Saudi Dance

Ranya

New member
I saw some dancers also put their index finger close to their nose instead of putting the hand on the chest...what could that mean? is it correct/authentic?
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Khaliji

I saw some dancers also put their index finger close to their nose instead of putting the hand on the chest...what could that mean? is it correct/authentic?


Dear Ranya and Yasmina,
On my website, in the library, there are two articles about Gulf dance. (www.raqsazar) One is called "Observations on Samri" and the other is called "Are we confused yet?" Both will answer some questions about the dance. I also have an interview with a Saudi friend that I plan to put on the site some day to explain about Nejdi style.
Meanwhile, the hand is brought to the nose in imitation of the pearl divers who used to plug their noses with these nose plug things, but might go down holding a nostril. I have a National Geographic from about 1945 or some time like that, that talks in great detail about the pearl divers and shows some of their equipment. I also talked in depth with Mouna Smith, who was an anthropologist who married into a Kuwaiti family and lived there for 7 years. The hand thing is to help support the neck and head while doing the hair tossing. This jewelry rumor has been around a long time. I am not sure how it started.
Regards,
A'isha
 
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Ranya

New member
Oh A'isha, what WOULD I do without you? Thank you so much, you are such a well of knowledge!
 

Maria_Aya

New member
Dont you think sometimes that life have kind of black humor?

While posting the previous message on this thread, got a phone call, from a local (good) dancer.
She asked around and learned that I'm the only one in Greece that know Khalegee.
In my opinion, I dont.
I have attented 4 workshops for Khalegee in Cairo till now, but none of them was from a Khalegee dancer (well there are not khalegee originated teachers in Cairo :()
But all of them are teachers that I respect in what they do.
Aida Nour, Dandash, Khaled Mahmoud and Liza Laziza and had privite also on khalegee.
I feel that i can "imitate" it but not dance it thats why i havent till now.
So i explain the situation in the dancer that called me, and she still insists saying: Ok but even what you know is better from the nothing I know, and I just twirl my head and hair all the time like the devil of Tasmania!! cause this is what dancers say that Khalegee is !
Told her that want to think before I answer to her (she wants privite lessons on Khalegee only (but she is a time from time student of mine). Actualy wanted to ask over here, whats you opinion?
Should a teacher teach something that doesnt know 100% (but explain this to the student) or dont? (of course if it happens, i'm gonna teach from what i got from workshops)
(mean time read AGAIN Aisha's artlicles, and notes for Khalegee that I have from the workshops, and the video's from the workshops)

Maria Aya
 

Aisha Azar

New member
TEaching Khaliji

Dont you think sometimes that life have kind of black humor?

While posting the previous message on this thread, got a phone call, from a local (good) dancer.
She asked around and learned that I'm the only one in Greece that know Khalegee.
In my opinion, I dont.
I have attented 4 workshops for Khalegee in Cairo till now, but none of them was from a Khalegee dancer (well there are not khalegee originated teachers in Cairo :()
But all of them are teachers that I respect in what they do.
Aida Nour, Dandash, Khaled Mahmoud and Liza Laziza and had privite also on khalegee.
I feel that i can "imitate" it but not dance it thats why i havent till now.
So i explain the situation in the dancer that called me, and she still insists saying: Ok but even what you know is better from the nothing I know, and I just twirl my head and hair all the time like the devil of Tasmania!! cause this is what dancers say that Khalegee is !
Told her that want to think before I answer to her (she wants privite lessons on Khalegee only (but she is a time from time student of mine). Actualy wanted to ask over here, whats you opinion?
Should a teacher teach something that doesnt know 100% (but explain this to the student) or dont? (of course if it happens, i'm gonna teach from what i got from workshops)
(mean time read AGAIN Aisha's artlicles, and notes for Khalegee that I have from the workshops, and the video's from the workshops)

Maria Aya


Dear Aya,
Well..... I had been dancing Gulf and Saudi styles for about 10 years before I felt okay about teaching them.... I learned from Hallah Moustafa and from natives, and did not feel sure that I could pass on what I had learned for that length of time. It is a lot more complex than one might think, especially since there are so many regional styles and small, subtle movements in some styles, while others are more robust through the pelvis. There are even couples dances in some styles, while others are strictly group dances. From what I have seen of Egyptian Khaliji, I would not trust it..... And the Gulf people say the Egyptians make them laugh when they see them performing it.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Maria_Aya

New member
Thank you very much Aisha for your input as I respect you so much.
I'm not saying yes for teaching it.
I'm printing your article for Samri and giving it to her, and i'll speak to her about it.
Thank you very much

Maria Aya

******* eyes blinking !!! I have one Iraqi girl in my beginers class !!! the poor thing she will suffer from my questions :D
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Teaching Samri, etc.

Thank you very much Aisha for your input as I respect you so much.
I'm not saying yes for teaching it.
I'm printing your article for Samri and giving it to her, and i'll speak to her about it.
Thank you very much

Maria Aya

******* eyes blinking !!! I have one Iraqi girl in my beginers class !!! the poor thing she will suffer from my questions :D



Dear Aya,
Thank you so much for caring enough about the dance to wait until you are sure of your material!! This is the very reason that even after many years, I do not teach Ouled Nail or Tunisian. I can do the movements, I even have the costumes, but I feel that I do not have the true expertise it takes to teach them yet.
Love to you,
A'isha
 

gypsy8522

New member
Dear group,
RE the girls dancing in Gypsy's clips. One of my Saudi friends informs me that school age girls will dance for celebrations and when a dignitary visits a school. For example, she was in a dance performance when one of the Saudi princesses came to visit her school. the dances are choreographed loosely the, but many times not even during celebrations. Never during parties, etc. Also, keep in mind that the dances in real form do not usually cover that much physical space and the feet are generally much closer together than in the 2nd clip. One of my abayas is in this style, with the small arm slits and the piece that fits over the head. It also has a small, sheer face veil with it that attaches to it.
Gypsy, can you tell us where was this and what was the occasion?
Regards,
A'isha


This was at the Kuwaiti National Day celebrations.

Almost none of these girls are Saudi or Emirati, but you can tell they learned the real dancing and a native choreographer was hired. They didn't just do what they thought looks Saudi or Emirati to them. The costuming is also 100% accurate.





Maria Aya,

Never EVER ask from an Egyptian teacher to teach you how to dance khaleegi!!!!



Just look at the back up dancers in this one!!!!!!! :lol::lol:

If you notice, I labeled this video "ramadan memories"... not khaleegi anything!





Faten Salama is a native Egyptian dancer..... and an expert at folkloric styles, since she's an ex National troupe member.... but khaleegi??? I thought she was doing okay with the shoulder shimmy... before it turned into an epileptic attack!!!!!


 

Safran

New member
That is a wonderful thread! I just realised I know zero about khaleegy, but I also realised I so want to learn. Can anyone suggest any good khaleegy teachers in Europe maybe? Or who actually comes round to Europe to teach... Not that I would rush off to their workshops rightaway, but I'd know to keep my eyes open when I travel....
 

Suheir

New member
That is a wonderful thread! I just realised I know zero about khaleegy, but I also realised I so want to learn. Can anyone suggest any good khaleegy teachers in Europe maybe? Or who actually comes round to Europe to teach... Not that I would rush off to their workshops rightaway, but I'd know to keep my eyes open when I travel....
Khaled Mahmoud! I loved his khaleegy + drum solo workshop so much, I've done it twice.
 

Safran

New member
Khaled Mahmoud! I loved his khaleegy + drum solo workshop so much, I've done it twice.

Oh, I've done it as well, just once though :p But the khaleegy bit was really tiny in it (I think we're talking of the same workshop). But he is a great teacher, so I would not at all mind taking more khaleegy workshops (or any others for that matter) from him
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Gulf, etc.

Dear Gypsy,
I have a video of one of the Kuwaiti national celebrations from about 20 years ago. VERY different form this video, with the girls just dancing naturally. They do seem to have used native chorepgraphers in the clips that you shared. hardly anyone else ever quite gets that little bounce!! Leila ABdulaziz was featured prominently in the video I have and it is called "An evening with Leila Adulaziz", even though it is a national celebration. She sings a lot of folkloric songs in it. You can get this video through Saut wa Soura out of L.A.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Suheir

New member
Oh, I've done it as well, just once though :p But the khaleegy bit was really tiny in it (I think we're talking of the same workshop). But he is a great teacher, so I would not at all mind taking more khaleegy workshops (or any others for that matter) from him
Yes, I'm sure it must be the same workshop. I also took a khaleegy technique workshop from Khaled about 2 years ago, maybe he'll do that one again if he gets enough requests? :)
 

Eve

New member
Only done khaleegy a few times but I felt I got a grasp of it with
Houda and Tracey (UK)

Wouldn't mind tackling more of it tbh, it's great fun.
 

Suheir

New member
I've also taken a khaleegy workshop with Shafeek Ibrahim - great fun, but very different to Khaled's, Shafeek's is much more modern style.
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Samri, etc.

I've also taken a khaleegy workshop with Shafeek Ibrahim - great fun, but very different to Khaled's, Shafeek's is much more modern style.

Dear Forum members,
There are not only modern and traditional styles; there are also very distinctly regional and even specific village styles, from what I can tell from the people that I know from the gulf and Saudi. You seem to be able to find the same thing with folkloric dances everywhere. Look at how many different Debke styles we can find throughout the Levant, for example. I teach three different styles and have seen more than that.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Shanazel

Moderator
I even have the costumes, but I feel that I do not have the true expertise

Hey! I have waist length hair and access to a great khaleeji thobe. I can throw my head around and stomp my feet with the best of 'em. Are you trying to tell me I need something more?

Seriously, I would love to learn khaleeji, but doubt there is a chance in hell of having the opportunity, alas. Central Wyoming is not a hot bed of bd workshops.
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Dance

Hey! I have waist length hair and access to a great khaleeji thobe. I can throw my head around and stomp my feet with the best of 'em. Are you trying to tell me I need something more?

Seriously, I would love to learn khaleeji, but doubt there is a chance in hell of having the opportunity, alas. Central Wyoming is not a hot bed of bd workshops.

Dear Shanazel,
I am consistently amazed at the number of people who think because they have SOME knowledge of how to perform a dance, have the music and the costume.... that , my goodness, they MUST be prepared to teach it.
Regards,
A'isha
 
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