Erez Tubul

My love of folk dance began at the age of 16, when I first came to a dance session on Saturday night at Chof HaKshatot (Arches Beach) in Ashdod, where I saw many younger and older dancers dancing together to the sounds of Israeli songs, some of which I knew, some less. I loved seeing the energy and joy that dance brings to people and I decided that I, too, wanted to learn to dance.
During my military service (2002), I asked the base commander if I could lead dancing for the soldiers in the hall at the base, and, to my surprise, he agreed. So, one might say that my first immersion in the field of instruction was already at the age of 18. When I completed my army service, I attended a course for instructors at Tel Aviv University under the direction of Gadi Bitton.
Over the years I was a member of the “Hora Re’im” dance troupe in Holon. I have represented Israel in delegations abroad, and I have also had the privilege of being a judge in dance competitions in Israel. Lots of different and diverse performances, festivals and dance sessions.

Since then and to this day I have been providing instruction to adults, children, seniors and people with disabilities all over the country. Erez Tubul’s Classes

About the dance:

I registered the song, “Zuzu – Move”, by Sarit Hadad in my name on the Irgun’s (Israeli folk dance organization) website back in 2009. I happened to hear it and immediately, the very first time I heard it, loved the rhythm, the joy, and the energy it brings. A few days later, I choreographed steps for a dance to it, but I didn’t publish or “market” it to other dance sessions.

The dance made its first true debut in early 2025, at the height of the war. During this period and the year and a half before, many touching, slow dances were choreographed – dances of hope and longing for our hostages. When the hostages began to return home, I felt that the people needed something happy, fast, uplifting and encouraging, so I decided to publish the dance.
I taught the dance for the first time at the Yehud-Monosson Community Center. After that, the dance spread throughout the country and gained a momentum that I never imagined would happen. I was invited to teach the dance in every possible harkada (dance session) from the south to the far north. Everyone moved!

I also began to see interest outside of Israel – and so “Zuzu” quickly reached Argentina, Italy, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Los Angeles, Canada, Taiwan and many more locations… As in the lyrics of the song, “Zuzu, I’m dancing, circling the world”.

I received tremendous, moving and heartwarming compliments for making dancers wholeheartedly happy. The truth is… Nothing is more fun than that!

Since then I have continued to create more beautiful dances and hope to touch more dancers’ hearts.
Erez Tubul’s Dances

Zuzu -Move

Dance notation

Structure: Three parts and an ending

Meter: 4/4

Formation: Circle

Part A: Face center

1-4    Open mayim beginning with R to rt. (step R to rt., L across R, R to rt., L behind R).
5-8    Sway R-L, turn left with quick step-tog-step (RLR) to end facing center.

9-12  Step bwd on L, touch rt. toes to the rt., step bwd on R, touch left toes to the left.

13-16 Back tcherkessia step: Rock back onto L w/arms bwd, R fwd in place, fwd on L w/arms raised, R bwd in place.

17-20 Face CW: Quick step-tog-step LRL to left moving away from center; cross R across L, step L behind R in place.

21-24 Quick step-tog-step RLR to rt. moving toward center; step L to center, face center and brush R fwd.

25-28 Back open mayim step moving rt. (CCW): Step R to rt., L behind R, R to rt., L across R.

29-32 Full turn rt. with three steps R-L-R, step L across R.

33-64 Repeat counts 1-32.

Part B: Face center

1-2    Step R to rt. while extending right arm to rt. side at shoulder level pushing rt. palm out; step L to left while extending left arm to left side at shoulder level pushing left palm out.

3-4    Face CW (rt. shoulder to center) and move towards center with a jump on both feet while clapping hands fwd; hop on R, lifting L to left and opening arms overhead and out to sides.

5-8    Quick yem. L (crossing L behind R): cross L behind R, step R to rt., cross L across R; close R next to L and twist L, twist R.

9-12  Step-hop on R turning ¾ to rt. to end with back to center; quick yem. L bwd.
13-16 One & 1/2 turns rt. moving out of center towards the circle line with four steps RLRL to end facing center.

17-18 Repeat counts 1-2.

19-20 Remain facing center: jump on both feet while clapping hands fwd; hop on R while lifting L to left and opening arms overhead and out to sides.

21-24 Quick yem. L (crossing L behind R): cross L behind R, step R to rt., cross L across R; close R next to L and twist L, twist R.

25-28 Step-hop on R beginning a full turn rt., complete the turn with a quick yem. L bwd.

29-32 Step R to rt., step L to left pivoting ½ turn left to face out of center, step R to rt., step L to left pivoting ½ turn left to end facing center.

33-64 Repeat counts 1-32.

Repeat Part A counts 1-32.

Repeat Part B counts 1-64.

Part C: Face center

1-4    Back open mayim step moving rt. (CCW): Step R to rt., L behind R, R to rt., L across R.

5-8    Full turn rt. on the line of the circle with 3 steps R-L-R while clapping hands with each step; touch left toes next to R while clapping hands, (four claps in total).

9-16  Repeat counts 1-8 with opposite footwork and direction beginning with L to left.

17-20 Move fwd toward center with rt. shoulder leading: Step R to rt., cross L behind R, R to rt., hold.

21-24 Continue moving toward center with left shoulder leading: Step L to left, cross R behind L, L to left and face center.

25-28 Step R fwd, lift L behind R while clapping hands behind back, step L bwd, touch R slightly fwd while clapping hands fwd.

29-32 ½ turn rt. with four steps beginning with R to end facing out of center.

33-48 Repeat the pattern of counts 17-32 moving out of center to end facing center.

Repeat Part B counts 1-32.

Ending: Repeat Part B count 1-2; raise right knee fwd while clapping hands overhead.

Instructions notated by Ruth Goodman and Allen King

Zuzu – Move

Lyrics and music: Tal Segev, Ya’akov Lamai, Avi Gueta

Vocals: Sarit Hadad

Transliteration:

Venifgashnu ve’ahavnu

Veyadanu lechabek ve’az hishlamnu

Yom shel geshem shuv sho’elet

Ha’im batu’ach le’ehov

K’she’azavta kmo nikra bi

Chut balev ra’ad ha’guf pit’om hirgashti

Menuteket lo kshura

Ke’ilu mishehu chibel ba’ahava

Zuzu ani rokedet

Et ha’olam mesovevet

Yesh li kamocha elef

Ba li kvar mishehu acher

Me’usheret vetzocheket

Yesh li mishehu basalon ani choshevet

Meshuchreret chofshiya

Ke’ilu kol haguf mutzaf ba’ahava

Zuzu ani rokedet…

Translation:

And we met and we loved

And we knew how to embrace, and then we made up

A day of rain, asking again

Is it safe to love?

When you left, it was like something tore inside me

A thread in my heart, my body trembled

Suddenly I felt

Disconnected, unattached

As if someone sabotaged love

Move [aside], I’m dancing

Circling the world

I have a thousand like you

I already feel like having someone else

Happy and laughing

I have someone in the living room, I think

Free, liberated

As if my whole body is flooded with love

Move [aside], I’m dancing…

Song lyrics translation by Benny Levy