Mama - Shlomo Bachar Version - מאמא (Israel)

Mama - Shlomo Bachar Version

מאמא

Israel

These notes ©2016, Andrew Carnie, as learned from the choreographer, Shlomo Bachar December 2016. The song was originally sung in Ladino, although the version Shlomo uses doesn't appear to use the original lyrics.

Very confusingly Shlomo taught another dance to this same melody in the 1970s called "Mama Lo Raiti". This is not the same dance at all. There are also at least two other Israeli dances out there called Mama, by other choreographers, but done to different songs. 

Music: Mama Yo No Tengo Vista: https://youtu.be/WlDQeAEvCkM. There is a recording on Hadarim IV that works.

Meter: 3/4

Formation: Circle of individuals, no hand holds

Introduction: Start with singing. When Shlomo does it in the video below he starts on the upbeat of the singing. We find this really hard to do and to stay on beat. It's easier to start on the down beat, which immediately follows.

Part 1

Bar 1: Facing in LOD waltz forward R (1), L (2), R (3)
Bar 2: Step forward in LOD on  L (1), Step on R to R starting to turn body CCW to face RLOD (2), Step on L backwards in LOD (3)
Bar 3: Back up R (1), L (2), R (3)
Bar 4: Back up L (1), Turning to face center Step R to R(2),  Cross L over R (3)
Bar 5: Facing center Yemenite R
Bar 6: Yemenite L
Bars 7-8: Pulling R shoulder back make a complete CW circle in place with two waltz steps

Part 2

Bar 1: Facing center, Sway on R to R (1), Step on L behind R (2), rock in place on L (3), Arms sway high and to the R during this bar
Bar 2: repeat bar 1 with opposite footwork
Bar 3: Waltz into the center starting R
Bar 4: Walz out of the center starting L
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4

Part 3

Bar 1: Cross R over L (1), Step on L to L (2), Step on R behind L (3)
Bar 2: Step on L to L (1), Cross R over L, with a knee bend (2), Step back in place on L (3)
Bar 3: Step R (1), L (2) in LOD. turn to face center and step R to R (3)
Bar 4: Sway on L to L (1), Sway on R to R (2), Sway on L to L (3)
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4

repeat entire dance from the beginning until the end of the music.

Tucson Video

Lyrics

Taken from the comments section on a youtube video. The lyrics for the music Shlomo is using above are different (perhaps they are in Hebrew rather than Ladino?)

Mama yo no tengo visto 
pasharo kon ojos mavis 
ruvio como la canela 
blanco como el jasmin 

Quen es este pasharico 
que en el mi salon entro 
pircuro hacerse nido 
al dentro de mi corazon 

Asentada en mi ventana 
lavorando el bastidor 
haber muevo me trusheron 
que el mi amor se desposo 

Despozates mi querido 
confiticos me enviaras 
Comere con amargura 
tambien con mucho llorar


Mama, I have not yet seen 
a bird with such blue eyes, 
blond as the caneel 
white as the jasmin. 

Who is that little bird 
that entered my living-room 
preparing to make himself a nest 
in the middle of my heart. 

Seated at the window 
with needle work 
The news was brought to me 
that my beloved got engaged. 

You received my beloved 
and you will send me sweets. 
I will eat them with bitterness 
and also with many tears.