Zohar Dance by Daynee

Recent Articles about Ehud's work in Juvenile Hall

2010-06-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent articles about Ehud's work in Juvenile Hall. Enjoy.

Dance teacher’s hope: heal kids in detention, step by step | j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California

Stanford's Janice Ross to speak on dance class in prison

Stanford program for dance in prison on hold

Connections

2010-06-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Ehud and I attended Teen Dance Company's annual performance. Ehud choreographed a wonderful piece for 6 dancers. Mark Foehringer, the Artistic Director of Teen Dance Company introduced the choreographers and noted that Ehud/Zohar was the first job that he had when he first moved to America. Since that time, Mark taught for Zohar, danced with me as a part of Zohar Dance Company and then went out to do his own choreography. I remember him doing a solo concert and sewing a costume for him. He eventually started his own company and became the Artistic Director of Western Ballet. Presently he still has his own company and is also Artistic Director of Teen Dance Company - and here we - together again!

Enjoying the concert with us were Cathy "Doc" Perman - it is "Doc" because we knew her when she was working on on PhD at Stanford, Elaine Phoutrides - who is a killer cook! Anyone who is a dessert person would truly appreciate Elaine! Elaine's husband Dana - whom Ehud calls "Daddy" - They are fishing partners! And Elaine's daughter Deanna - Ehud choreographed a couple solos for Deanna over the past few years; Susie "Pous Pous" Prohaska - what can I say? I need to think that one over! And Robert - whose name I like to pronounce with a French accent! Before I met him, Susie would write his name in emails, so I decided to make him exotic by giving his name an accent!

Another connection struck me when at Celestial Zenith's wedding the other weekend. Celestial brought Mika Hattori to Zohar, who brought LeeAnne Sera, who is now our dentist! And Celestial also danced at Western!

I met Alessandra di Pierro in Italy way back in '86? She had just married Ken Delmar, who knew Ehud. We basically bumped into each other while walking around Rome! I remember she and Ken stopping by Zohar when we were on California Avenue and she did this gorgeous grand jete across our floor. :) She and Ken directed Western Ballet until they separated and Alessandra continued until Mark took over. Ehud started a Saturday morning class before the 9:30am class specifically for a group of ladies that brought Alessandra to Zohar and you know the rest...

Marny, one of our ballet instructors, taught at Zohar when it first opened its doors! I remember studying with Marny as a newbie and I would marvel (still today) at her musicality, flexibility, and those feet! Marny ended up leaving Zohar for a period of time to teach at Western and now is back again.... We are so fortunate.

And Kristine - Ehud says he first met Kristine in Europe when she was performing.... apparently there are stories that I can't divulge. lol. But I first met Kristine when she was Co-Director/Teacher at Dancers' Stage in San Francisco pregnant with her twin boys! Now get this: Kristine's Co-Director was Yehuda Maor whom Ehud knew from Israel and here they meet up again 1/2 way around the world! When Yehuda and Kristine split ways, I remember it that we had to really work hard to get Kristine to Zohar and I am so glad that we persevered.

On a side note: Kristine studied with Richard Gibson - Richard Gibson first met Ehud in New York (where he also met Ken Delmar) - Ehud helped to facilitate Richard to teach in Israel at Bat Dor - Richard brought Ehud to Palo Alto/Mountain View from Israel - Ehud taught for Richard and helped build the studio on High Street and the studio in Mountain View - "Pacific Ballet" - which became Western Ballet! And Kristine danced with Ken Delmar (see Alessandra) at Stuttgart. Ken Delmar also studied with Richard Gibson. Isn't this an interesting one?!

I am sure there are other connections that will strike me. But I thought these were worth getting out there.

A changing of the guards (writer)

2010-06-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

It has been just over a year since we posted our first blog. And if you have been following any of it you may have noted that there haven't been any posts since last summer! Maile was the contributing writer and when she went back to school the writing stopped. So I have been mulling what I should do with this blog? Between facebook, twitter, emails and the blogs it is a bit overwhelming. I decided that since I am the one that does all the communication via these sites, that I would use the blog as a venue to share some of my random thoughts. I hope that you enjoy. Daynee

Check out this old picture...

2009-07-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is from Zohar's old California Avenue Studio circa 1986!

Zohar Continues to Conquer The Internet!

2009-06-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

You can Yelp! Zohar. :)
Share your positive experience with others.

Zohar has its own Twitter!

2009-06-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

These posts will now be linked to the blog!

Zohar... what? who? why?

2009-05-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Before sharing Zohar's story - I would like to begin with the people that began this company. Specifically, the founder and artistic director, Ehud Krauss. My Mom, Daynee Krauss’ biography is to follow.

Ehud was born in Israel and moved to New York at the age of 25, after serving in the Israeli Army for three years and playing on the Israeli Olympic Volleyball Team.

Quite a resume and this is only the beginning.

Ehud moved to New York with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer. He danced with the Martha Graham Dance Company but decided he didn't like the company’s style. Because of immigration papers he was restricted to only two dance companies - Martha Graham and the Joffrey Ballet. After working with the Joffrey Ballet, he was granted a waiver to study with Alvin Ailey before heading back to Israel for six months with the dream of opening a dance studio.

I must note that these three companies are the Audi, BMW and Mercedes of the Dancing World and made up NYC in the 70’s, 80’s and to this very day.

Despite the success of the studio in Israel, Ehud moved to Mountain View, California following an offer from Richard Gibson (an important figure in the dance community) and then began work with the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in the bay area.

After two years at the JCC, numerous classes at public high schools in the bay area and great success with the community, Zohar seemed inevitable.

So in 1979, Zohar School of Dance was founded at Terman Middle School.

Attached is a photograph of my Father (Ehud) working with an Autistic child in 2007 – Information on his work with Autistic Children and other learning disabilities are to come!

Welcome To Zohar's Blog!

2009-05-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I have decided blog about my parents' dance studio, Zohar, that will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in September 2009.

Over the past 30 years, Zohar has reached thousands of individuals through its dance classes and community outreach programs. It is unique because it reaches special constituents such as children with disabilities, incarcerated youth and children from at-risk communities around the bay area.

My goal is to use this blog to document not only the stories of individuals who have been touched by Zohar's commitment to the community over the past three decades, but also to explore the use of social networking and other forms of new media within a diverse population.

In addition to this goal, I will be working on the anniversary party which I hope will include a multimedia rich time line of Zohar's history. I think it would be fantastic if current and former Zohar students and community members were to post videos and even audio clips of their favorite Zohar memories which I will hopfully be able to mesh together into a final product.

Looking forward to jumpstarting this project!

Maile