When Is It a Gimmick?

[janaki]

I agree with Aziyade. Double veil, double cane, double sword, flaming swords...they all are gimmicky for me. Although I have seen few good double veil dances!!! How about dance of seven veils? I wished I saved this clip I saw few months ago. This dancer comes with 7 veils tucked, wraped all over her body, the choreography is about unwrapping and discarding the veils. I coun't wait to count the 7th veil. That was the most boring veil dance I have ever seen!!!!

Cheers
Janaki

 

[Sara]

YouTube - You Gotta Have A Gimmick - from "Gypsy"

Just thought I'd share that clip. I think it's brill!

 

[Tikvah]

There's a song from the musical "Gypsy" when the veteran burlesque dancers are giving tips to the young Gypsy Rose Lee -- "If ya gotta bump it, bump to a trumpet...if you're gonna grind it, grind it with refinement..."

I sometimes hear those lyrics in my head when I'm watching a dancer who is doing something, well, gimmicky, is the best way I can describe it -- she's sporting a flaming hula hoop or making her tattoos writhe or bouncing a balloon off her arse or some darn thing.

I quite understand that one person's "novelty act" is another person's "it's just another version of the dance." And sometimes a dancer can pull off something that another dancer totally botches.

But for me, the point when I find myself with a nervous inclination to giggle is when I feel something is getting lost in translation.

My question for youse guys -- has there been a point when you found yourself thinkin' the same thing?

Well, some gimmicks can be cool. I spin fire poi, and I hoop, so I would love to try fire hoop some day....but on its own merit, not as a gimmick. I have tattoos, so if I can make them do something unique when I dance, that's just cool looking (as long as it works with that tattoo....I don't want to see mickey mouse undulate on most folks ). I like gimmicks that are well done, just like I like dancing that is well done.

Sometimes it happens that our physical bodies don't match our internal dance styles, and perhaps then the dancing comes off as gimmicky, or not well done, or just not "working"....and that happens. But I tell you what, if I can manage to balance a pumpkin on my head, I might just do it for a performance near Halloween


Anyhow, for me the only time something has been severely lost in translation was where a troupe did a Bollywood-esque number and one of the troupe members lip synched the whole song during the performance. Great dancing, but the lip synching just didn't work for me at all!

 

[Shanazel]

Thanks for posting the Gypsy clip, Sara. I'd forgotten how funny it was. Anyone know of any clips of the real Gypsy Rose Lee? I saw her on television in the sixties- a talk show, I think- where she very slowly took off one glove while talking about the most mundane things. It was one of the sexiest, most elegant things I've ever seen.

 

[Amulya]

I often want to laugh at certain costuming such as 'Tribal' outfits that look as though someone's just fallen in a rubbish tip or a combination of items that appear as though they're being worn for a bet.

I can't stand that, I like tribal, but it shouldn't go over the top. Some people trow in chinese umbrellas, boots or whatever. Looks silly.

There are lots of props I don't like, I think most take away from the dancing. I like veils, but they should be used for a short time. I hate things like veils + zills, just makes it look like the dacer tries to prove something.

 

[Moon]

I hate things like veils + zills, just makes it look like the dacer tries to prove something.

Lol, that makes me think of one-man-orchestras.

 

[Suheir]

Lol, that makes me think of one-man-orchestras.

Yes, maybe people who favour multiple props should also have a little dog holding out a hat :lol:

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I spin fire poi, and I hoop, so I would love to try fire hoop some day....but on its own merit, not as a gimmick. !

I know what poi is, but what is hoop? A hula hoop? How on earth would you set fire to that? Also, fire sword??? Do people really do this? Clips??

I'm intrigued!

 

[Didi]

Flaming hula hoop? It wouldn't even matter how accomplished she was as a dancer--I'd be waiting to see when her hair would catch fire!

Me, too! Do people really do this? I wanna watch... gimmick or no, you gotta admit it sounds like fun to watch, if only for the potential disaster factor. I'm laughing just thinking about it.:lol:

Didi

 

[miriam]

Didn't JT have someone doing fire hoop in his music video for "What Goes Around?"

ETA: It's around 2:43 - YouTube - Justin Timberlake - Director's Cut - What Goes Around...

 

[Tikvah]

I don't have any clips off hand (I'm at work, so I don't have access to YouTube), but you should be able to search for fire hoop or fire sword

Yup, hoop as in hula hoop. Adult hoops tend to be bigger and heavier than kids hoops. For fire hoop, there are "spines" attached to the hoop that have a kevlar wick that you soak in fuel and light on fire. I know Urban Gypsy has done some fire hoop stuff, along with other fire props.

Fire swords usually have a strip of kevlar attached to the top of the sword (the "sharp" side) that is lit. I've not seen a fire sword balanced on the head because of the proximity to the hair

Ask away on the fire prop questions...since I peform with fire, I can answer

 

[Tikvah]

Me, too! Do people really do this? I wanna watch... gimmick or no, you gotta admit it sounds like fun to watch, if only for the potential disaster factor. I'm laughing just thinking about it.:lol:

Didi

Most people who perform with fire know proper safety techniques, so you would probably have to watch hours of fire performance for the disaster factor....unless you are watching someone who hasn't been fire safety trained. For instance, during my first burn (what fire performers usually call the first time they actually ignite their prop), I hit myself on the head with my poi....since I had my hair spritzed with water, nothing happened....except for me getting shaken up by it

 

[mikex1337]

Like...dropping to the floor to do floor work and having a shill in the audience come over and place coins on my belly that I roll. Makes the audience leap to their feet.
Like...rolling belly beads up and down my torso while undulating...
Like...these little gestures I make during drum solos (ever see Aziza look as though she's making her chest rise and fall because it's on a string? Like that.)

Wow, that sounds sexy, keep up the good work.

 

[Jujube]

Wow, that sounds sexy, keep up the good work.

Agreed, I haven't seen these rolling tricks and would LOVE to!