Does Didem invent her dance routines?

[nataliecloud9]

I'm learning about belly dancing and I was wondering if Didem, (and other Turkish belly dancers,) create their own dance routines? Or do they learn traditional routines, if there is such a thing?

 

[Jane]

By routines do you mean choreography or style of dance?

 

[Yame]

Most famous belly dancers create their own choreographies. Some might have someone else choreograph for them, and some sometimes plagiarize, but for the most part I think these are exceptions.

 

[nataliecloud9]

By routines do you mean choreography or style of dance?

Choreography. But can they have their own style too?

 

[Ariadne]

Most famous belly dancers create their own choreographies.

From what I've read on the subject that depends on where they work. Evidently most Egyptian Pro's purchase either partial or complete choreographies all the time. Here in the states they're expected to come up with their own.

I have no idea about Didem however so unless someone can point to an interview or article that says one way or the other who knows?

 

[Jane]

You can still have your own personal style within a choreography.

Sometimes people say style when they mean "dance form". i.e. Raqs Sharki is a form of Egyptian dance and Dina has her own distinctive style.

Dance is structured different ways:

Improvisation
Skeleton choreography
Choreography written by the dancer
Choreography written by someone else
Group improvisation (American Tribal Style)

 

[Kashmir]

I'm learning about belly dancing and I was wondering if Didem, (and other Turkish belly dancers,) create their own dance routines? Or do they learn traditional routines, if there is such a thing?

"Traditional routines" probably only apply to folk dance styles - even then there is usually heaps of variation. A belly dancer expresses the music - so unless the music is very, very old s/he will be creating new dances for new music. Some dancers improvise the whole - or most of each dance, some choreograph their own pieces, many top dancers have choreographers.

Certainly from what I've seen of Didem I don't think what she does is "traditional". It looks quite American to me - but then I'm used to Egyptian dancers.

 

[steffib]

Didem dances on national TV, on the Ibo show, pretty much every day - so she has to come up with something new and fresh for every show. It is unrealistic to expect that a young woman has the time, creative energy or artistic maturity to come up with a full new choreography of her own every single time she hits the stage - she's a human. I believe that at times, her dancing has been inspired (to the point that some people discussed copying) by other dancers' work - and given the brutal constraints she has, who can blame her? I sure hope that she works with others who come up with ideas, coach her and choreograph for her, to help her keep her sanity.

Personally, I am not particularly drawn in by her performances (her Romani dancing is fantastic, though), but I have nothing but the deepest respect for a young woman who can tackle such a challenge, and work with Ibo, who is not exactly known to be the nicest guy.

 

[Amulya]

From what I've read on the subject that depends on where they work. Evidently most Egyptian Pro's purchase either partial or complete choreographies all the time. Here in the states they're expected to come up with their own.

Seriously, there are dancers who BUY choreographies and not make their own? In my opinion a good dancer should be able to make his/her own. If it's too hard you can of course use some sort of structure from another choreography and change the movements into your own taste. What I mean is the way it's broken down in sections, those sections are often the same for many dancers, but you can rearrange them.
In that case it would never look the same as from someone else and won't be a copy. To use someone else choreography feels wrong to me, even if you pay them.

Btw I don't think young dancers have issues coming up with choreographies. Or did 'young dancers' mean new dancers?

 

[steffib]

The point of some of the top dancers in Cairo commissioning choreographies is typically not so much an inability to come up with something very nice to the music. Instead, they hire somebody an exceptional talent and experience to create something very special that fits like a glove and shows of the dancer's skill and personality, which to me seems like a good idea.

Let me use a food metaphor - I am a good cook and love preparing my own food, but sometimes it is worth going to a restaurant and enjoying a meal that is a lot better than what I can make . And, more related to the Didem question, when things are very busy, it is also nice to have the option open a can of soup, even though I could make something better from scratch