Although I enjoyed the Karmiel festival (because I am a dance addict) I couldn't help noticing upsetting facts. In the last two years fewer and fewer choreographers have attended the festival and it has had an impact on the choice of dances that were played. In fact, the same dances were played over and over again in the workshops and harkadot. It was the same program every night, even though there are so many dance choices! We couldn't help noticing the absence of many choreographers and realize the consequences of petty internal wars and jealousy among them. It defeats the purpose of the festival which is to bring people together to share the same passion. This is also felt in some choreographers' harkadot; they don't play other markidim's dances. It becomes quite paradoxical to think that dancers abroad have easier access to different choreographers’ repertoires than dancers in Israel. The spirit of Israeli folk dancing is jeopardized by this and also by other elements. First, it is growing closer and closer to ballroom dancing due to a demand of couple dances. Therefore many dances have nothing to do with folklore. Second, many choreographers just think in commercial terms and "produce" quantities of dances which have no character nor interest. Third, and as a consequence of the first two points, the reputation of Israeli folk dancing is terrible in Israel (not abroad), because harkadot are seen as places to go to find partners for sex, rather than a place where people share a hobby. In conclusion, I would like to say that Israeli folk dancing should become again what it once was, part of the Israeli culture, thanks to its quality and spirit of unity and sharing, instead of obeying selfish and commercial interests.