What Goes Into A Good Horah?
The horah is our favourite part of any Jewish wedding. The horah is a passionate Israeli dance where guests energetically dance around the couple to klezmer music and this is also the part of the wedding where you’ll see the couple lifted on chairs, tossed on a sheet or balance on a table … (more about that later).
It is an amazing challenge for any photographer or videographer to capture this moment. Will you get sweaty? Yes. Is there a chance you might rip your dress or suit? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
So, given how integral the horah is to any Jewish celebration, how do you make it happen? Here are some tips to getting everybody at your wedding involved in this lively and brilliant tradition.
Hire a Band
If your budget can accommodate, we highly recommend a live band with horah music in their repertoire. If live entertainment is out of budget, put together a playlist for your DJ to ensure they play the horah songs you want to hear. If you’re not sure where to start, YouTube is a great source of inspiration for horah songs.
Photo by Izabela Rachwal Photography
Appoint Horah Leads
We recommend hiring a ‘horah lead’ AKA ‘party starter’ from your band. This person will maintain energy throughout the event, encourage guests to get on the dance floor and show everyone what to do when horah time comes. At a minimum, you should appoint some experienced family or wedding party members to lead the hora dancing and encourage the rest of the guests to join.
Photo by KAMP Photography
Accessorize
It’s not for every wedding, but some friends and families organize humorous props and accessories ahead of the wedding day to include in the horah. Earlier, we mentioned sheets or tables in place of chairs for the adventurous. You could also consider trampolines, parachutes, hoola hoops, enlarged photos of the couple, jerseys of their favorite sports team – the options are endless and it keeps the horah interesting.
Hold On Tight
We cannot reiterate this point enough – for optimal safety, arm chairs for the couple are a MUST. You should also discuss with your planner and band exactly WHO you expect will get on chairs – just the couple? Parents? Siblings?
Photo by KAMP Photography
Start Time
There’s no right or wrong time to dance the horah, but it should be carefully scheduled in your day. Some couples dance prior to dinner service while others opt to schedule the horah after dinner to kick off the dancing. Some wait until even later in the evening, depending on your band or DJ contract.
If you’re unsure, chat with your band, DJ and wedding planner to ensure optimal flow and guest experience.
Photo by Luminous Weddings
Hora Length
Generally, the horah is danced for anywhere from five to twenty minutes but we’ve seen them run up to forty minutes as well. It really depends on the demographic of your guests, and how important it is to you.
The best thing to do is to have your musicians and wedding planner make the call as the horah progresses, since guests might be up for a longer horah than you planned for, or they might fade quicker than you anticipated.
Photo by Engaging Images
Regardless of band or DJ, pre-dinner or after, put all your energy into this memorable part of the wedding – take it all in and celebrate with those nearest and dearest to you. See you on the dance floor!
Need help with your wedding day plans? Send us an email alli@allimae.com