The spectacular dance parade, which included 1,500 students from the Dance Academy, 24 dance troupes of the schools and Batei Hatalmid, dance departments at the city’s schools, and the 2010 Supplementary Education Dance Troupes as well as guest troupes from across the country, was held on Israel’s 62nd year of independence, and produced by the Raanana Municipality’s Informal Education Administration’s Supplementary Education Division.  

Mayor Nahum Hofree welcomed the participants and said: “”The Dance Parade has become a Raanana tradition, in the unique spirit of the city, reflecting its values of love of the country, through song and dance.”

Deputy Mayor Aryeh Friedman, in charge of Informal Education, said that “The dance parade is an educational creative project in which 1,500 students of the Dance Academy, and Raanana dance troupes and dance troupes from across the country all take part.”

This year’s theme was:  “International Dance Carnival – Different Shades of Israeli Dance”, including international dance styles and their impact on Israeli music and dance.  The dance troupes performed dances to suit this year’s theme, such as tarantella, Can-Can, country, Irish, Cuban, African, Indian, Greek, Russian, Flamenco, Tango, Salsa and other dance styles.  Children from the dance academy will dance in circles, couples and in lines, to carnival and Horah music.

The dance parade opened with a march, with members of volunteer organizations, veterans, school bands, soccer academies and Hapoel Raanana, the boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball academy, Bnei Hasharon, handball academy, Raananet Netball league, Hasharon Bicycle Group, new immigrants and immigrant organizations, Macabi Argentina, HaBrika Club, TZAMERET, the study centers all taking part alongside large colorful floats.

The culmination will include 24 dance troupes, with 1,500 dancers dancing together in two Israeli folkdances.  At the end of the parade, the thousands of spectators will join the circles of dances and Ahuza Street will be filled with enthusiastic folk dancers celebrating the holiday.

IN the photos:  Raanana  children dancing along Ahuza Street.  Photographer: Dror Einav.