he establishment of Israel
Following
Following the establishment of Israel in 1948, Dalya festivals continued to pro- mote Israeli folk dance. Within the fledgling Israeli society, the dances presented were politically valued as they
… spread to the towns and cities as well and conquered the youth, helped to inte- grate new migrants into the country, shaped the character of big celebrations like Independence Day, etc. and were also received enthusiastically by Jews all over the world who quickly took them as a means of identification with the new Israeli culture.36
At the same time that dabkeh was helping to establish and legitimize Israeli cul- tural identity around the world,37 the recognition of the indigenous population of Pal- estine as a source for dabkeh began to disappear from Israeli dance discourse. Israeli dance texts in the 1950s begin to discuss the “rich” and “vibrant” contributions of the newly arrived Yemeni Jews, and give only passing mention to a vague influence from the more “monotonous” “Arab” dabkehs.38 Israeli choreographers in subsequent generations placed a greater emphasis on the creative adaptations of the Israeli folk choreographers than on the cultural sources.39 This extended the philosophy of earlier Zionist choreographers like Rivka Sturman, who attested,
32. Corrine Chochem and Muriel Roth, Palestine Dances! (New York
… spread to the towns and cities as well and conquered the youth, helped to inte- grate new migrants into the country, shaped the character of big celebrations like Independence Day, etc. and were also received enthusiastically by Jews all over the world who quickly took them as a means of identification with the new Israeli culture.36
At the same time that dabkeh was helping to establish and legitimize Israeli cul- tural identity around the world,37 the recognition of the indigenous population of Pal- estine as a source for dabkeh began to disappear from Israeli dance discourse. Israeli dance texts in the 1950s begin to discuss the “rich” and “vibrant” contributions of the newly arrived Yemeni Jews, and give only passing mention to a vague influence from the more “monotonous” “Arab” dabkehs.38 Israeli choreographers in subsequent generations placed a greater emphasis on the creative adaptations of the Israeli folk choreographers than on the cultural sources.39 This extended the philosophy of earlier Zionist choreographers like Rivka Sturman, who attested,
32. Corrine Chochem and Muriel Roth, Palestine Dances! (New York
