Erev Ba (Evening Comes)

           Dance by Rivka Sturman, Music by A. Levanon

      Notes by Phillip M. Feldman  Last update Dec. 12, 2004

This easy two-part dance can be done either in a circle or in couples.
Parts 1 and 2 alternate. The notes are given for the circle format;
modifications for the couple form appear at the end.

        Part 1: Hands are joined to close circle.  Begin facing
        center.

   1-2: Step to right with R and cross L in front, bending both
        knees slightly.
   3-4: Step in-place on R and step to left with L.
   5-8: Traveling and facing CW (reverse LOD): Step forward with R,
        close L to R, step forward with R, and pause.
  9-10: Step backward on L and step to the right with R (you should
        now be facing center again).
 11-14: Travel to the right with four counts of Mayim-left (cross L
        in front of R, step to the right with R, cross L behind R,
        and step to the right with R).
 15-16: Cross L in front of R (without bending knees) and pause.
 17-32: Repeat counts 1-16.

        Part 2: Hands are not joined.  Begin facing center.

   1-3: Make a three-step turn to the right with R-L-R.
   4-8: Double-chirkassia: Cross L in front of R, rock back onto R,
        step to left with L, cross R in front of L, and rock back
        onto L.
  9-16: Repeat counts 1-8.
        Turn right shoulder to point towards center of circle and
        travel inwards:
 17-18: Step (or make a tiny leap) to the right with R and cross L
        in front, bringing hands together at waist level and
        snapping fingers on 18.
 19-22: Repeat counts 17-18 twice more.
 23-24: (Transition) rock back onto R and step to left with L.
 25-26: Traveling outward: Cross R in front of L and step to left
        with L, snapping fingers on 26.
 27-28: Repeat 25-26.
 29-30: Cross R in front of L and rock back onto L.
 31-32: Make a two-step turn to the right with R-L.

        Couple form of dance:

Couples stand with the woman in front of and slightly to the right of
the man. Right hands are joined at shoulder level; left hands are joined
at waist level. The steps are exactly the same as in the circle format
except that in the second part only the woman does the turns; also,
hands remain joined during the second part; when the woman turns, drop
left hands, but the right hands should remain loosely in contact even
during the turns.