Somehow on every spring season, there is at least a plant that I am attracted to, this time it’s the blossoming pink tree.
Up close, one could see dainty and miniature ballerinas dressed up in dazzling pink tutus swaying with flair on the branches.
Though I never desire to be a ballerina with puffy pink dance-ware, these fairy-like ballerinas do remind me of a ballet-like dance I learned recently at the Israeli folk dancing class.
When the new dance was first introduced, I almost wanted to give up learning due to the many twisting and turning that caused my head spinning with dizziness.
But when the instructor mentioned that the dance is about a tree story, I suddenly become very alert, for I love anything related to trees. The instructor had turned my “mourning” into “dancing” mode^^
The title of the dance is called “Ilan”, in Hebrews means “tree”.
When the choreographer first heard the song, he was instantly drawn by the captivating melody.
And when he learned about the parable behind the song, he was even more intrigued by the music. The parable is about how a blessing tree which blessed others, was being blessed extravagantly.
Since then, the song and the story had been dancing in the choreographer’s head and a year later, the dancer unleashed the music through all those swaying, twirling and arms stretching dance motions.
Here’s the story behind the dance.
After I learned about the interpretation of his dance, I began to pay close attention to each of the movements.
And now with my arms stretched out reminiscent of branches, I am imagining myself whirling gracefully with the ballerinas in pink tutu on a breezy spring day.
Ilan by Elad Shtamer, the choreographer.
