Folklore festival weekend 2026
The Weekend of your dreams
Join us for four unforgettable days and nights of Israeli folk dance, live drumming, festive meals, and late-night celebrations. This enchanting celebration is held at Eisner Camp in the stunning Berkshire Mountains. The festival is dedicated to preserving Israeli folk dance and folklore while promoting creativity and fostering community engagement.
Dates
May 21–25, 2026
Location
Camp Eisner, Great Barrington, MA, USA
Mottio
Living to Dance. Dancing to Live
Weekend Features & Highlights
This weekend is packed with energy, culture, and joy, blending community, culture, and celebration lasting from morning to dawn. You can dance until dawn, share in community meals, explore rare dances, and celebrate Shavuot with rhythm, connection, and tradition.
Dance instructions
- World-class Israeli dance teachers & tribute sets honoring legends of the field.
- Partner, circle, and curated marathon dance sessions for all levels.
- 4 Non-stop, no-repeat Curated Marathons with Requests.
- Open and Request Dancing.
- Late-night jam sessions & rare dances for the dedicated enthusiasts.
- Folklore roundtables and partner labs.
Music rhytim
- Immersive drumming workshops connecting rhythm to movement.
- Live DJ sets and themed dance parties.
- Jam Sessions.
- Miss-A-Step, Drumming sessions and Surprises.
Shavuot & Shabbat Celebrations
- Cultural feasts & festive meals celebrating Shavuot traditions.
- From the Dairy Feast of First Fruits to marathon dance parties.
- Full Shavuot Celebrations.
- Festive Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah.
Weekend Features & Highlights
This weekend is packed with energy, culture, and joy, blending community, culture, and celebration lasting from morning to dawn. You can dance until dawn, share in community meals, explore rare dances, and celebrate Shavuot with rhythm, connection, and tradition.
Embracing New Talent: New Faces of Folkdance
We are excited to introduce a dynamic team of five younger instructors and choreographers who are here to lead our community. This initiative is part of our commitment to refreshing the dance experience by incorporating new faces into our teaching roster.
- Fresh Energy: Young instructors bring a vibrant enthusiasm that ignites passion.
- Diverse Perspectives: They offer firsthand experiences with contemporary dance trends and styles, enriching their teaching.
- Innovation: Fresh perspectives often lead to innovative teaching methods that can transform traditional practices.
- Connecting Generations: Younger teachers can relate closely to the interests and challenges faced by today’s youth.
Embracing the energy and creativity of our younger instructors revitalizes the dance experience and cultivates an environment where tradition meets innovation.
What's Included & Logistics
The festival package ensures a seamless experience.
- Packages: 4-night and 3-night packages are available.
- Pricing: Priced from $700 – $950 PP all inclusive.
- Special Pricing: Available for early booking, Under 40, Children**, Full payment, volunteers and offshore residents. (**Children’s rates).
- Lodging: Room sizes range from 2-20 persons. Bedding, pillows, and towels are provided for convenience.
- Meals: All meals, snacks, and communal activities are included.
- The menu is Kosher* and Kosher Style. Ample Snacks and beverages are provided.
- *All Kosher products.
Additional Activities
Attendees can participate in diverse activities such as:
- Storytelling with guest artists.
- Artisan workshops focused on traditional crafts.
- Hands-on workshops, including culinary delights like pita and babaganoush.
- Cheese and scotch-tasting workshops.
- Nature Hikes.
- Meditation in Motion.
- Festive campfire and sing-a-longs.
A Festival for Every Generation.
Weekend Dance Festival – Fun for All Ages!
Bring the whole family to a weekend filled with music, movement, and joy! Our festival isn’t just for adults—special programming ensures teens and children can join the celebration, learn new steps, and feel the rhythm of community.
Why Families Should Join:
- Youth Dance Workshops – Fun, beginner-friendly classes designed to spark creativity and confidence.
- Family Dance Hours – Parents and children dancing together in a welcoming environment.
- Cultural Exploration – Teens and kids discover traditional and modern dance styles from around the world.
- Festival Treats – Family-friendly food options and plenty of energy for dancing!
Meet Our Team
Michal is a 48-year-old dancer and the mother of 15-year-old twins, Shir and Omri. She has been dancing since childhood, beginning with jazz, tap, modern dance, and hip-hop. Over the years, she performed with a professional tap company, a folk dance troupe, and the student ensemble of renowned choreographer Shlomo Maman. Since 2008, Michal has been a certified Israeli folk dance instructor, teaching both women’s groups and mixed groups. In 2010, she joined the instructional team of Moshiko Halevy, further expanding her professional experience. She has taught workshops and participated as an instructor in dance camps across Europe. In addition to her dance career, Michal has a background in computer engineering and is also a trained Pilates instructor specializing in bone-strengthening exercise.
Oren Bachar was truly born into the world of Israeli folk dance. The son of a folk-dance instructor, he grew up surrounded by music, rhythm, and choreography. From early childhood he danced both in Israeli folk-dance companies and in classical ballet ensembles, developing a deep technical foundation alongside a strong cultural connection to the art form. At the age of 15, Oren began leading his own dance sessions in the city of Ashkelon, marking the start of what is now more than 32 years of continuous work as a professional Israeli folk-dance instructor. Over the years, he has taught and performed internationally, including in France, China, Belgium, England, and other countries. Oren has created over 40 circle and couple dances, some of them in collaboration with his wife, Michal. Today he directs three weekly dance sessions and works with multiple municipalities on large open Saturday dance events in Holon, Ramat Gan, and Petah Tikva.
Keren Houri began Israeli Dancing in the 3rd grade, in a special school program in Be’er Sheva, Israel. From the age of 17, she began dancing in regular sessions. Keren has a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, complimented by the completion of the Israeli Dance Leader’s Course and the Israeli Dance Choreographer’s Course under Shlomo Maman. Since then, she has lead sessions for youth, for seniors, women’s only sessions, as well as general sessions. Keren has worked with Rafi Ziv for 12 years, assisting him in teaching and demonstrating dances, and also leading the beginner’s session. For the last 20 years, you have likely seen her in videos, supporting and demonstrating dances with Rafi Ziv, Tamir Shalev, Moti Alfassy, Dudu Barzilai, and others. In 2025, Keren has 4 sessions of her own, including a session for the families of fallen IDF soldiers. Keren brings passion, patience, professionalism, precision, and energy to her leadership. She has lead specialty sessions in both the Karmiel and Ashdodance Festivals, and has performed in multiple dance competitions. She can be found dancing all over Israel, from the latest hits, to nostalgia sessions, and all the extreme dances in between.
Mickey Huber is an accomplished Israeli Dance leader and choreographer with over 30 years of experience. Having taught in both the United States and Israel, Mickey has shared the joy of Israeli dance with communities worldwide. A former performer with the renowned Parparim Dance Ensemble in New York City, Mickey spent nearly 20 years dancing and teaching in NY, NJ, and Philly, as well as visiting Florida, Los Angeles, Boston, Toronto, and others, before making Aliyah 14 years ago. Mickey has learned directly from some of the Masters of Israeli Dance like Danny Uziel, Moshe Eskayo, Moshiko Halevy, Yankele Levy, Shmulik Gov-Ari, and others. Known for precise instruction and a deep respect for the choreographer’s original vision, Mickey brings authenticity and passion to every session, camp, and festival.
Meet Our Team
Join us from may 21-25, 2026, for a journey of dance, rhythm, culture, and connection. we cant wait to celebrate with you.
This enchanting celebration is held at Eisner Camp in the stunning Berkshire Mountains. The festival is dedicated to preserving Israeli folk dance and folklore while promoting creativity and fostering community engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions.
When and where is the Maayan Neurim Folklore Weekend being held?
The event runs from May 21–25, 2026, at Camp Eisner in Great Barrington, MA, USA.
What types of packages are available, and what is the cost?
We offer 4-night and 3-night packages. The package pricing is $700 – $950 per person, all-inclusive.
Are meals included, and are there dietary considerations?
Yes, all meals, snacks, and beverages are included. The menu is Kosher and Kosher Style, using all Kosher products.Let us knpw in advance about special requirements.
What are the main activities focused on?
The weekend focuses on Israeli folk dance, immersive drumming workshops, cultural feasts for Shavuot, and curated marathon dance sessions including tributes.
What makes this year's teaching staff unique?
We are introducing a dynamic team of ‘New Faces of Folkdance,’ which includes five younger instructors and choreographers. This brings fresh energy, diverse perspectives, and innovative teaching styles to the community.