Thread: Do you have any suggestions for ME sounding "secular" music?

I recently stumbled across an album by George Winston that is piano versions of songs by The Doors. Sounds cheesy but the intricate sounds are really fun to try and dance to. I'm really digging People are Strange for an alternative event coming up.

there's the old standby "Desert Rose" by sting, Featuring Cheb Mami.

I however, if it were me, would tell my teacher that I'm more comfortable using ME music...as that is what speaks to me, more than searching around for a non-ME song. She wants something you're comfortable with right? Well what if the only song that is speaking to you right now is "Alf Leyla?" Are SOL?

I agree with everyone here, its more of a classroom excercise...I would be peeved if my teacher said you CANNOT perform to ME music at this hafla.

Do I find non ME music to dance to? all the time...I did a veil piece to "Baby Mine" a couple months back...however, I have never been restricted in a performance to not have the option to dance to ME music...

I find Celtic music easy to dance to. Desert Rose would be easier too. Hope you find one.

Originally Posted by yasmindiab

I agree with everyone here, its more of a classroom excercise...I would be peeved if my teacher said you CANNOT perform to ME music at this hafla.

Do I find non ME music to dance to? all the time...I did a veil piece to "Baby Mine" a couple months back...however, I have never been restricted in a performance to not have the option to dance to ME music...

If everyone is doing non-ME, like at an alternative hafla, I think the restriction makes sense.

Originally Posted by indigostars

If everyone is doing non-ME, like at an alternative hafla, I think the restriction makes sense.

thats true...and I actually had a pretty long rant on facebook, because it kinda irked me that a teacher would say no "ME" music when its ME dance that she's teaching...the thought that it might be an alternative themed hafla didn't even occur to me.

I still feel funny about it, but...not my teacher not my hafla, not my students. :)


On another note, there is also a Middle Eastern sounding version of "All Along the Watchtower" from Battlestar Galactica. My friends love that show and sent me the song. :)

All Along the Watchtower" from Battlestar Galactica.

OOO ...... up my alley!

Hey HOOKED, what did you pick???

I have been using "Inta Hayati" by Massari in my personal cool downs. His groove is R&B with Middle Eastern flavor. Massari is Lebanese (born there) and resides in Canada. Here he sings in Arabic and English. Also, the fact that he is eye candy helps!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt5YT7D-IUk]YouTube - Massari - Inta Hayati[/ame]

Is it "legal" to zill with the music? I was at a wedding last summer, and one of the belly dancers zilled with the non-belly dance music during the reception and that was pretty cool.

Originally Posted by Karnak

Is it "legal" to zill with the music? I was at a wedding last summer, and one of the belly dancers zilled with the non-belly dance music during the reception and that was pretty cool.

When you start from the premise of defying conventional thinking, I suppose anything's possible, but I can't imagine they'd be "illegal." I don't see how you could exclude finger cymbals if you're going to allow people to dance with other standard objects/props/instruments. If you'd let a dancer do a Latin or Eastern European fusion piece with a tambourine, you should let someone else play cymbals. If it's not traditional music, then it's still fusion.

Someone suggested Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir." that would be good. Gypsy music is good, Pink Floyd always tempts me to do floorwork, and I often use some of that ambient lounge music to warm up and stretch to. There are a couple of wonderful classical pieces that just scream "do a modern/ballet/ME veil piece!" to me. Rimsky-Korsakov's "Song of India" wouldn't be such a stretch, and he did do "Scheherazade," too. An excerpt from that might be appealing.