Portland Israeli Folk Dance News -- PIFD News
                          Your resource for all the sessions and classes in the Portland metro area.

(Updated 4/18/24) 

Updating website now -- Session leaders, please send any updates for PIFD News to Sue at pifdnews@gmail.com

Dancers: visit FB: Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR - for most current info and

this site, PIFD News, sites.google.com/site/pifdnews - is for basic info

____________

Portland area sessions and classes: 

Sunday afternoons at the SWCC with Sue & Rhona. 

Starting 4/14 SWCC beginners class new time is 2:30 to 3:30. Open dancing new time is 3:30 to 4:50.

Hi Dancers on the SWCC list! 

Spring beginners class at SWCC starts April 14th, see flyer on Facebook: "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR"

Note NEW TIME for beginners SWCC class is 2:30 - 3:30, followed by open dancing NEW TIME 3:30 - 4:50. 

Please contact the SW Community Center to register for the beginners class at: 503-823-2840. 

Open dance is drop in $6, $5 seniors.

Learn/review easy to pick up dances and the stories about them with Sue Wendel at SWCC. Then stay for open dancing with Rhona Feldman. Questions about the class? Email Sue at pifdnews@gmail.com. Registration for the class is required and always open. Please call the SWCC for  price or pro-rated price and to register at 503-823-2840.

OPEN DANCE every Sunday at SWCC afternoon 

Rhona Feldman leads the open dance session (class participants are welcome to stay for no extra charge). Open session includes a variety of dances and requests, and dances learned in class, so beginners get to dance with the welcoming seasoned dancers. $6, $5 seniors.

For those just attending the open dance session, no registration is needed: Drop-in is $6 for the open session, $5 seniors; just pay at the front desk. Questions about the open session? Please email Rhona at rhonaf@comcast.net

Location SWCC

We dance in the bright and beautiful dance studio at the Southwest Community Center, 6820 SW 45th Ave., Portland, OR 97219 - corner of SW Vermont St. and SW 45th Ave., at the northwest corner of Gabriel Park, 503-823-2840.

____________

Sunday evenings at the Water Tower with Donna 

Beginners/review instruction 7 to 7:30, followed by open dancing, 7:30-10:30 pm  

Water Tower Dance Hall, 8936 SW 17th Ave, Portland.  

$7 at door

Questions? Email session leader Donna Cole at donna@donnacolestudio.com or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

Bring your water bottle and change into your dance shoes when you arrive (this protects our beautiful dance floors)

 APRIL HOLIDAY SCHEDULE:  Next week Sunday 4/21 is HAPPENING!  Monday 4/22 is CANCELED for the holiday.

our regular schedule will resume on 4/28.    

I am looking forward to dancing with you this week!

Donna

____________

Monday evenings at Leedy with Donna No dancing 4/22

Beginner/review instruction 7:30, followed by a mix of beginner, classic & new, intermediate level and partner dances, 7:30 - 10:30+. $7

Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Rd in Cedar Mill. (Just east of the Target shared parking lot.)

Questions? Email Donna Cole at donna@donnacolestudio.com or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

____________

Thursday evenings, Cafe Shalom, at the Water Tower with Allison 

Intermediate drop-in class 7-8 pm

Open dance 8 to 10 pm

Water Tower Dance Hall, 8936 SW 17th Ave, Portland.  $7 or $12 (for both)

Questions about WT or EJC dancing? Email session leader Allison Victor at allisuev@gmail.com

____________

Family dance at the Eastside Jewish Commons, for monthly dancing and supporting newer dancers learning easier dances at the EJC. Email Allison for details. Or check Cafe Shalom Facebook Page for details and link to register. 

____________

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN for B'YACHAD '24! Sept. 6-8. See B'YACHAD page this site for registration form.

A weekend of open dance and commeraderie for intermediate and advanced dancers.

Questions? Email Debbi Montrose at debbirm@aol.com to let her know you'll attend.

____________

Contact for local session leaders and teachers:

Donna Cole - donna@donnacolestudio.com, or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

Rhona Feldman - rhonaf@comcast.net 

Debbi Montrose - B'YACHAD PNW annual dance week-end - debbirm@aol.com 

Allison Victor - allisuev@gmail.com

Sue Wendel - pifdnews@gmail.com

Please visit for most current info for all sessions and classes, and more on Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR

________

You asked: What are the "PIFD News" website and the Facebook page 

"Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR"?

This site: Portland Israeli Folk Dance News website, and Facebook page were started after the 40 years of dancing in Portland celebration back in 2013. The missions strive to be the go-to resource for ALL Israeli folk dance sessions and classes in the Portland-metro area, and places for all Portland session leaders to share info. 

PIFD News is your resource for basic Portland session/class info, and includes a B'YACHAD PNW page, 

history, and bios of some of the dancers in Portland. PIFD News (https://sites.google.com/site/pifdnews) managed by Sue Wendel, invites all session leaders to review their current listings on PIFD News and to please send any updates to Sue (pifdnews@gmail.com), including web links, Facebook, Whats App, etc. 

The Facebook page, created by Candi Swan in 2013, is where to find the most current and timely announcements for all Portland sessions and classes and more. All Portland session leaders are admins for the FB page and can post announcements there at any time.

There is also a What's App for all Portland session info and more that you can join, created by Eran Guy in 2022 with some group admins", "Ptld Israeli Folk Dancers. Any admin can help you join.

____________

Wanted: new and return dancers!! 

Did you know that the Portland area has weekly sessions and classes Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays? Whether you haven't danced in a while (think summer camp or your college days), or want to try something new in the new year, we have it all covered. Each week dozens of dancers come together for the joy of dance!

There is beginner and intermediate instruction, circle-line-couples dances, and most of all the joy of dancing, making new friends, and participating in this cultural treasure – over 50 years strong in Portland.

Please see Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR" for current news and info. Questions? Feel free to contact: Sue Wendel, session leader, instructor, and publisher, pifdnews@gmail.com. 

See details and history on this site. (Portland Israeli Folk Dance News: sites.google.com/site/pifdnews)

RECAP: Wow, what a fantastic evening of celebration of over 50 years of dance on June 24th, 2023. Six hours of dancing (and schmoozing) led by Rhona and Nancy, Allison, and Donna. People of all ages, levels, and locations were in attendance celebrating over 50 years of Israeli folk dancing in Portland, and Israel at 75. Made possible by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. See some photos here https://photos.app.goo.gl/a7poWUkHZpzYDEvE9

The evening demonstrated how everyone working together can pull off an event that everyone enjoyed. Specifically it took planners, session leaders, and many volunteers who helped with planning, publicity, food shopping, registration, set-up, decorations, food prep, day of registration, greeters, volunteer coordination, memory table, and clean-up to pull it all together. Thank you, thank you everyone!!

Here is the list of leaders, teachers and volunteers that we have to date. Please let me hear from you if we inadvertently left you off the volunteer list.

Session leaders honored:

Our Portland session leaders from 1972* to present:

Marna Kleinman Snyder 1972-73

Sue Wendel 1973-77, 2013-Present

Ann Fischer (z"l) with Dee Wolf and Bonnie Bliesner 1977 – 1985

Hoa Brown 1986-88

Dudi Amir 1988-2010

William Harvey 1997-2004

Allison Victor 1997-Present

Robin Bacon Shone 2002-2007

Avi Tayar 2002-Present

Donna Cole 2010-Present

Rhona Feldman 2018-Present

*and Bill Nelson early 1960s-Present

* Debbi Montrose, B'YACHAD weekend 2001-Present

2023 Event Sponsor

Jewish Federation of Greater Portland - Mark Blattner, President & CEO

2023 Planners, helpers, and current Session Leaders honored:

Rhona Feldman

Debbi Montrose

Sue Wendel

Nancy Fraser

Allison Victor

Donna Cole

Teachers honored:

Cindy Merrill

Debbi Montrose

Nancy Fraser

Avi Tayar

Melinda Holtzman

Shannon Cahill-Weisser

Anne Woods

David Rutiezer

Dorice Horenstein

Nurit Arton Kahana

Ruti Keenan

Rut Hen

Gary Fox

Heidi Vorst

Volunteers

JoAnna Wendel

Mimi Epstein

Melinda Holtzman

Bonnie Bliesner

Cindy Merrill

Lynne Chassin

Shoshana Siegal

Deborah Nye

Shannon Cahill-Weisser

Gary Fox

Clay Swartz

Elizabeth Didner Why We Dance 2023 interviews

Larry Bliesner

Peter Weiss & Sharah Keenan

Peter Wendel pre tech help

Sarah Coblens

Mia Birk

Gary Sherman

Lisa Dunning

Susan & Bill Nelson

Evie Oxman

Gail Schwartz

Sara Harwin

Susan Swank

Todd Coblens

Eran & Tami Guy

Kathy Voss

Richard Ginnis

Peter Wendel

It was an amazing event, thanks to you.

Questions about sessions and classes?

For current dance sessions, beginner and intermediate classes, and event info please visit Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR".

Just 5 easy questions to answer for the Why We Dance paragraph: (Elizabeth Didner is conducting interviews if you need a "nudge.") Email your paragraph and a photo to Sue at pifdnews@gmail.com

1. When did you start to dance?

2. Where? 

3. Why?

4. Favorite memory? (optional)

5. If you could describe IFD in one word, what would it be?

If you aren't in the 2013 version published 10 years ago (see below) for the 40th anniversary celebration, please submit a short paragraph and photo NOW to be published on PIFD News as they come in. 

____________

See the 2013 40th Anniversary of Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland picture album here 

____________