I first took an interest in bellydance, or rather, Middle Eastern (folkloric) dance, as an activity in the SCA. We arranged a few lessons, and I learned a bit of isolation and the names of some of the moves. That was in the 70's. Now I'm sure that like everything else in the SCA, it's a much bigger deal. Better researched, more thoroughly articulated, with a format for teaching and network and some accountability and some awards.
I'm not in the SCA now, but I bet that would be a fun source of fellowship and instruction in this area. Pinterest alone is a rich source of imagery and inspiration. I don't have time or money right now but SOME DAY.... :-)
I like the .pdf file I found because it contains a thumbnail analysis of different ethnic styles. For what it's worth, I share it here. Accreditation is at the bottom.
Here's the link:
http://www.eithni.com/ASEncyclopedia/middle_eastern_dance.pdf
And below is the cut and pasted content:
Middle Eastern Dance as known in the SCA, encompasses many cultures. For this brief SCA
orientated outline, Middle Eastern will include ar
eas from Egypt to India, Kazakhstan to Yemen.
History:
“Dance is found among all men whether in primitive or
advanced societies. Its functions vary in
these societies from religious to pure entertainmen
t. So in all probability
dance goes back as far
as man himself” (Massey, 1999)
Through statuary and written reco
rd, the performance of dance can
be traced through century and
millennium in temples, courts and countryside. It
was used as an entertainment, storytelling, and
religious media.
One of the golden ages of court dance occurred in the 16
th
century. Dancers from cultures
connected by the Silk Road performed and shared
their dance styles under
the patronage of the
Mughal rulers.
Much of the dances were lost during Muslim, British, and Islamic rule/occupation. Dancing was
viewed as unseemly and forbidden or driven und
erground with vestiges only found in brothels.
In the early 20
th
century, traditional dance began its resurgence, becoming a channel for cultural
identity. Much of the dance had to be ‘rei
nvented’ and adapted to modern and European
patronage. As example, Persian
and Uzbekistan incorporated ba
llet, while Egyptian and Turkish
became ‘cabaret’.
The SCA has further adapted these cultural styles
into the improvisational
dance that occurs at
camping events around campfires to the sounds of
drums – and sometimes melodic instruments.
Performances venues for dance in the SCA are t
ypically limited to feast and some specific
bardic/performance events.
Basic Materials:
Garb – dress appropriate to the cu
lture your dance style is based, i.
e., try not to wear Indian and
dance Egyptian. A dancer’s garb choices also
tend to change based on kingdom and climate.
Other additions:
Hip-scarves/coin belts – a modern adoption th
at helps draw attention to your movements
Zills/finger chimes – fun if
you are skilled, but show consid
eration of your dance neighbor
Ghungurus/ankle bells – an Indian accessory, used
more for performance than dance circles
Basic Technique:
Unless specified otherwise, most dance styles
taught and seen around cam
pfires is American
Cabaret or California Tribal, what most people thi
nk of when they hear ‘Belly Dance’. Both are
modern American interpreta
tions of classical Egyptian.
Some Period Dance Styles:
Egyptian
sharp or undulating hip, torso, and shoulder movements
‘shimming’ or fast shaking of hips and shoulders
Turkish
similar to Egyptian, but utilizes more
hops/jumps and increased hip isolation.
Persian
Focus is on intricate, graceful arm and hand motions
Little motion in hips, some soft swaying is used
Soft foot work with pirouettes on toes
Indian
Smooth transition between precise body, hand, ar
m, and eye postures, each symbolizing a
specific storytelling element.
South Indian tends to be more sensual while
North focuses on percussive foot work and
pirouettes on heals.
Glossary – Terms are highly variable based
on style. Some common to SCA dancing:
Dance or Drum circle: a gather
ing of drummers and dancers j
oyfully sharing improvisational
music and movement. Most rhythms and
scales are Middle Ea
stern in origin.
Hafla – a Middle Eastern Party
Sources for info:
Dance, like any physical discipline can only
be truly understood by
personal teaching.
My recommendation is to research local dance st
udios and find one that
suits your interest and
style preference. Egyptian is the easiest to fi
nd, and most adaptable to the SCA dance circle
venue. Other dance styles can be more elusive
to track down and open to
new students, but it is
well worth the effort.
Reginald Massey, India’s Kathak Dance: Past
Present and Future, Abhinav Pub. New Delhi,
India. 1999. ISBN 81-7017-374-4. (Great book if you ar
e interested in Kathak and origins of
Indian Dance)
http://www.uzbekdance.org/
- good description of the blending
that occurred on
the Silk Road
http://www.jawaahir.org/index.htm
- site has wonderful info and links to Egyptian sites
http://artira.com/nimaki
ann/history/history.htm
- great history of Persian Dance
And like most SCA research - examina
tion of period paintings and sculpture
Contact info: Eleanor de Bo
lton, Andrea Zigler. 952-239-7959
(an Outlands bred dancer)
No comments:
Post a Comment