Drum solo on top of Tabla

[Shaharazad]

Ladies I need your help. Do you suggest I do a whole 3.40 minutes routine on top of a tabla, or do you suggest to do half a routine on the floor and then the other half on top of the tabla? .w.:

Thanks!
Shaharazad

[Namiradance]

I would do 1/2 and 1/2 to mix it up

[Shaharazad]

That is what I thought, but I wanted another dancer's point of view. I have this beautiful tabla and I figure I could use it for other things as well. After seeing my favorite dancer... Jilina doing that, I got some ideas. Thank you for your imput.

Shaharazad

[dunyah]

Yeah, mix it up. Use the drum balancing as a high energy or climax point in the routine. 3:40 is a good long drum solo. Maybe contrast with traveling moves in the other half.

[Vasha_Hatal]

I am planning something like this too!! And my name is Shahrzad too! Hahaha.

Anyway, I think im going to come out playing the tabla, set it down and dance for a bit, and then stand on it for the rest. Good luck with your dance!

[yasmindiab]

Just to mix it up a bit too, check and see (on youtube) if there are clips of Tito dancing on top of his drum.

I can't access youtube at work, or I'd look for you...he does some really amazing stuff when he dances on a tabla.

good luck!!


ps, I agree, 1/2 up 1/2 down. ;)

[dunyah]

I am planning something like this too!! And my name is Shahrzad too! Hahaha.

Anyway, I think im going to come out playing the tabla, set it down and dance for a bit, and then stand on it for the rest. Good luck with your dance!

I've seen a clip where the dancer exits playing the drum after balancing on it.

[SamiraShuruk]

After seeing a faaabulus dancer in Alexandria this summer pull out a tabla I was inspired. I've only done it a couple time so far (not all gigs have appropriate flooring and I don't want to "wear it out" at other places)...but it's FUN.
Dina of Alexandria did it to a beladi that turned into a tabla solo and she started on the floor during the taxim.

[mmouse1534]

Yeah how do you keep the thing from slding out from under you? You'd have to have rug or something?

[txchic]

Tito actually moves the drum as he is dancing on it so in that situation a rug would be unwise. Of course Tito does amazing things whenever he teaches or performs.

Me, I'd have to use double-stick tape on the drum and my feet. Oh, and of course a 2-step ladder with handrails. And Tito to hold my hand.

I do enjoy it when someone dances on a drum but for me that is definitely a spectator sport. I leave that to those with much more balance than I.

[Shaharazad]

YOu gals are full of information, thank you so much for all your help! I'll check out the videos on You tube.

Thanks again!
Shaharazad

[dunyah]

Tito actually moves the drum as he is dancing on it so in that situation a rug would be unwise. Of course Tito does amazing things whenever he teaches or performs.

Me, I'd have to use double-stick tape on the drum and my feet. Oh, and of course a 2-step ladder with handrails. And Tito to hold my hand.

I do enjoy it when someone dances on a drum but for me that is definitely a spectator sport. I leave that to those with much more balance than I.

I've danced on goblets a lot and moved them when performing on a smooth polished wooden floor. But they are only a few inches tall, maybe 6-8". I have yet to see how a female dancer gracefully gets up onto the drum, that would be the trickiest part of the shtick, it seems to me. Once you're up there you actually have more to stand on than when doing goblets. I haven't tried getting up on a dumbek yet, hmm.. I'm gonna go try that! I have the perfect big sturdy cast aluminum drum to practice with.

For those who have done this, what are you tips for getting up onto the drum gracefully?

[Vasha_Hatal]

My advice for getting up on the drum is to take your time. I put one foot up first and really center it in the middle of the drum, then step up and shuffle my feet out to distribute my weight to both sides.

Im going to perform on a tabla next weekend at an event im producing. I will try to get a video.

[SamiraShuruk]

There's a related thread over in dance traditions.
http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...-darbouka.html
:)

[Fotia]

This has got to be the most exciting new form of Middle Eastern dance that I've seen so far. With all of this bhuz, I am looking forward to seeing more of it. As far as doing it, that too is something to look forward to trying, if I don't fall off first and break my arm!

[dunyah]

I've been posting over on the other thread, too. I've now successfully performed this and getting up on the drum was easy.

[zafirah]

This is my next adventure.

Getting on the drum is definitely the hardest for me, I'm fine once I'm up there.
I'm glad I only got a normal sized tabla as I think its a bit too big as it is - the first place I can place 1 short little foot so it contacts both edges is so far out from the centre that the weight distribution is all wrong. Hmmm
I CAN get up from there, but its a bit wobbly and I wouldn't want to do it anywhere other than my nice carpety living room.

Any suggestions?

[Fotia]

I've been posting over on the other thread, too. I've now successfully performed this and getting up on the drum was easy.

Let us know when the video is posted if you have one. Did you do half and half or the whole solo on the tabla?

[Oona_Belly]

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Just for your entertainment and sheer pleasure, I give you Khaled Mahmoud at the Jewel of Yorkshire (JOY) festival last autumn, which I had the 'joy' of seeing with my own eyes. The middle part of this vid is where he's up on the tabla, but how can anyone not watch the whole thing? I just love the loss of the typical British reserve when Khaled comes on the scene...the cheers, comments and gasps from the audience are priceless. As for me, I just love the man!

FYI: At JOY in April 2009, he's giving a masterclass on learning to dance standing on a Tabla.