Autumn Ward

Classes!

2011-11-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

I think all of the readers of this blog may live in Brazil, but on the off chance you're in New York City, I'm posting to tell you that I'll be offering regular weekly classes in January. I haven't offered weekly classes in a few years, and depending on enrollment, may not offer them again, so please consider this as a unique opportunity. Let your loved ones know that classes make great holiday gifts!

Winter 2012 Schedule

Beginning Belly Dance Twelve Week Course
$180 / $18 Single Class Drop-In
Section A: Wednesdays, 7:00-8:00, Creative Wellness (Long Island City), 1/11-3/28
Section B: Thursdays, 6:30-7:30, 440 Studios (East Village), 1/12-3/29
Section C: Saturdays, 2:00-3:00, 440 Studios (East Village), 1/14-3/31
Section D: Tuesdays, 6:00-7:00, Pearl Studios (Midtown West), 1/17-4/3

"Dryad Dance" Choreography: Lyrical Belly Dance Workshop (4 weeks)
For Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional dancers
$100 / $30 drop in
Saturdays, 3:15-5:00: 440 Studios, 1/13-2/3

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(Or purchase a Gift Certificate.)

Course Descriptions

Beginning Belly Dance Twelve Week Course
Start your dance education off on the right foot, following a structured curriculum that builds clean versatile technique from the ground up. This comprehensive course for new beginners lays it all out step by step.

See and enjoy clear advancement in every class, reviewing and perfecting essential foundation movements, applying your growing skills to new and progressively more sophisticated material each week, and putting it all together in a simple choreography that we will build through the session.

Learn footwork, torso isolations, technique for arms, wrists, and hands, and music theory in a training program that emphasizes precise and confident dancing. Each movement is taught with consideration to ideal placement and alignment relative to each dancer's unique anatomy and abilities; performance context; and cultural context.

Makeups and "booster" classes are available for this course. Each section follows the same syllabus: if you miss a class, you may receive the same lesson by attending class in another section later in the week (or, if you know in advance that you will be absent, come earlier in the week). Want extra review? Double-up, triple-up, or even quadruple-up at a steep discount: repeat a lesson in another section for only $5. (Please be advised, though, that makeups and boosters are subject to availability: courses that do not meet minimum enrollment are subject to cancellation.)

At the conclusion of the session, students will have the option to continue on to a Beginner II course.

Drop-ins are permitted at the rate of $18/class, but, in fairness to those who come every week, drop-in students are respectfully asked to understand that time can't be taken out of class to catch you up on prerequisite material you've missed. If you drop in and are out of pace with the class, please accept that you may receive less individual attention than regular students.

Schedule and Link to Enrollment ↑

"Dryad Dance" Choreography: Lyrical Belly Dance Workshop (4 weeks)
Learn a richly detailed artistic choreography to medieval-inspired music by the band Faun. This musical and intricate dance combines soft feminine styling with challenging precision technique. "Dryad Dance" uses vocabulary from tribal and ethnic belly dance styles, Persian dance, and Western dance, and includes footwork, sophisticated arm movements, quick transitions, and densely textured isolation combinations.

Each class also includes detailed movement breakdowns for the vocabulary used in that week's section of the choreography; technique drills promoting clean lines, grace, and coordination; and center and across-the-floor work focusing on music interpretation, expressivity, and charismatic stage presence. Exercises in this course both build technical excellence and encourage artistic growth, supporting dancers' individually authentic creative expression.

Schedule and Link to Enrollment ↑

Studio Locations

Creative Wellness (Wednesdays)
44-02 11th Street, Suite 308 (between 44th Rd and 44th Ave)
Long Island City, Queens
Subway: E/M/7/G to 23rd-Ely/Court Square
Ample Street parking.
Come on baby. Don't fear the G Train
Google Map
Schedule and Link to Enrollment ↑

440 Studios (Saturdays and Thursdays)
440 Lafayette St. (Just southeast of 8th and Broadway, near the Cube)
East Village, Manhattan
Subway: N/R to 8th St.-NYU; 6 to Astor Place; short hike from Union Square (L; 4/5/6; N/Q/R)
Google Map
Schedule and Link to Enrollment ↑

Pearl Studios (Tuesdays)
500 8th Ave. (between 35th and 36th Streets)
Manhattan
Subway: A/C/E to 34th St.; 1/2/3 to 34th St.; short walk from the N/Q/R to 34th St. and 33rd St. PATH
Google Map
Schedule and Link to Enrollment ↑

Private Lessons

To make arrangements for private coaching, contact me directly at (917) 686-1622. My fee for individuals is $80/hour, or $140/2-hour lesson. Midtown studio, your home or gym, or other location. (Travel fee may apply.) I do not recommend individual private study for students with no previous dance training.

More Information

FAQ Attire Ettiquette

Raqs Europa

2011-10-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

I originally created Raqs Europa in 2008. There's a version of this dance on the 2009 World Dance New York Fantasy Bellydance perforamnce DVD; the performance in this clip was filmed on Oct 1, 2011, at the Venus Uprising "Bad Girls and Guilty Pleasures" showcase.

Raqs Europa is a belly dance fantasy inspired by the glamor of nightclub floorshows from the early twentieth century. The name of the piece is an allusion to the Arabic name for Oriental dance: "raqs sharqi," the dance ("raqs") of al-Sharq ("the East").

The music for this project was a custom commission; it was composed and produced by Jeremy Bloom, based on my requests for structuring and instrumentation. MP3 download available at beyondthebalkans.bandcamp.com.

Amazing costume construction by Erica Young, who engineered and fabricated a lovely garment from my barely legible stick-figure sketch.

Thanks to videographer Renée Renata Bergan.

Travel Steps

2011-09-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

Travel Steps is Here!

Order at AutumnWard.com. Download the Study Guide here.

Knowledge of Good and Evil

2011-05-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

...And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden. The Lord God commanded, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and of evil thou shalt not eat. For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Now the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, “Ye surely shall NOT die. God doth know that in the day ye eat from the tree of knowledge, then shall your eyes be opened.”

I developed the dance “Knowledge of Good and Evil” between 2009 and 2011. This clip is from its first performance: a contribution to the “Objects of Desire” showcase, presented by Venus Uprising at the Merce Cunningham Theater in New York City in April 2011. The music is “Ketto” by Bonobo, from the album Days to Come. The Serpent was danced by Amador S. Juarez.

Inspiration

My creative process for this dance began entirely with the music. When I first heard “Ketto” I loved the unique sound and was intrigued by the possibility of using its distinct sections to support a dance with a strong narrative component. As a starting point, I focused on the abrupt transition that ends the track, where full lush music suddenly falls away to stark echoes, evoking a feeling of being pulled from a dream. From here I imagined Eden, and went on to adapt the story to the structure imposed by the music and to my interest in an esoteric interpretation of this familiar tale.

Story

“Knowledge of Good and Evil” can be most simply seen as a depiction of Eve’s fall. I designed the large piece of fabric in this dance as a representation of Eden itself, but a viewer accustomed to the conventions of belly dance might automatically see this fabric as Eve’s “veil.” (While Eve is never “veiled” by the fabric, the choreography in this section is built on movements from the veil repertoire of American Cabaret belly dance.) Especially in this light, tragic narratives emerge, with the Serpent playing the role of betrayer, seducer, bully, or thief. When the music falls away to hollow echoes, Eve too is fallen and hollow, not only naked but also empty.

“Knowledge of Good and Evil” can also be seen as an allegory of enlightenment.

The dance opens with technical choreography that is not emotionally expressive. Harp-like instrumentation sounds a series of arpeggios with unexpected accidental notes that make the otherwise idyllic music sound vaguely off. Eve’s movements are languorous but contained in a way that renders them flat. She draws decorative shapes in space, and her character is pretty but one-dimensional.

The Serpent, considered as a subversive character rather than as an evil one, whispers truthfully to Eve: the apple brings not death but higher consciousness; it will “open” her eyes. When she accepts, her character comes to life. Eden unfolds around Eve as her newfound “Knowledge of Good” reveals to her that she is in paradise. But, lost in ecstatic dancing, Eve doesn’t notice as Eden slips away. Alienated from the flow of the natural world, she is suddenly confronted by “Knowledge of Evil.”

In this version of the story, paradise can be regained. With open eyes, we see that we may pay attention, learn to recognize and appreciate the “good” that is always with us, and cherish the things we love; or we may flounder in banality of the mundane.

Costume

I designed and created the costume for this dance. The foundation is a pair of store-bought leggings and the “Clear-Back Bra” manufactured by The Natural/Coconut Grove. I created a belt, then lowered and re-shaped the waistband of the leggings to match the belt’s top edge. I also shortened the leggings to calf length. I used the fabric I had cut off of the leggings to cover the bra, then added a second layer of the mesh fabric I used for the belt.

The bra, belt, and headpiece are finished with appliques from B & Q Trimmings, 210 W 38th St. I also used barrette blanks (to anchor the butterflies in my hair) from Toho Shoji, 990 Sixth Ave. My Eden veil fabric came from NYC Fabrics, 256 W.38th St. (All addresses are in New York City).

Hair

During my performance in the “Objects of Desire” show, I heard more about my choice of hairstyle than about any other aspect of my dance. Much of this commentary came in the fun form of a progression of cast members squealing “buns!” and rushing at me with squeezy hands. But I was also asked over and over again why I wasn’t dancing with my hair down.

I put my hair up mostly because I thought Eve looked more bare with her shoulders and back uncovered. But my hairstyle also reflects my preferences and what I value in dance performance: I didn’t want to obscure the movements in the opening choreography, and I didn’t want to simplify the veil section to accommodate the unpredictability of flying hair. To me, a dance designed around loose hair would have been less interesting.

I’m aware that Princess Leia also wore her hair in two buns, but I thought in the context of this dance and costuming the hairstyle would convey more of an art nouveau quality. Apparently not. [Sigh], no, [eye roll], I don’t have any news from the rebel alliance.

The buns are created by a twirly plastic device called “MagicBun.”

Drum Solo Workshop on January 29

2011-01-20T12:48:00.001-08:00

Drum Solo: Soft, Clean, and Powerful
Saturday, January 29, from 5:00 – 7:00, at Creative Vibrations, Astoria
$45

Learn secrets to create a powerful stage presence without the aggressive styling and hard edges that make dancing look frantic or flat.

I will teach a complete two-and-a-half minute drum solo, adaptable for Egyptian or Fusion performances. The choreography goes light on the shimmies and locks and instead uses a mixture of crisp and juicy movements that reflect the musicality of the drum, showcasing your technical skills without sacrificing warmth and expression. We will focus on music interpretation, analyzing the relationship of each combination with the rhythm and soloing pattern it accompanies. Notes, including a music diagram, will be provided.

Music: "Ismail," from Beata & Horacio Cifuentes, Oriental Fantasy
Vol. 9 -- Heartbeat of Cairo.

A hafla will follow the workshop. If you would like to perform, sign up ASAP to reserve your spot! To register for the workshop or perform at the hafla, contact Lalita: call 347-345-6095 or email info@yogaastoria.com

Creative Vibrations is located at 22-55 31st St., 2nd Floor, Ste. 200, in Astoria Queens. If you’re in New York but think the location doesn't work for you, try double-checking the address on-line or check the travel time on the MTA’s Trip Planner. The studio is literally AT the Ditmars Blvd stop on the N or Q train (a 23 minute ride from Times
Square), and you can exit straight from the station to the studio--you don't even have to walk outside.

December classes and January Workshop in Astoria

2010-11-29T15:06:00.000-08:00

I'll be substitute-teaching on Wednesdays for the first three weeks in December. The level of the class is open -- I'll teach for whomever shows up, but I'm hoping to include some intermediate/advanced material. Then, on Saturday, January 29, I will be giving a workshop to teach a short drum solo choreography. The classes and workshops are both happening at Creative Vibrations Yoga Studio, 22-55 31^st St., 2^nd Floor, Ste. 200, Astoria. (If you don't know Queens, don't worry. The studio is literally AT the Ditmars Blvd stop on the N train (a 23 minute trip from Times Square), and you can exit straight from the station to the studio--you don't even have to walk outside. )

Wednesday classes (12/1, 12/8, and 12/15) are from 7:00 - 8:25, and are $17 each. The Drum Solo workshop (1/29) is from 5:00 - 7:00. The cost is still TBD and registration is not yet open -- if you'd like me to send you an email when the details are final, please let me know.

Belly Dance in Poland

2010-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

On October 22, 23, and 24, I had the pleasure of teaching a series of workshops in Bochnia, Poland. The weekend concluded with a performance. During my trip, my hostess, Amar, also treated me to a day of sightseeing.

Having lived for many years in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a Polish enclave in New York City, I thought that I knew a bit about Polish culture, and expected to be in a somewhat familiar environment. My initial impression of Poland, changing planes at Warsaw’s airport, was that I had come to an entire country of Greenpoint. The terminal is filled with Citibank advertising and liquor stores (albeit duty-free), and the pale pinched faces of my fellow travellers would not have been out of place on Nassau Avenue. Fortunately, to my profound relief, things were very different when I touched down in Kraków, and by the time I arrived in Bochnia (about 25 miles to the east), I felt like I had arrived in a storybook.

Bochnia is absolutely lovely. This small city sits nestled in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and, although a touch of fall was definitely in the air, the landscape was still very green. As is so often the case in Europe, and so infrequently the case here in sprawl-benighted USA, the area immediately outside the city is quite rural, and the rolling hills are cut into a patchwork of long narrow agricultural fields. And of course the appearance of the occasional castle or commuter railway made it quite clear that I was in the Old World.

With Amar at the Chakra spot

In Kraków I visited the market square, St. Mary’s Basilica, and Wawel castle, and I also had a tour of the salt mine in nearby Wieliczka. Amongst all of the cultural treasures, Amar also pointed out to me another point of interest, one of the world’s seven “chakra energy spots,” in a grubby, unmarked, and otherwise unremarkable corner of the Wawel castle courtyard. Although we could not discern any tangible energetic effects, perhaps our pass through the chakra’s energetic field helped to prepare us for a very busy weekend of dancing.

Sunday's show

Polish dancers are to be commended for their stamina. It was a very full program – 15 hours of teaching over three days—and nearly every single participant remained on her feet throughout each class. I taught in English with only a little translation assistance here and there for theoretical concepts and anatomical nomenclature, and I have great respect for the dancers’ ability and willingness to expend the extra mental energy to follow along in a foreign language. Many of the participants also spent the weekend putting the finishing touches on their own dances for the show, but somehow managed to find enough room in their brains to quickly learn an entirely new (and not easy!) choreography during Sunday’s workshop, and then perform the dance later that day along with me.

Thank you Amar, and thank you to everyone who contributed to the festival. It was a pleasure to teach, and I wish you all the best of luck in your dancing careers.

New artistic belly dance choreography: Dream Waltz

2010-10-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

I recorded this classroom clip of myself on September 29, 2010. I’ve added this choreography to my list of workshop offerings, and I will be teaching it on October 24 in Bochnia, Poland.

The music is Dansbanan by Swedish ensemble Detektivbyrån.

“Dream Waltz” is belly dance as magical realism: a glimpse of the extraordinary shimmering through everyday reality.

For most Western audiences, belly dance, with its associations of gypsies, midways, exoticism, glamor, and glitter, carries some inherent suggestion of magic, although it may most often be magic of a duplicitous variety. “Dream Waltz” builds on the magic in the familiar associations of belly dance, but its open lines give the dance a clean airy feeling, and the winsome music and styling suggest freshness and innocence. Rather than trickery and veiled shabbiness, the charm of “Dream Waltz” is pure.

In Dansbanan, one hears overlapping suggestions of the ephemeral and liminal, evoking a fuzzy feeling of searching through emotion and memory. The ragtag instrumentation (including plaintive accordion, glockenspiel, and a guy keeping time on a pair of scissors) creates an impression of vagabond musicians, and there’s a further suggestion of an old-fashioned carnival: the ping of the glockenspiel sounds like turn-of-the-century mechanical instruments or musical automata. But, while the sound of Dansbanan is thin, outmoded, and unconventional, it is still warm and familiar: the use of struck, improvised, and “toylike” instruments also brings to mind children at play. Rather than eliciting sinister and shadowy associations of the supernatural, Dansbanan inspires the “sense of wonder” so often associated with children. Impressions of the fantasy “gypsy” and child converge, and one imagines the freedom and fragility of impermanence and a social position on the edge of society. The rollicking waltz rhythm adds a final layer of bittersweet, simultaneously creating a joyful lift in spirit and a wistful nostalgia for an idealized past.

Piercing through the fuzzy tangle of emotional associations, the tones of Dansbanan are sweet and clear. The music is full of fast changes played with precision, and the choreography, too, is packed with layered moves and frequent and fast transitions. But nothing in the dance is abrupt: the regular rolling pulse of the music and the absence of large or flashy movements create a hypnotic effect. The unity between music and movement lull the viewer into a deeper reverie and the juxtaposition of clear and fuzzy impressions make the dance feel full and deep.

For students, I’ve uploaded a music diagram and reference notes. “Dream Waltz” can stand on its own without elaborate staging, but by varying the costume and context, the choreography could be adapted for a variety of fantasy styles: carnival, midway, or circus; Victorian, music hall, or "steampunk;" fantasy "gypsy;" or "raqs europa" style belly dance.

Belly Dance, Ballet, and Folklore

2010-10-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

A YouTube commenter asks,

“where did u learn to dance like the old folkloric styles (<--did i say that right?) did you go to another country and learn? also u took ballet right (it looks like it)? If so, do you think its possible to learn belly dance with no dance background at 19 years old? I find it requires a lot of strenght and grace that ballet dancers have that I dont. Im still taking classes anyway”

Don't let dance class get to you. It's enough that you get yourself to class. :-)

Belly dance does not require study abroad, a childhood dance background, or ballet cross-training. Not everyone has the innate talent or motivation to rise to the level of a star dancer, but none of the characteristics of virtuoso belly dance—musicality, expressiveness, and coordination—must necessarily be developed in childhood, in the Middle East, or in a ballet class.

If you are a new belly dance student, I do not recommend cross-training in ballet, or any other dance form. Try several belly dance classes until you find a teacher and style that you really like, and then study exclusively with that teacher for six months to one year. Once you’ve mastered the basics your teacher offers, it’s extremely important to branch out, but a student who starts out by dabbling among curricula often ends up with a shallow and muddy pool of skills. It’s understandable to feel eager (or impatient) about your progress, but learning to dance simply takes patience and time. Expect to spend several years before you really feel like “a dancer,” and know that your training must continue throughout your career.

If you’re looking to develop a “balletic” style of belly dance, spending some time in a ballet class may give you some new insights into the way your body moves, but you will probably do better in a belly dance class that emphasizes intentionality, balance, posture, alignment, and somatic self-awareness. Belly dance requires the ability to sink into a low center of gravity and spiral energy back and forth through the body. Ballet classes will ask you to develop diametrically opposed habits—pulling up and extending into lines that carry energy beyond your body out infinitely in to space. If you can not find a belly dance class that addresses anatomical placement, look for information and coaching in the “mind-body” family of health and wellness disciplines. Take a teacher training course in functional anatomy, or book private lessons with a movement coach. (If you have not yet done so, you might also want to check out my instructional video, which includes an extremely detailed discussion of alignment.)

Cultural context should certainly be part of a beginner’s curriculum, but, if you would like to become an elite performer, you must learn to access and express your own physicality. Observe and imitate native dancers to learn style and nuance, but remember that developing an “authentic” style will probably not make you a better dancer if you have not yet built a strong foundation of physical fitness, technical skills, and musicality. Simply being “authentic” does not necessarily make one a particularly compelling artist. If you’re very devoted to a particular style, you may certainly build technique and style simultaneously, but you will have more creative options if you build technique and style as independent skills.

If you would like to travel to the Middle East to study “authentic” dance, by all means go, but it’s probably easier and less expensive to start closer to home. If you live in (or can travel to) a major American city, you’ll find large international communities that support nightclubs, restaurants, cultural centers, festivals, and parties, all of which provide ample opportunities to watch and dance alongside native dancers. Ask your classmates to go out dancing with you, or join (or start) an internet meet-up group. Reach out to teachers or classmates who are dancing professionally at weddings and parties in the Middle-Eastern community—if you let them know about your interest in folklore and volunteer your services as a driver or bag-carrier, you may find additional opportunities to observe and participate in social dancing. Musicians and DJs may also help you gain access to private events (although it’s a good idea to be clear from the outset that the kind of “private event” you’re looking for isn’t a date.)

For a deep and rich understanding of cultural dances, explore how and why to use the movement vocabulary you are learning. If you have an outgoing personality and some Arabic (or Persian or Turkish) language skills, you may be able to independently research the origins and significance of the dances you encounter. If not, go back to the classroom, and look for a teacher who is a gifted interpreter – someone who is familiar not only with the culture you are studying, but with your own culture as well. You may find teachers by travelling to the Middle East, but keep in mind that not all talented dancers are talented teachers, and that not all teachers of cultural styles are good at teaching non-native students. Many of the very best teachers of Middle Eastern dance are not natives of the Middle East. Among the American experts who live and teach in the United States are Sahra Saeeda, Zahra Zuhair, and Robyn Friend (CA); Aradia (NV); Nourhan Sharif and Ranya Renee (NY); and Laurel Victoria Gray (WDC). (This is just a short list of a few teachers whom I’ve seen in action and can vouch for, but there are many others to add to this roster…)

(Notice also that the teachers I’ve mentioned are all women. Belly dance absolutely may be expertly performed or taught by men, but the preponderance of male Egyptian teachers on the workshop circuit reflects an unfortunate bias among American and European dance students. If a female student enjoys the attention of her male teacher, or if she enjoys watching him change his sweaty shirt after class, these are perfectly good reasons for her to study with him; they are not, however, credentials of a teacher’s expertise.)

Finally, don’t overlook the easiest resource of all: the internet. YouTube provides endless clips of cultural dances, and lists and message boards are tremendous sources of information.

To answer the rest of your question: I took my first belly dance class at age 26. My childhood background is gymnastics—I had some rudimentary dance training in my gymnastics program, and I studied ballet and flamenco in college, but I learned most of what I know about dance in my early 30s. Books, DVDs, and training courses for dance and fitness teachers have been my most valuable source of information on placement and alignment. I have taken class with many native Middle Eastern teachers and danced alongside many native dancers, but none of my dance education has taken place in the Middle East. My dance education thus far has happened in classes and workshops in Washington, DC and New York City; at weddings, parties, and nightclubs in Brooklyn, Queens, northern New Jersey, Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland; and in my kitchen and living room, in front of the TV and computer monitor.

Enchantress

2010-09-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I created Enchantress in the fall of 2007 for the instructional DVD Fantasy Bellydance: Magic.

This clip shows a performance from October 2, 2009. I danced as part of a showcase, Metamorphosis, presented by Venus Uprising. Thanks to cameraman Scott Shuster.

I'm not sure why the video goes slow-mo at 4:17! It's not a special effect, just something screwy with the conversion.

Style
Enchantress is an example of artistic belly dance: genre-redefining belly dance transposed out of its traditional context as folklore, social dance, or nightclub entertainment. Although Enchantress may also correctly be called fantasy, fusion, theatrical, pagan, medieval, cabaret, and tribal, it represents more than is described by any one of these labels alone, and doesn’t conform to the conventions of any single category. The piece draws on movement vocabulary from ethnic and cabaret belly dance, but the steps are creatively sequenced into unconventional combinations, mixed with mime and theatrical gesture, and executed with an attitude of gravitas and level of precision most often associated with tribal and tribal fusion styles. The music combines fantasy and tradition: atmospheric vocals sit on top of Egyptian folkloric percussion. The bell sleeves, fitted bodice, and dropped waist of my dress are common in belly dance costuming, but these elements have been reworked into a bliaud that evokes medieval fantasy. And, Enchantress is not only dance, but dance-theater, with a distinct character, narrative, and dramatic arc.

Choreography and Reference Notes
To match the subject of earthy feminine magic, I choreographed Enchantress in a heavy style, using strong accents, large torso isolations, fast momentum-driven transitions, and a low center of gravity. As always, I carefully reflected the structure of the music in matching choreography, but, because I was working primarily with unaccompanied rhythm, I was also able to choose and sequence steps in the service of plot. My use of finger cymbals adds depth to the music and dramatic punctuation to the choreography.

I teach Enchantress as a workshop offering, and the dance is also available as an instructional DVD. I’ve made choreography notes (including a music diagram and finger cymbal notation) available for download here.

Costume
The bodice of my dress is a flesh-colored leotard; it’s tacked to a skirt made of flesh-colored chiffon and dark green nylon spandex mesh. Both are covered by eveningwear lace fabric from Better Choice Fabrics and Trimmings, 260 W. 39th St, New York, NY, and artificial oak leaves from Dry and Silk, Inc., 123 W 28th St., New York, NY. Thanks to Erica Young for her assistance in design and construction and especially for hand-stitching me into this creation. (My leotard is stretchy, but the green lace on top of it is not. While I wore the dress, Erica patiently tacked the lace to the leotard one knot at a time, and did not stab me once.)

Cymbals

On the Fantasy: Magic DVD, I used Saroyan Afghani Cymbals in German Silver. These cymbals have a low tone, and their size gives them a substantial appearance. For the 2009 performance, I used a combination of cymbals to create an eerie dissonant sound: I have one of the silver Saroyan Afghani cymbals on my right thumb, a Turquoise “B Oriental” on the left thumb, and a pair of Turquoise “A”s on top.

Rose of Damascus ("Medieval" Belly Dance)

2010-09-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

I created Rose of Damascus in 2007. At the time, I had considered it to be a minor project, and was amazed to see it go on to become my most-watched YouTube video.

Style

“Medieval” belly dance, as shown in this clip, should most definitely be considered a fantasy concept. While it’s true that the historical roots of belly dance stretch back to antiquity in the Middle East, there’s no historical basis for placing belly dance in the British Isles or Northern Europe during the middle ages, and it’s very unlikely that any dance of this era would have the formalized vocabulary and precise body lines shown in Rose of Damascus. Although I did intentionally choose more natural looking textiles, my costuming follows contemporary conventions from fantasy faire style, not any historical example.

Even if the form is not historically accurate, though, it sits very comfortably in the long-established traditions of romantic medieval fantasy, and for me and many others, draws a feeling of authenticity from sources other than history.

"The Accolade," Edmund Blair Leighton, 1901

Despite its fanciful concept, the actual content of Rose is largely lacking in gimmickry, making for a dance that feels genuine and warm. Because a medieval theme suggests a simple aesthetic, and because Rose is a work created for a formal theater stage, I was able to take soft movements from the cabaret style of bellydance and show them without the artifice that usually surrounds cabaret style dancing. Without the trappings of the nightclub (the sequins, the spandex, the push-up bra, the disco lights, the indiscriminately pressed ululation button on the electronic keyboard), one sees not only the sensuality that is always acknowledged in belly dance but also sweetness and sincerity – characteristics rarely associated with this form of dance.

Rose also benefits from exceptionally organic transitions. Although I chose steps carefully, the fluid look to my dance largely reflects my having followed the fluid structure of the music. Rather than breaking into predictable verses and choruses in 4s or 8s, the phrases of Flos ut Rosa, the music I used for Rose, break out in to groups of 2, 4, 5, 6, 11, and 13 measures, arranged without any repeating pattern that I can discern. Unlike many dances that seem to build, Rose seems to fall away, like water. (My experience performing this dance, however, wasn’t anything like drifting downstream. The rote memorization required to hit the accents in Flos ut Rosa makes it an exceptionally difficult piece. See the music diagram further down in this post.)

Aside from its wandering structure, Flos ut Rosa is easy to hear in a belly dance context, further contributing to the natural feeling of Rose. As in Middle-Eastern belly dance music, the melody line follows a pattern of call and response and repetition with variation; accents provide punctuation within the flow of the music; and, in passages of solo instrumentation, a full deep sound is achieved through the use of a drone. Although the instrument providing the drone, a symphonia (a type of hurdy gurdy), is European, it is similar in timbre to double-reed or double-pipe instruments from the Middle East (such as bagpipes, mijwiz, and mizmar/zurna). One also hears violin, which, while European in origin, is commonly used in Middle-Eastern music; rhythmic percussion (possibly a frame drum); and a clear bell tone that evokes delicately-played finger cymbals.

Finally, on a more mundane level, Rose provides a rare vehicle for my red hair and freckles to seem perfect for belly dance. As a peaches-and-cream American, I work with the continual challenge of seeing my work judged differently—generally more critically—than that of someone who is (or merely looks) ethnically Middle-Eastern. (Once, I was even sent home from a job. I had been hired over the phone by a restaurant manager, but was turned away at the front door by the restaurant’s owner for not looking "exotic enough.”) It is a wonderful change of pace to have instant and unquestioned credibility simply because I look the part, although I do roll my eyes over the irony that such a non-authentic item in my repertoire should garner more praise for authenticity than my carefully-researched Middle-Eastern dances.

Music

Flos ut Rosa is played by Estonian ensemble Rondellus. The track is on the CD “Carmina Sanctorum,” and is also available as a free download from their website. Rondellus is perhaps best known for their CD “Sabbatum,” a collection of Black Sabbath covers arranged in the 14th century style and sung in Latin.

Technique and Choreography

I’m flattered, although somewhat bewildered, by requests to teach medieval bellydance. The dance steps in Rose come from the same vocabulary I use in all of my work. (My DVD, Beautiful Technique from Step One, provides an introduction to this style). It’s been suggested that Rose has a somewhat Persian look, and while I do acknowledge some Persian influence throughout my basic technique, I think the Persian look of Rose is primarily an artifact of the time signature—a certain amount of right-left-right/left-right-left is inevitable anytime one is moving to a ¾ or 6/8.

I do teach combinations to medieval music, Enchantress (the choreography performed and taught on the Fantasy: Magic DVD), and plan to have another workshop-ready medieval choreography for 2011.

I do not teach Rose as a workshop offering, because the music is simply too hard to anticipate. Try counting along at home:

Time code	# of 3-count measures	Musical phrase
0:00	2	Introductory percussion
:04	5	double “bong” accent
:12	6	triple “bong” accent
:22	11	lute (ends with repeating motif)
:42	5	double “bong” accent (ends with repeating motif)
:50	4	triple “bong” accent
:57	11	violin
1:14	5	double “bong” accent
1:22	6	triple “bong” accent
1:31	13	symphonia (ends with repeating motif)
1:52	4	double “bong” accent
1:59	6	triple “bong” accent
2:07	4	false ending
2:14	5	double “bong” accent
2:22	6	triple “bong” accent
2:31	2	false ending (ends with repeating motif)
2:34	5	double “bong” accent (ends with repeating motif)
2:42	4	triple “bong” accent
2:49	5	double “bong” accent
2:56	6	triple “bong” accent
3:06	2	false ending (ends with repeating motif)
3:09	4	double “bong” accent
3:16	6	triple “bong” accent

At this time, I do not have official choreography notes to share for this dance. However, if you have a question about a specific step or combination, please feel free to email.

Related Work
My Enchantress is another dance with a medieval feeling. (YouTube, DVD).

Captive Breeding

2010-08-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

“Captive Breeding” was my contribution to a group show, the Zoo, presented by Venus Uprising in the spring of 2010.

Style

Clearly, Captive Breeding is not traditional bellydance. The moves, I guess, are Egyptian-ish, although I did try to chinoisify the body line a little. I think of the piece as a burlesque, although I’m not aware of any burlesque currently happening with as much emphasis on dance. I would be delighted to see this piece cited as an example of "Contemporary Panda Fusion," "PandCab," "PTS," or something of the like.

Music

The music is two tracks: Song from Shandong and The Menjiang Girl. Both are from the CD Chinese Traditional Erhu Music 2 by Lei Qiang. The entire album is really very lovely, and adding it to my collection was an unexpected side benefit to this project.

Props

My veil is just three yards of plain old polyester chiffon.

Super Sudoku to Exercise Your Mind and Yahtzee are available on-line or probably at the bookstore wherever you live.

I do not recommend that you purchase Forbidden Treasure. Yes, I did read it all. In the tub. And I regret every steamy moment of it. If you really want to know, a reviewer has provided an extraordinarily thorough plot synopsis here.

Costume

Eleftheriou’s Chinese peasant costume was purchased from Pearl River. (I bought a white set and a black set in the largest size available, spliced them together, and then tacked in numerous layers of polyester batting around the midsection).

My top was also purchased at Pearl River; I cropped it to midriff length. Pants salvaged out of a jumpsuit on the sale rack at Rainbow.

My hipscarf, appropriately, came from a hole in the wall in Chinatown. Observant fans may recognize it as one of the scarves worn by the mermaids in Atlantis.

Cast
Eleftheriou Targouisti has the soul of an artist. He developed his intense love of the Dance in childhood. After attracting the attention of a benefactress, he studied at L’Ecole du Mime with Etienne Decroux. In this performance, he combines a love of movement with a passion for animals. Of Greco-Moroccan heritage, Maestro Targouisti now makes his home in Astoria, Queens.

Other Videos
If you enjoyed Captive Breeding, you may also enjoy Atlantis. This video is not currently available on YouTube; it is included on the collection Fantasy Bellydance from World Dance New York. Buy it here.

Egyptian Dance

2010-08-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

I’ve been reading on the internet that I am “a ballerina who made a belly dance video,” or that I no longer perform traditional bellydance. This is not so! Here’s a video of a performance of mine from earlier this year.

This performance was filmed on April 24, 2010, at Je’Bon in New York City. I danced as part of a showcase, “Disco Al Sharq: Al Rabia,” hosted by Mark Balahadia and Leela.

For students, critics, and others who want to learn more, production notes follow.

Style

The dance in this video is an upbeat interpretation of raqs sharqi, Egyptian belly dance. Although it has a folklore feeling, it is a mixture of both traditional and modern. I designed this piece for venues where the audience has some distractions, such as parties, or for when the audience is simply less of a “belly dance” crowd, less attuned to softness or subtlety, and best able to appreciate high energy and a feeling of fun.

The music is Saidi, and the lively footwork and use of the cane are playfully borrowed, in a softened and more flirtatious form, from the region’s folklore. (There is said to be no pure tradition of women’s dance from the Said, a conservative area where women do not perform.) The heel-bouncing steps of this style suggest the prancing of horses, which play an important role in the history and culture of the Said; in the music, too, one occasionally hears a “whinnying” sound. The twirling cane imitates the heavy staffs used by men in Tahtieb, a regional martial art which may also be staged with music.

I had originally set out to do an entirely traditional Saidi piece, but I couldn’t resist the exuberant feeling of using finger cymbals, a prop more often associated with baladi dance, in the opening. My dress, too, is baladi. Because the earthiness of folkloric vocabulary is always more exciting against an elegant counterpoint, I added Oriental moves as well. A few of the stylistic touches are wholly “Autumnal;” in particular, my use of arms and quick transitions are unlike what is seen in mainstream Egyptian style. So, while the dance has a lot of traditional influences, my personality and my stamp as both a choreographer and performer come through in the style mixing, dynamics, and my creative touches.

Music

The music is “Saidi Routine,” from the CD Sahra Saeeda. (Available for purchase here.) The second half of this track is an arrangement of the song “Ala Nar” with saidi instrumentation. (Another version of Ala Nar that I like, and have frequently used in the classroom, is on Beata and Horacio’s Oriental Fantasy Volume One. ) "Ala Nar" means "I am on fire."

Props

In this performance I’m playing finger cymbals from Turquoise International, in the “Size B Oriental - 2 ½" diameter” model.

The cane was handed down to me by a retiring dancer many years ago. I don’t know its provenance.

Costume

My galibeyah is by Hanan Mahmoud , with a slight modification—I shortened the sleeves, and used the extra pieces to make my hairband. The hipscarf has been in my costume closet for more than ten years, but I originally purchased it from Scheherezade Imports.

Other Videos

Fans of this video may also enjoy Hanady.