THE DANCE OF THE NIKUDOT

Descriptions by Yehudit Goldfarb, Ph.D. (copyright 1994)

Starting position: Stand with feet parallel, pelvis width apart, weight evenly distributed on both feet and knees slightly bent, arms slightly curved at your sides with palms facing backward and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Kamatz ("ah") -- Keter

1. Inhale as you bend knees and bring your hands back-to-back in front of body.

2. Turn fingertips inward toward body and then upward in a circular motion.

3. Straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent, and bring elbows, forearms, and wrists together as you raise arms upward and turn palms toward each other.

4. When wrists are level with forehead, open your fingertips so they point to the sides and palms face upward.

5. Forming a kametz, make an "ah" sound as you exhale.

6. Continue sounding as you separate wrists and with fingertips leading move your arms toward sides, palms facing upward.

7. Gradually turn palms outward toward sides and bring arms down in an arc with base of palms leading.

8. As arms near sides of body, lower fingertips, turn palms first toward your thighs and then face them forward slightly to the side and in front of your thighs.

9. Repeat sequence from Step (1) eight more times, ending the last sequence by lowering hands to sides with elbows slightly bent, fingertips pointing toward the earth, and circling palms so they turn first forward and then backward in a wavelike motion.


Patakh ("ah") -- Khokhmah

1. Bend your knees as you turn palms toward each other, and then place the back of your left hand on top of the inside of your right hand with your thumb tips touching and with your palms facing upward in front of pelvis.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent, and as you raise your linked hands in an arc until your palms face the earth.

3. Form a straight line between your elbows with palms facing the earth and arms parallel to the ground in front of chest and your thumb tips still touching.

4. Forming a patakh, make an "ah" sound as you exhale.

5. Move your arms in an arc outward from the body and lower them with your left hand still resting inside of your right hand until palms face upward again.

6. Bend your knees and repeat sequence from step (2) eight more times, ending with unlinking your hands and bringing palms to your sides so they face backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Tzere ("ay") -- Binah

1. Bend knees and turn palms forward.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent and raise your hands upward to neck height with arms parallel.

3. Slowly circle your wrists so palms face forward with with elbows bent in a right angle and fingers slightly curled as if holding two small balls.

4. Forming a tzere, make an "ay" sound as you exhale.

5. Slowly lower your arms, palms facing downward, until your hands are at your sides, palms facing backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.

6. Repeat the full sequence eight more times.


Segol ("eh") -- Khesed

1. In preparation, raise your arms in front of chest so that your elbows are slightly bent with your wrists crossed, right hand outside and palms facing each other.

2. Bending your knees, lower your arms to waist level and then open them in a circular movement toward the sides.

3. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent and continue circling your arms outward and then upward in an arc with palms facing outward.

4. When your arms pass shoulder height, tilt your head back as you continue circling your outward facing palms above your head until palms face the sky, shoulder width apart with fingers slightly curled as if holding two small balls.

5. Forming a segol with your open mouth being the lower dot, make an "eh" sound as you exhale.

6. Lower your chin and look forward as you lower your hands by crossing wrists in front of your face with right arm outside and palms facing each other.

7. Repeat sequence from Step (2) eight more times, ending by bringing palms to your sides so that they face backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Sh'va (staccato "e") -- Gevurah

1. Bend knees and turn palms forward.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent and raise your hands upward until right hand is about six inches in front of your face and left hand is about six inches in front of chest.

3. Slowly circle your wrists so palms face forward with fingers slightly curled as if holding two small balls.

4. Forming a sh'va, make a staccato "e" sound and then exhale quietly.

5. Slowly lower your arms, palms facing downward, until your hands are at your sides, palms facing backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.

6. Repeat the full sequence eight more times.


Kholam ("oh") -- Tiferet

1. Bend knees and turn palms forward.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent and raise your arms upward and bring hands together so that fingertips and thumbs are touching to form a circle in front of your chest.

3. Bend your head forward as you continue the upward movement of your arms until the circle formed by your fingers is above your head with thumbs under index fingers.

4. Forming a kholam with your bent head and straight spine forming the letter Vav, make an "oh" sound as you exhale.

5. Continue sounding as you open your hands in a circular motion outward toward the sides with palms facing outward and slowly lift your head upright.

6. Continue lowering your hands to your sides in an arc.

7. Repeat full sequence eight more times, ending the last sequence by lowering hands to sides with elbows slightly bent, fingertips pointing toward the earth, and circling palms so they turn first forward and then backward in a wavelike motion.


Khirek ("ee") -- Netzakh

1. Bend knees and turn palms forward.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent and raise your arms upward and bring hands together so that fingertips and thumbs are touching to form a circle with thumbs under index fingers about six inches in front of neck.

3. Forming a khirek, make an "ee" sound as you exhale.

4. Continue sounding while you bend your knees and separate your hands in a diagonal movement downward and toward the sides with palms facing the earth and your back and head bent forward in a diagonal line.

5. Raise your back to an upright position as you turn your palms forward and repeat sequence from Step (2) eight more times, ending the last sequence by circling palms so they turn backward in a wavelike motion so that your hands are at your sides with elbows slightly bent, fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Kubbutz ("oo") -- Hod

1. Inhale and lift your hands up in front of your waist so palms face upward and fingertips point toward each other about an inch apart.

2. Turn upper body and head towrd your left and bend your knees as you turn over your left palm to face downward, gently curl your fingers as if holding a ball, and extend your hand to your left side about a foot beyond your hip, and at the same time turn over your right palm to face downward, gently curl your fingers as if holding a ball, and move it across your chest until it is a few inches beyond from your left side at chest level.

3. Form a kubbutz by tilting your head downward slightly so that your mouth forms the upper dot in a diagonal with your two downward facing palms and make an "oo" sound as you exhale.

4. Slowly lift your head upright, turn your upper body and head forward as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent, and turn your palms upward again in front of your waist with fingertips facing each other.

5. Repeat Steps (2), (3), and (4) on the right side so that the right hand forms the lowest dot at hip level and the left arm crosses in front of the chest.

6. Repeat Steps (2), (3), and (4) facing forward with the right hand at chest level about six inches in front of you and the left hand about a foot in front of your navel.

7. Repeat Steps (2), (3), and (4) facing forward with the left hand at chest level about six inches in front of you and the right hand about a foot in front of your navel.

8. Repeat Steps (2) through (7) and then Steps (2), (3), and (4) to the left side one last time, ending by turning your palms over and bringing them down to your sides so they face backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Shuruk ("oo") -- Yesod

1. Turn palms forward.

2. Inhale as you bend your head forward and circle your arms upward to bring hands together so that fingertips and thumbs are touching in the form of a circle with thumbs under index fingers a few inches in front of chest.

3. Forming a shuruk with bent head and straight spine forming the letter Vav, make an "oo" sound as you exhale.

4. Continue sounding as you bend your knees, move the circle forward at chest height allowing your hands to open to the sides with palms facing outward, and raise your head upright.

5. Circle arms downward to your sides and straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent.

6. Repeat the full sequence eight more times, ending the last sequence by circling palms so they turn first forward and then backward in a wavelike motion so that your hands are at your sides with elbows slightly bent, fingertips pointing toward the earth.


No nikudot (silence) -- Malkhut

Standing with feet parallel, pelvis width apart, weight evenly distributed on both feet and knees slightly bent, arms slightly curved at your sides with palms facing backward and fingertips pointing toward the earth, let the Breath breathe you nine times.


Ending to the Dance of the Nikudot:

1. With knees still slightly bent, shift your weight to your right foot and then lift your left foot to place it next to your right so that the heels touch and the toes are pointed outward at about a thirty degree angle.

2. Balance your weight evenly on both feet with knees slightly bent, arms slightly curved at your sides with palms facing backward and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


Patakh ("ah") -- Khokhmah (alternative)

1. Bend your knees as you turn palms toward each other and then interweave your fingers with your palms facing upward in front of pelvis.

2. Inhale as you straighten your knees until they are only slightly bent, and as you raise your interwoven hands in an arc until your palms face the earth.

3. Form a straight line between your elbows with palms facing the earth and arms parallel to the ground in front of chest.

4. Forming a patakh , make an "ah" sound as you exhale.

5. Move arms in an arc outward from body and lower them with fingers still interwoven until palms face upward again.

6. Bend your knees and repeat sequence from step (2) eight more times, ending with unlocking your fingers and bringing palms to your sides so they face backward with elbows slightly bent and fingertips pointing toward the earth.


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