Dance Groups - 2026 Festival
Avirah
President: Shoshi Braier
Artistic Director: Pearly Gal-Edd
Gesher
Artistic Director and Choreographers: Aliza Shalvi, Nathan Abend, Katie Friedman
Avirah is University of Maryland's Israeli Dance Troupe. Originally formed in 1997 and revived in 2013, Avirah is now a strong performing group with diverse dance backgrounds. Avirah performs on campus, in the Greater Washington DC area, and at Israeli Dance Festivals along the East Coast. More information about Avirah can be found on their website.
Gesher, a newly formed Israeli dance troupe in the DMV area, is thrilled to debut in its first year at the DC Israeli dance festival! We serve as a *bridge*, transitioning from elementary to middle school, providing 6th graders the opportunity to learn the foundations of Israeli dance. This unique group of dancers is excited to light up the stage with smiles and their love of dancing for everyone as they go through this pivotal year.
Horah Arayot
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Lisah Sandler Bernstein
The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School’s Lower School Israeli Dance program was created to develop a strong connection to k’lal Yisrael, the community of Israel and the Jewish people, and Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel in its students. Israeli dance is a powerful and joyful way for students to learn about Israeli culture and history and to develop community.
Keff
Manager: Judy Kerbel
Choreographer: Abby Kerbel
Keff is made up of dancers who have a wide-ranging history of
performance in Argentina, Israel and all over the United States. While some of our dancers have performed recently in the Washington and Boston Israeli Dance Festivals, for others this is the first time back on the stage after many years.
Kesem
Artistic Directors and Choreographers: Marnina Cowan and Hannah Weisman
Mavrik
Directors: Julie Berg and Amalia Safer
Kesem is the DC area Israeli dance troupe for 7th and 8th graders. Kesem was created to transition middle school students into Yesodot. Members of the group meet locally once a week to learn new dances and to share their growing love of Israeli folk dance.
Mavrik is a women's Israeli dance troupe in Washington, DC Their style mixes traditional Israeli dance with a modern twist. In addition to the Israeli Dance Festival DC, Mavrik also performs in the Israel Folkdance Festival Boston.
Milton - Lehavot
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Marnina Cowan
Milton - Orot
Artistic Directors and Choreographers: Jennie Berger and Sherry Fox
The Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation's Capital has developed an Israeli dance curriculum across all grades. The goals of the program include
exposure to various aspects of Israeli culture and Jewish heritage. This curriculum is in complete harmony with the school's mission and core values and is an example of the integration of the arts in Jewish education. Today the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders represent the more than 400 dancers at Milton with pride and joy.
The Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation's Capital has developed an Israeli dance curriculum across all grades. The goals of the program include
exposure to various aspects of Israeli culture and Jewish heritage. This curriculum is in complete harmony with the school's mission and core values and is an example of the integration of the arts in Jewish education. Today the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders represent the more than 400 dancers at Milton with pride and joy.
Milton - Zikukim
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Sherry Fox
The Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation's Capital has developed an Israeli dance curriculum across all grades. The goals of the program include exposure to various aspects of Israeli culture and Jewish heritage. This curriculum is in complete harmony with the school's mission and core values and is an example of the integration of the arts in Jewish education. Today the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders represent the more than 400 dancers at Milton with pride and joy.
Rikudei Yachad
Director: Hannah Weisman
Manager: Jessica Weisman
Rikudei Yachad is celebrating 5 years as the DMV's young adult Israeli Dance performance troupe. Founded in 2021, are composed of college students and young professionals with diverse dance backgrounds. We welcome everyone - from lifelong dancers to those who take their first "heya step" in our rehearsal and everyone in between. In addition to our annual performance at DC Festival, we teach and perform at various communities around the DMV.
TnuOT
Abby Kerbel, Director & Choreographer
TnuOT is Northern Virginia's first and only Independent Jewish Teen Dance Troupe! In their second year, they are excited to make their IDFDC debut. Jewish students in grades 7-12 of diverse backgrounds and dance experiences have come together to share a love of Israeli Dance and become great friends in the process. We are appreciative of Congregation Olam Tikvah in Fairfax, VA, for their support in providing rehearsal space. We can't wait to represent NoVa at the Israeli Dance Festival DC!
Yesodot
Co-Directors: Mike Fox and Marnina Cowan
Assistant Director: Hannah Weisman
Director Emeritus and Founder: Pepe Strauss
Yesodot, an Israeli dance troupe comprised of high school teenagers from the Washington, DC area, prides itself on its ability to share Jewish culture with Jews and non-Jews through the medium of folk dance. The performances help audiences understand more about the land of Israel and the diverse backgrounds of the Jewish people. The dancers perform at many religious schools, old-age homes, and local/national Jewish and multi-ethnic folk festivals in the Baltimore/Washington area.