Thread: Raks Assaya question

Does assaya always have to be done to a saidi rhythm?? The reason I ask is because I am planning to do a cane routine for our student recital in June, but I'd like to use a "Maqsum Dom-nein Variation" (track #17 on the Beat Bazaar cd). Is this wrong?? Should I stick to tradition? (Oy! No pun intended... ..g.: )

Well, the BDSS aren't known for being traditional, but... one of my favorite numbers in their latest show is a raks assaya/debke dance with Jillina and several other dancers. It was really cute. And not done to saidi rhythm. I had never seen canes and debke combined, but I thought it worked. But as far as being traditional goes, you'll have to ask somebody else as I'm not an expert on Egyptian folkloric dances.

I don't feel like I can give a great answer because I'm not familiar with the song in question.

I don't think cane is inextricably tied to Saiidi rhythm. There's a lot of pop music out there to a Saiidi rhythm that doesn't say "Assaya" to me. And conversely, there are songs with a lot of Fellahi and other folksy rhythms mixed in that do cry out for Assaya (to me) because of heavy use of mizmar and other Saidi styles.

I'm certain that Saidi people do dance to more than one rhythm.

There is also such a thing as 'baladi cane' which is cane that's used in baladi-style dance (and here I mean country/old-style music, not baladi rhythm or baladi progression/taksim).

Whew.

So, if the music is very heavy/folksy you may be able to get away with cane (though I'd leave out the Saidi footwork, costuming, and shoulder shimmies).

I've seen cane done to pop, and it mostly left me thinking ... "Why?"

Hey, let me ask you this. Why are you tempted to do cane to this song? What is it about the music that says "Cane" to you? Why would dancing to this song be better with a cane than without one?

Originally Posted by Lauren_

So, if the music is very heavy/folksy you may be able to get away with cane (though I'd leave out the Saidi footwork, costuming, and shoulder shimmies).

I've seen cane done to pop, and it mostly left me thinking ... "Why?"

The song definitely isn't "pop". LOL! Also, it is a heavy sounding song (with some alternately "peppy" sections), so to me atleast, it sounds like it would work well for the cane.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Hey, let me ask you this. Why are you tempted to do cane to this song? What is it about the music that says "Cane" to you? Why would dancing to this song be better with a cane than without one?

I think it's mostly the fact that I can visualize myself doing it. I can see different moves being framed with or done with the cane. Also, they do have it on iTunes if you want to hear a snippet of it.

Then maybe it could be a 'baladi cane!' Does the song generally make you want to put on a galibeya and maybe play finger cymbals?

I can't remember who wrote about the baladi cane -- Leyla Lanty, maybe? Or Latifa? Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon....

Ah. I listened. I can definitely see some cane-bangin' action to that.

Although... there are similar Saidi variations on that CD -- guess none of those speak to you? The Saidi/Fellahi one sounds similar to the one you're interested in. But then, I've only got the tiny snippets to listen to.

I think you could do it, as 'baladi cane' and if you get to name your piece, for the program or announcement, I'd be really specific to call it that. There *may* be dancers in the audience who will think 'WTH? That's not Saidi" and assume you just don't know any better, .p:: but ptooey on them.

Of course, your teacher would have to be the final judge on what she approves for the recital, and she probably doesn't give a hoot what I think! ..l;,

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I've seen cane done to pop, and it mostly left me thinking ... "Why?"

I did cane to the pop song Kolli Marra (YouTube - Tamer Hosny - Kol Mara تامر Ø*سني - كل مرة. I found myself wanting to do cane to is because it has (to my ear) a fairly heavy saiidi beat, a cool mizmar breakdown in the middle, and lots of accents that I easily pictured myself accenting with the cane. Another pop song with similar qualities, I think, is Ana Wel Leil off of BDSS III - I saw Kimarhi do assaya to this song last year and she totally rocked it.

But I do agree with you, Lauren, that just because most random pop songs have a saiidi backbeat, it doesn't mean they would necessarily work with cane.

I have footage of the Koli Marra performance that I could post if anyone wants to see my take. I don't have it up on my website or YouTube, because the quality is not great, but I can throw it up on 4shared.com if it will help with the discussion.

Lebanese dancers often do cane to debke music.

leila haddad dances with a cane as part of her ghawazee concert.

I asked her about this, wondering if the ghawazee picked this up maybe from the native people in the sa'id - as in, is this just a saidi thing, was it saidi first? and she waved her hand and said that in ANY herding culture, you will find people dancing with staffs. so it seems that the guidelines might be pretty flexible.

Originally Posted by dunyah

Well, the BDSS aren't known for being traditional, but... one of my favorite numbers in their latest show is a raks assaya/debke dance with Jillina and several other dancers. It was really cute. And not done to saidi rhythm. I had never seen canes and debke combined, but I thought it worked. But as far as being traditional goes, you'll have to ask somebody else as I'm not an expert on Egyptian folkloric dances.

Lebanese do cane as well (although it is a little different - for instance usually much faster with lots of twirling). At a workshop by Sahara (Sydney) she did cane to a sa`iidi/debke fusion piece which was interesting.

Well, from what I'm hearing... it sounds like I should follow my intuition and just go for it! Who knows, maybe I'll even get brave enough to post on YT.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Lebanese dancers often do cane to debke music.

Boston dancers often do cane to debke music, because that's what the band will play for you when you ask for cane