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In the middle of their fourth dance at the Bayonne Jewish Community Center last month, the Galim Dance Group shifted dramatically from a slow-paced routine to an upbeat pace.

The dance, called from "Grief to Joy," typified the deeper meaning behind every number the troupe performs. The slow portion represented the sorrow of Yom Hazikaron, Israeli Memorial Day, while the fast part depicted the excitement of Israeli independence on the very next day on the calendar, Yom Ha'atzmaut.

During the last day of their two-week United States tour, Galim performed eight of their dances at the JCC May 3 before a crowd of about 60 people. The event was organized by Temple Emanu-El of Bayonne and co-sponsored by the JCC and Temple Beth Am of Bayonne.

"Kids like this always have a lot of spirit and they bring a certain youthful vigor when they come to perform," said Temple Emanu El's Debby Miller, who invited Galim to Bayonne as part of the synagogue's extended Israeli Independence Day celebration. "They help an audience develop a stronger connection with Israel."

Proceeds for the event were donated to the Jewish National Fund's relief efforts for children in Sderot who have been living in fear of Qassam rocket attacks.

The members of Galim are 14- to 18-year-old girls from rural communities in Israel's Jordan Valley. Founded in 1970 by Dorit Porat, who competed on the Israeli National Gymnastic Team, the troupe performs throughout Israel and participates in international dance festivals.

Galim's U.S. tour consisted of five days in Miami as well as New York stops in Westchester County and Manhattan, before ending with several New Jersey performances. Miller said she explored bringing in Galim last year for Emanu-El's "Israel at 60" celebration, and this year the group contacted her on their own to make Bayonne part of their American tour.

"We know that we bring Israel to the people here and let them experience it," Porat said. "Representing Israel and hearing the national anthem being played here is special for the girls."

The performance began with "In Space," a dance dedicated to the only Israeli Astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who died on the Columbia Space Shuttle in 2003. Each member of the group donned a skirt with a different color for "The Rainbow Dance," then switched to more elaborate dresses for "Gypsy Dance."

In "From Grief to Joy," four dancers with purple outfits performed the slow part, as dancers in blue attire joined the fray for the fast portion and picked the original dancers off the floor to symbolize the uplifting of the mood.

After three pieces based on the Israeli songs "To Give," "Peace Song," and "Kol Hakavod," the show ended with a salute to the Israeli Flag. Following the performance, the audience joined the dancers in a circle for the Hora.

"I thought it was spontaneous and they looked like they were part of a group. It wasn't one trying to outdo the other," Bayonne resident Beatrice Borower said.

"It's such a professional group coming into Bayonne and enlightening everyone here," said Joseph Wigdor, a member of Temple Beth Am. "I usually expect just a dance, but this was so exacting."