Fonds - Ami Hai Israeli Dance Company fonds

Ami Hai(meaning my people live)was formed in l970 when Sylvia Rosenes and Iris Jurek's Jewish dance class combined with a group of male dancers led by Dr. Roger Wells. It evolved as a performing group from a series of folk dance programs offered by the Jewish Community Centre to the Ottawa dance community. The Company drew its dancers from both within the Jewish community as well as from other ethnic roots. Company members have combined their formal dance training with a specific interest in perpetuating the style and character of the dances of Israel and the Jewish people. For this the Company owes much of its success to noted Israeli dance personality Moshiko whose career as a choreographer has perpetuated the centuries-old cultural traditions of the Yemenites and other Oriental groups living in Israel. All of the dances, Yemenite, Hassidic and modern, were created by Moshiko. Performance highlights included the National Arts Centre, Ontario Place, Bishops University, Laval University and "Ontario on Parade", a Folk Arts Council presentation which toured Olympic sites in 1976. Ami Hai placed among the top three companies in Canada, at the International Molson's awards in Toronto in 1978.