There will be no sitting still when the 12 Corners Klezmer Band performs its dance music at the University of Rochester on Saturday, Jan. 29.
For three hours beginning at 8:30 p.m., dancers will be encouraged to join in circle and line dances around the Spurrier Hall dance studio on the River Campus. Steps will be demonstrated so that everyone can move to the rousing, infectious sounds of klezmer. The klezmer performance is part of the University Dance Program's Performing Artist Series, which features lecture-demonstrations, workshops, and performances by acclaimed artists and educators.
Based on folk melodies ranging from the joyous to the melancholy, klezmer music arose in Jewish communities in eastern Europe. The music is enjoying a popular revival at concerts, weddings, and bar and bat mitzvahs.
The 12 Corners Klezmer Band was founded in 1994 and was featured in performance at Chautauqua Institution last summer. The seven-piece ensemble has performed at a number of regional concerts and events and released a CD last year, Git Azoy .
The Dance Program also has announced the opportunity to subscribe to the remainder of its Performing Artist Series this spring. The subscription series will include four performances: choreographer/dancer Claire Porter on Saturday, Feb. 19, the dance and performance group Freefall on Saturday, March 18; Turkish singer/composer Latif Bolat on Friday, April 7; and musician/performance artist Robert Een, who has composed extensively for film, dance, and theater, on Saturday, April 15.
The cost for a series subscription is $20, and patrons will be sent tickets in advance of the events. Admission to each individual event is $7. For more information or to subscribe to the series, contact the Dance Program at 273-5150.