How Studying Egyptian Folklore Can Improve Your Dancing
Level 4 students performing on stage their Folklore ‘Shaabi’ Choreography at our Christmas Show on the 15th December 2019.
Some people believe, wrongly, that the only thing an Oriental Dancer does is shaking her hips. Besides mastering a complex technique and being able to dance several different music styles, most belly dancers also know and perform Arabic Folk Dances, especially Egyptian ones, some in a traditional way, some for-stage purpose.
From my own experience, I believe an Oriental Dancer gains a lot by knowing and practicing Egyptian Folk Dances. For that reason, in my Fundamental Course for Oriental Dance that I teach in my studio – Catarina Branco Oriental Studio – it is part of the curriculum to study and practice the most common Egyptian Folklore dances: Saidi, Baladi, Shaabi and Ghawazee.
But how can studying egyptian folklore can improve your dancing?
1. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND BETTER THE ROOTS OF THE DANCE
Firstly, Oriental Dance is a dance with its origins among the people, traditional of the country, which is the same to say it has its origins in folk dance. Knowing, understanding, and practicing folk dances is, therefore, a way to understand better the roots of the art we practice. This knowledge enables us to connect deeper with the dance and the music, making us feel and enjoy more while we are dancing, and, consequently, perform better.
2. YOU WILL BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE DANCE’S CULTURAL CONTEXT
Secondly, studying the different music styles, rhythms, and dances of each part of Egypt, increases our knowledge and understanding of the Egyptian culture. As a cultural dance, is of high importance that we understand and respect the context of the art we are practicing. Even though we can be creative and expressive in our dance, we are always reflecting a culture, and showing the audience a part of it. Knowing, understanding, and respecting the cultural context of the dance is mandatory for a respectful and serious performer.
3. YOU WILL DEVELOP YOUR MUSICALITY
What is more, getting to know and perform the different music styles and energies present in the different Egyptian Folk Dances, highly increases the musical sensibility of the dancer. Being acquainted with the different Arabic rhythms, instruments, and melodies that we encounter in the Folk Music, greatly develops our listening skill and, therefore, our musicality. Whenever those instruments and rhythms appear in any Arabic song, no matter the style, we will more easily become aware of the musical change and characteristics of that part of the song and, therefore, we will be better prepared to correspond to the music and, consequently, perform better.
4. YOU WILL BECOME MORE VERSATILE
Catarina Branco performing a Folklore Dance from the South of Egypt called ‘Saidi’ in Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival in Cairo, Egypt on the 13th July 2019
Highly linked with the one before, practicing different ways of dancing with different musical characteristics, provides you also the important skill of versatility. In my opinion, a professional dancer is a better dancer if she can correspond to the music and dance well no matter the style. If there is a classical Egyptian song playing, I believe a belly dancer should be able to be soft, classy, and emotional, if it is a drum solo, to be assertive, energetic, and fun, if it is a Mejancé, to be expansive, energetic, and elegant, and so on. Even among the same music style, there are different songs with different energies: there are classical Egyptian songs that are smooth and slow, some stronger and dramatic, some energetic and expansive. So, by listening and practicing completely different energies, which is the case of the different folk dances that vary greatly in mood (saidi, baladi, shaabi, ghawazee, etc.), we become more capable of performing better any other song and style that comes up, because we master our ability to change our energy and way of moving according to dance style. Myself, through the thorough work I have done in different music styles, became much more confident on my ability to dance anything and anywhere. No matter the music style, I know I will be able to deliver what the music asks.
5. YOU WILL EXPAND YOUR FIELD KNOWLEDGE
Finally, I believe that knowing Egyptian Folk Dances offers the dancer a broaden sense and knowledge of the art of Oriental Dance, which is of utmost importance especially for teachers who are spreading the practice of Belly Dance. Understanding the art and culture of the dance, makes the teacher and dancer better communicator and transmitter of the world of Arabic Dance. If someone needs any clarification of what Arabic Dance and Culture is about, we will be able to tell them and teach them better because we have studied the folk dances and we understand better and know more about this world.
For these 5 reasons and more, I believe every Oriental Dancer would gain a lot from learning Egyptian Folk Dances and any other Arabic Folk Dance for that matter. Besides, it is super fun and interesting to dive into this world, and so, I invite you, as I do my students, to come and travel with me through the Middle East World.