Noted South Florida legends Avi Hoffman and Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra Director Aaron Kula team with many dancers to perform in “Yiddish Tangos” on Saturday, October 19 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts and Cultural Center in Aventura.
Sponsored by both the YI love Jewish cultural organization, founded and headed by Hoffman and the city of Aventura, the show gives both Hoffman and Kula the opportunity to showcase their love of the Yiddish language and music with the flair of dancing to the rhythms of Tango.
“It is exciting to work with Aaron (Kula) and to see the growing support of over 250,000 viewers and followers on social media sites for Yiddish Tangos. We have been busy creating Yiddish Tangos for several years. The show is the perfect fusion of dancing and the music of these Yiddish speaking composers to the very appealing l Tango rhythms,” said Hoffman, who will be singing eight Yiddish songs in the show.
“What will sound so authentic is the arrangement of the classic Yiddish songs with the rhythm of tango. Along with the dancers, we will have musicians playing the accordion, clarinet, piano and violin to capture the unique sound of Yiddish with tango,” said Kula.
“I especially am looking forward to performing Yiddish Tangos in Aventura because many in the audience are Jewish who came to South Florida from Argentina and are at home with both tango and Yiddish,” added Kula.
Music historians have noted that tango became prominent in Europe in the 1930-40 pre World War II era, especially in Poland in which many Jewish composers adapted Yiddish lyrics to some of the compositions using the rhythm of tango.
Some of the musical highlights include Hoffman singing “Yiddishe Mama Tango” written in Yiddish by composers Lew Pollack and Jack Yellen, “Libeh Tango” (translated as “The Love Tango”) and “Bei Mir Bisdu Shein” (translated as “To Me You Are Beautiful” written in 1932 that became popular with English lyrics in the 1940s sung by the Andrews Sisters and again in the 1970s by singer Bette Midler, among other songs..
Kula and the musicians will perform instrumental versions of “Czardas” by Vittorio Monti’ “Libertango” by composer Astor Piazzola and the upbeat song “Freilach/Fandango Tango”, among other songs.
Angela Manfredi leads a trio of dancers who perform in seven of the 15 Yiddish Tango compositions in the show.
Avi Hoffman in ‘Stars of David’.
Avi Hoffman is known for hundreds of roles he has performed in musicals over the years, including his 2023 portrayal of Schultz in “Cabaret” at the Arsht Center. Hoffman is especially beloved for his one man shows “Too Jewish”, “Too Jewish Two” and “Still Jewish After All These Years” that he has performed for many decades around the world.
Aaron Kula has been director of the Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra for decades, performing klezmer and other genres of music around the world. Kula is especially well-known to South Florida audiences for his rousing Fourth of July patriotic concerts that took place at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
“Yiddish Tangos” starring Avi Hoffman, Aaron Kula along with other musicians and dancers will be performed on Saturday, October 19 at 8 p.m. at Aventura Arts and Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188 Street in Aventura. Tickets range from $50-55. For tickets, go to aventuracenter.org or call 954-462-0222.
