Thread: Bouncing a stick?

Does anyone have tips on how to bounce a stick for Saidi? I've been working with wooden dowels, but they just clatter flat when I try to bounce them, and I'm wondering if it's my technique or the sticks themselves. Or both, ha.

Here's what I'm talking about, at about 1:06:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMBmbYMgFrw]YouTube - Karim Nagi performs Tahteeb (Saidi Egyptian cane dance)[/ame]

Oooh, pm Nayastrance and/or Janjan! They just performed this at our Oasis show after learning the technique with Karim himself a few months ago. I saw the sticks and they looked like broom sticks to me but I could be mistaken...

It's difficult to describe- but it's not just a "bounce" where you're throwing it AT the floor. You're still holding it for a split second after it hits the floor and you let go of it on the upward part of the "bounce", "encouraging" or gently "letting it go" in the right direction. Don't fling it up- as then you'll have too much momentum and it will put marks on your ceiling. :)

Originally Posted by maranajla

Oooh, pm Nayastrance and/or Janjan! They just performed this at our Oasis show after learning the technique with Karim himself a few months ago. I saw the sticks and they looked like broom sticks to me but I could be mistaken...

Karim just uses dowels from the hardware store when he's touring- as saidi sticks are a pain to travel with.
The move works with sequin or mylar covered canes as well. It's not in the stick, it's in the motion.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

It's difficult to describe- but it's not just a "bounce" where you're throwing it AT the floor. You're still holding it for a split second after it hits the floor and you let go of it on the upward part of the "bounce", "encouraging" or gently "letting it go" in the right direction.

Ah. So it's not an actual "bounce" then? I've been doing that--tapping it and then tossing it, just not fast enough to look anything like what Karim is doing.

Don't fling it up- as then you'll have too much momentum and it will put marks on your ceiling. :)

Which is why I've been practicing in my driveway, to the bemusement of the neighbors! ..l;,

Which is why I've been practicing in my driveway, to the bemusement of the neighbors!

Good to know I'm not the only crazy neighbor.

Ditto what Samira said. Smack the floor/ground, then give the stick a slight lift as you let go.

What a GREAT clip! wow. Love it!

As a matter of fact, Karim is coming to Louisville on November 1st and 2nd to teach this very technique! Can't wait. Our troupe is having a show on the 1st with him as well. I've yet to see him in person, but I heard he's a bundle of energy!

Originally Posted by Zyzzyva

As a matter of fact, Karim is coming to Louisville on November 1st and 2nd to teach this very technique! Can't wait. Our troupe is having a show on the 1st with him as well. I've yet to see him in person, but I heard he's a bundle of energy!

Heh. Sounds like the kind of workshop you should wear padding to.

Yep, should be pretty interesting. He's coming into town on Hallowe'en night, so we're going to "show him the sights" and all the costume parties around Louisville. Picture a large group of men and women in a room on Saturday morning with hangovers and large sticks! Mmmmm, this might not be as much fun as I originally thought . . .

Originally Posted by Zyzzyva

Yep, should be pretty interesting. He's coming into town on Hallowe'en night, so we're going to "show him the sights" and all the costume parties around Louisville. Picture a large group of men and women in a room on Saturday morning with hangovers and large sticks! Mmmmm, this might not be as much fun as I originally thought . . .

Not in the living, but in the telling! Do write a post here when it's over!

Originally Posted by kiyaana

Ditto what Samira said. Smack the floor/ground, then give the stick a slight lift as you let go.

tritto. it's a smack, not a bounce. smack it, then gently flip it. (and I'm chuckling to myself at the image of your neighbors wondering wtf you were doing, throwing broomsticks on the ground!)

dowels yes. I like something about 3/4" thick. smack and flip and the stick pulls under and back towards you, not away from you so that the bottom strikes the ground and circles up & toward you.

I shall smack and fling this weekend and get back to y'all. Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by Taj

Not in the living, but in the telling! Do write a post here when it's over!

Karim was GREAT! We had the best time in the asaya class - I enjoyed myself much more than I thought I would. We all had 3-1/2-foot sticks (about 3/4 to 7/8-inch wide) and luckily the room was very large! It was unbelievably fun. Karim was also WONDERFUL in the show we had that night. My husband was especially impressed with Karim's drumming ability. He seems to have an instant rapport with his audiences.

The afternoon portion of the first day of the workshop was on musicality and improvisation. I learned quite a bit and was able to have a breakthrough with this little "A-ha!" moment that's really going to help me with improv. That little moment was totally worth the price of the whole workshop. It's amazing how something so small could mean BIG things for your future.

The second day of the workshop was zagat (zils). Karim is also especially talented in this area. The class was informative and fun and even though we were all exhausted from the previous day's workshop and the previous night's show - we had a terrific time and learned quite a bit. I FINALLY got the hang of vibrating the zils for that "trilling" effect before the solid clap of the tek.

All in all, a TERRIFIC workshop and I would definitely pay to go to another one if Karim is going to be anywhere within a few hour's drive.

It WAS a great workshop, and the show rocked. Karim actually got REALLY into hitting the sticks and ended up breaking one! LOL.