This entry is part of the Lexicon of Klezmer Terminology (LKT). The LKT compiles a wide array of source materials that shed light on the historical and contemporary state of knowledge about klezmer music. Each entry includes a number of citations from primary and secondary sources that include or refer to the term in question. It also indicates whether musical notation or sound recordings are included in the source. By clicking on the bibliographic hyperlink at the end of each citation, you get the full reference.
“Mechutanem Tanz for the relatives of both families.” EncyJud 1971, p. 1266.
“The scholar Gabriel Grod published... ‘mekhutonim dances’ [done] during the arrangement of the ‘tenoim’... Y. Stutschewsky [also] brings this source... without additional comments... [Yet] a generalization cannot be made from this [single source]... and several sources depict this event of the signing of the ‘tenoim’ particularly as a family feast accompanied by modest [dance] turns... yet with no mention of ‘klezmorim’ in them... Now, with the discovery of the additional source from the shtetl Kobriv, we have in our hands confirmation of the scholar Gabriel Grod’s version, and the desired conclusion from this is that ‘tenoim’ ceremonies in various countries were certainly arranged with not only an accompanying mitzvah meal but also with the musical accompaniment of the ‘klezmorim’ and the performance of dances. Fridhaber 1972, pp. 15-16.
“The ‘beroyges’ and ‘shalom’ dances [are] two Jewish weddings dances that were widespread in Eastern European Jewish communities, and [formed] part of the style of primary dances that introduced the meal and welcome during typical wedding ceremonies in these countries. It is possible and accurate to define these two dances as one with two motives; the motive of the ‘beroyges’ and that of the ‘sholem’... There are even scholars who want to add and classify along with the... ‘beroyges’ dance and ‘sholem’ dance, the dances found under the names ‘semene,’ ‘shemene,’ or ‘semele,’ and ‘shemele’... When looking at these last dances, outside of sources found in [Eastern European Jewish] folk song, we have nothing about this style, no definitive portrait...
[One such example is this song of Eliokum Tzunser:] ‘Women, clap! Take pleasure that both mothers-in-law are dancing a shemele.’ If a man such as Eliokum Tzunser sang a dance song like this at weddings, it is certain that it was performed during the dances under the name ‘shemele.’ And we learn another thing from these two short verses, that it was a dance of the mothers-in-law and that it appears to have been of the style that is called... ‘patsh-tants,’ [which] would be danced with hand-clapping, a style of dances that was very widespread in Jewish weddings. The scholar and musicologist Moshe Beregovski, who brings these two verses from Zunser’s song, learns from it that this was apparently a solo dance for the mothers-in-law alone, and this leads him to the additional conclusion that, at least in the 70s and 80s of the previous century, this dance was widespread in the region of Vilna...[and all of] Eastern Europe...” Fridhaber 1972, pp. 31-36.
“[At the tenoim,] the melody to the mekhutonim dance that brings peace is wordless...The melody, absorbing hope and disappointment, opens in a quiet voice (pianissimo) and shifts to a stronger voice (crescendo), weakens a bit (diminuendo) and returns again to a mysterious quiet voice ((pianissimo) -- and this is most appropriate to this give and take between hope and disappointment...And they go out with a dance again, accompanied by a special melody...” [Ritova (Rietavas), Lithuania, pre-World War II]. Grod 1950, p. 35. (Musical notation included).
“The Machutanim-tanz: A circle dance, also Freilachs.” Lapson 1943, p. 461.
“...[Stutschewsky posits] the participation of the klezmorim during the tenoim... The Jewish source that the author relies upon, [is] the playing of ‘two mekhutonim dances,’ before and after the tenoim that were published by Gabriel Grod -- [but]... all apparent sources [suggest] that this was not at all customary... [for] the tenoim were mostly simple: cake and brandy, only among the rich people a chicken leg with a glass of mead.” Rivkind 1960, p. 19.
“Mekhutonim Tants: Relatives’ dance. The parents of the bride and groom dance.” Roskies and Roskies 1975, p. 232.
See Beroyges-tants, Kosher-tants, Mazltov, and Mitsve-tants.