, you're confident in practically everything.
No, he was not what Paul Dickson calls a "Gourmet Parent"--someone who would have toddlers studying Russian, claim their children would rather be at the National Gallery of Art than Disneyland, and would opt for a good nutritious lentil soup over a Whopper and fries. He was, however, sensitive to the pain, pleasures and problems of raising a teenager.
"Oygust" (August) 1958 Our whole family left Rockaway Beach, New York, to "vakatsye" (vacation) in Miami Beach. Mom, who suffered from hay fever, joined a group of other allergic people known as the "Pollen Dodgers."
The calypso dance was already out and I had never learned how to do the "ikerdik" (basic) steps. And now the Cha-Cha was "in."
In "der hotel" nightclub I overheard dad whisper to mom, "Marge does a terrfic fox trot--no matter what "di kapelye" (the band) is playing." He was right!
Dad would have agreed with Christopher Morley, "Dancing: wonderful training for girls; it's the first way to learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it." At dad's insistence, I enrolled in "finf (5) half-hour dance lessons at the poolside dance studio, with the hope that this "meydl" would enjoy new poise and self confidence . . .and be popular with the boys.
The dance "lerer" (instructor) explained that the Cha- Cha was an offshoot of the Mambo--and a "shnel" (fast) rhythmic ballroom dance of Latin-American origin. The dance had a basic pattern of three steps and a shuffle. 1-2-3-and 4, 1-2-3-and 4. "Eyns, tsvey, dray un fir." Quick-quick-quick and split. I mastered the Crossover and could maneuver the open turn, ending in an apart position. The Half Chase and the Kick Step, however, were a Herculean task. "Ummiglekh" (impossible)!
At the first sign of frustration, dad would say in Yiddish, "Gornisht iz nisht shver--men badarf nor kenen." (Nothing is too difficult--you only have to know it!)
"Fuftsik" (50) years later, I'm not convinced that his sure-fire formula on how to be popular with the boys worked. I've faked my way through the Twist, LaPachanga, the Bossa Nova, the Monkey, and breakdancing. My household "budzhet" (budget) and "knippel" (a personal stash) was used to take dance lessons at Arthur Murray, get aquainted parties at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, and Lambada Night at the Holiday Inn in Hauppauge, New York. I've participated in HIP SYNCH, a Jan Leary term for someone who imitates dancers on a rock video, and written to Elizabeth A. Rappaport for details about her ethnic dance school called "Little Shop of HORAS."
Happy Father's Day, Dad. As Fred Astaire would say, "Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a "bisl" (a little)."
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z |
| Yiddish
Stuff Jewish Humor Schmooze News More Majorie Wolfe |
Principle Jewish Stories All Things Jewish Jewish Communities of the World |