Al Kanfei HaKasef - על כנפי הכסף - Israel

Al Kanfei HaKasef 

על כנפי הכסף

Israel

These notes ©2018, Andrew Carnie. Choreographed by Motti Elfassy (also spelled Alpasi, Alfassy) in 1970. The dance was also taught by David Edery and Shlomo Bachar. The music is the hymn of the Israeli Air Force. The song translates as "On silver wings".

Music: By Naomi Shemer, Kol Hashirim Song book 1

• Back from israel 76 (Hadarim 8)
• Naomi Shemer-Asif Part 2 CD
• https://youtu.be/VUpAtwmmBkM

Singer: Lehakat Cheil Ha'avir
Israelidances.com entry: http://israelidances.com/dance_details.asp?DanceID=343
Meter: 4/4
Formation: Closed Circle, hands down in V position.
Introduction: Depends upon the recording

The most common arrangement (and probably the original)

Part 1

Bar 1: Run R (1), L (2), R (3), L (4) in LOD
Bar 2: Run R in LOD (1), Step on L behind R, arms briefly swing forward (2), Step on R to R (3), Step on L in RLOD (4)
Bar 3: Facing center, Cross R in front of L (1), Step on L to L (2), Step on R behind L (3), step on L to L (4) (i.e. grapevine or mayim step)
Bar 4: repeat bar 3
Bar 5: Step on R into the center (1), hop on R (2), Step on L into center (3), hop on L (4), arms come up to W position
Bar 6: Yemenite R (step on R to R (1), Step on L in place (2), Cross R over L (3)), Hop on R (4)
Bar 7: Repeat bar 6 with opposite footwork and direction (Yemenite L with a hop at the end)
Bar 8: Run R (1), L (2), R (3), L (4) backing out of the center Arms come down to V position
Bars 9-16: repeat bars 1-8

Part 2

Bar 1: Facing center, step on R to R (1), Close L next to R with weight (2), Step on R to R (3), close L next to R with weight (4)
Bar 2: Rock on R into the center, arms briefly come up to W position (1), rock back in place on L, arms come down to V position (2), Step on R next to L (3), pause (4) [This is how the dance was notated earlier on and I think it's actually a more natural step, but many groups today jump on both feet on count (3), and hop on R, lifting L up next to R calf (4), I find this more modern version both awkward and tricky]
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2 with opposite footwork and direction
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4.

Bachar Arrangement: 

When Shlomo Bachar taught this dance in the late 1970s, he used a slightly different arrangement:

Part 1: 

Bars 1-4: do bars 1-4 of part 1 above
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4

Part 2

Bars 1-4: Do bars 5-8 of part 1 as described in the modern arrangement
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 5-8 of part 1 as described above

Part 3

Do part 2 of the modern arrangement

Other notes on the web

• http://www.folkdance.com/LDNotations/AlKanfeHakesef1998LD.pdf
• Bachar Version: http://socalfolkdance.com/syllabi/syllabus_statewide_1978.pdf
• Page 30 of 1998 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. 

Videos on the web

See also the following two videos which can't be embedded.

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hi1tzgIy-tW08i7jxmyaLsPAEZQBbprr/view
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rsjClehw9hNPaCHRNdQ6GwGMe0Kuiw2H/view

Shlomo Bachar Version:

Lyrics

In Hebrew: http://hebrewsongs.com/song-alkanfeihakesef.pdf

From http://hebrewsongs.com/song-alkanfeihakesef.htm

Al kanfei hakesef rechuvim
Abirei haru'ach be'avim.
Ha'azim vehatovim
Kivnei-reshev yagbiu uf

Uvetoch shamayim neki'im
Zoharim shiv'at hareki'im
Va'anachnu mamri'im
MiGolan ve'ad Yam-Suf

Chorus:Nas hayam vayisov achor;
Vehanahar - charava
Tas achi ufanav la'or
Vediglo alai ahava

Hasulam raglav ba'adama
Ach rosho bishmei hamilchama
Tas achi el mul chama
Kivnei-reshef yagbi'u uf

Hu cholef kelahav hachermesh
Hu kachetz shaluach velochesh
Hu kotev michtav shel esh
MiGolan ve'ad Yam-Suf

Chorus:
Nas hayam vayisov achor;
Vehanahar - charava
Tas achi ufanav la'or
Vediglo alai ahava

Al kanfei hakesef rechuvim
Abirei haru'ach be'avim
Ha'azim vehatovim
Kivnei-reshef yagbi'u uf

They ride on silver wings
Heroes of the wind, in the clouds.
The strong and the good
Like birds, they will soar high. 

Within clear skies
The seven heavens shine
And we take off and fly
From Golan to the Red Sea

Chorus:
The sea has fled and turned back;
And the river - turned to dry land
My brother flies and his face is toward the light
And his flag is over me, like love

The ladder's feet are on the ground
But its head is in the skies of war
My brother flies toward the sun.
Like birds, they will soar high 

He passes like the blade of a sickle
He is like an arrow sent out, whistling by
He writes a letter of fire
From Golan to the Red Sea

Chorus:
The sea has fled and turned back;
And the river - turned to dry land
My brother flies and his face is toward the light
And his flag is over me, like love

They ride on silver wings
Heroes of the wind, in the clouds
The strong and the good
Like birds, soaring high

Also called: Kanfe, Ha'Kasef, Hakasev, Hakasef, Hakassef, Kanfey