how important are lyrics to a dance?

[janaki]

Hi everyone,

I accidentally came across this clip on youtube. I liked the way they danced to the music. The music is kind of sad!!! I read the comments about this clip. Someone worte that this is a political song and the person even put part of the translation to the lyrics. I showed this to my egyptian friend. He said " you simply don't dance to this music!!! Only outside egypt and non Arab people do this kind of silly stuff". I felt so shocked by his comments.

As a non arab person, I have always tried my best to get the lyrics translated before I present a choreography or dance. My egyptian friends helped me a lot with translations and they use to tell if a particular piece is dancable or not. After I watched the comments on this clip, I am so thankful to my advisers who said " ckeck out the meaning of lyrics before you dance".

What are your comments ladies and gentlemen???

[Amulya]

I'm all for checking the lyrics before using a song. I'd be so ashamed if I had a clip on youtube and got those comments. Can't be careful enough

[Aisha Azar]

Dear Janaki,
Lyrics are incredibly important!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You want to know what the words of a song are, and even many pieces that are now instrumental started out with lyrics as Arabs are VERY attached to the spoken word. In the Gulf, especially in Kuwait, many people write poetry. Often the poetry of princes and other important guys will be put to song. Some have an amazing talent for writing beautiful stuff!! There is a sort of plaintive love poetry that is written by many people, called "Nothar" (Rhymes with mother") and this is often turned into music, too. Another kind of music is called "Al Aghani Wataniyah" Or "National songs". You have to be careful with some of those, too. For example, there are a lot of Lebanese songs that are about the struggle for freedom and peace there. You really do NOT want to dance to them.
Anyway... you get the idea.
Regards,
A'isha

[Safran]

I think knowing the lyrics doesn't only help you to find appropriate songs for dancing, but it would also contribute to your dancing. If you know what the song is about and what is its overall idea, you can get more into the "mood" while dancing...

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Yes I agree that knowing the lyrics to any song is important, I certainly wouldn't want to see someone dance to "Amazing Grace". But why is it so difficult to find lyrics/translations? Even music found on compliation CD's such as BDSS volumes (which are marketed primarily to non-Arabs), do not have any info.
Yasmine

[Yshka]

I know! I'd expected those to contain a little info especially since those are being sold to mostly non-Arab people. Only experience I've had with dancers not knowing their music was when I saw someone smile happily while dancing to Khayarouni, which is a song that is actually on one of the BDSS albums if I'm correct. Some of the Arabs in the audience looked confused. I asked my friend if she knew why, then she told me the lyrics are about someone being married off to their cousin or so, I felt the song is not that happy at all and the clownesque smile was out of line . Then there's the obvious and almost cliché "Lissa Faker" mistake also..

I do check out lyrics ALWAYS before I dance to a song. I'd want to know what the title means also just to get me going in case lyrics aren't available. I'd have some Arab friends listen to the music also just to make sure. And not dance to inappropriate music ofcourse.. Luckily I have never made such mistakes myself.

[Outi]

I always have my songs translated. It's so important. How can I dance to music and tell the story of the lyrics, if I don't understand them? Even if i use version without actual singing. All Arabic people will know the words anyway.

I wanted to do nice work and help other dancers, so I included a few translated lines in my CD. I will put all translations in the net in one or two weeks, so no-one has reason to say they couldn't find them or they didn't have money to pay or any other excuse.

[KuteNurse]

Yes...Lyrics are very important. They set the mood for what you are dancing too...Important part of choreography.

[janaki]

Yshka,

You are making a very valid point here. All the bellydance music that is sold outside arab world should have translations to lyrics. Whether you can interpret the music through your dance or not, knowing the meaning to the song you are dancing to will definitley put you in th right mood!!!

Donya,

Very thoughtful of to put the translations. I am sure everyone will appreciate it. I can't wait to get your CD. BTW how do I purchase it???

cheers
Janaki

[Amulya]

All the bellydance music that is sold outside arab world should have translations to lyrics.

Wouldn't it be great if you can just buy a CD and it had translations on it! It's such a pain finding them. Often the songs you can find translations too are the ones that are used by everybody (I wonder why LOL)

Another way to avoid this, but not every dancer can get to this, is to get music that is originally composed without lyrics. The hard thing is, this hardly does exist, so you'd need to find someone who can compose the music for you, and that's even harder.