The Bay Area dance team is stretching to make ties with Israel. Literally.
Seven dancers are among 10 young athletes flying in from Holon, Israel, to compete as members of Bay Area Maccabi teams.
“Through several visits to Israel and past games, the JCCSF has forged a relationship with a matnas, or community center, in Holon, Israel,” explained Maccabi dance coach Vivian Lo. The Israelis are expected to arrive Sunday, July 26, and will practice with the San Francisco team daily.
The team boasts 27 routines in eight disciplines: ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip hop, Israeli, tap and open. The group practices three times a week, for up to six hours at a stretch, learning routines and gelling into a cohesive unit.
The Games format gives athletes a challenge, along with an opportunity to grow socially and creatively. “It really pushes the dancers to refine what they’ve got,” said Lo. “The nature of the competition is pretty friendly, so winning isn’t everything, but it gives them something to work toward.”
For example, team member Evan Kharrazi, 14, of Alameda, has made dancing his full-time passion. He attends the Oakland School for the Arts during the day to refine his technique, then crosses the bay to practice for the five routines he will perform with the JCCSF team. When he returns home, he stretches for at least an hour.
A self-described “control freak” when it comes to his dancing, Kharrazi finds the Maccabi a refreshing chance to loosen up. He is performing a duet for the games, outside of his more rigid ballet training. “It’s giving me a chance to loosen my body,” he said.
The camaraderie is another plus. “We had Israeli athletes come and experience our team here. I have kept in touch with some in Israel. I know two athletes this year are in Israel now,” he said. “I do this so that I can meet other Jewish athletes.”
Kharrazi enjoys “getting to know each athlete, not just how they dance, but how they take their personality into their dance.”
Said Lo, “I’ve seen them grow as dancers and people.”
A dancer who was intrigued by the JCCSF’s Craigslist posting for a coach, Lo finds the experience rewarding in many ways.
“When I show up at practice to see that they are focused and ready to work, it is gold. … I enjoy giving the kids individual attention, hence I love coaching.
“I have also learned a lot for myself during this experience … both for my own dancing and my personal growth.”