Thread: Dancing to Live Music ??

I've committed to doing a show with a live band, and the event organizer has promised to NOT let me back out of it, so I guess I'll be facing my biggest fear and dancing with a live band.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.w.:

It's basically a first time for me (full band, not just a drummer), so what do I need to know? We'll be getting a set list soon, but I'm told you can ask for requests.

Is it lame to ask: When you play Rompi, do you do:
"verse verse chorus verse chorus chorus bridge verse chorus verse chorus chorus"

Can I ask for a somewhat specific tempo? Should I ask for some kind of rehearsal time? What's the standard?

And why am I freaking out about this? Is it REALLY that different from canned music? What's more challenging about the experience?

help?

Originally Posted by aziyade

I've committed to doing a show with a live band, and the event organizer has promised to NOT let me back out of it, so I guess I'll be facing my biggest fear and dancing with a live band.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.w.:

It's basically a first time for me (full band, not just a drummer), so what do I need to know? We'll be getting a set list soon, but I'm told you can ask for requests.

Is it lame to ask: When you play Rompi, do you do:
"verse verse chorus verse chorus chorus bridge verse chorus verse chorus chorus"

Can I ask for a somewhat specific tempo? Should I ask for some kind of rehearsal time? What's the standard?

And why am I freaking out about this? Is it REALLY that different from canned music? What's more challenging about the experience?

help?

If you get a chance to talk to the band, you can ask them to play a certain tempo and how many measures they will include in the chorus,etc. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
But be prepared for the unexpected. I danced to live music for the first time last year and the band threw in an extra 8 counts. Although I had choreography I just thought fast on my feet (lol) and did a few in place steps.
It was the most rewarding a memorable experience. And I was terrified for no reason!! Believe me I was really scared! And it turned out great!
Just practice, be prepared and if you can get practice time with the band that would be lucky. I didn't have that opportunity.
Good luck!!

I guess the question is whether the band is American or ethnic. If they're American, they're more likely to listen and apply your requests, but Arabic and Greek bands are so familiar with playing their music a certain way, they may nod and agree to go along with your requests, but be prepared for them to do it differently when the time comes.

Either way, keep your requests to a minimum, because they usually don't want to deal with dancers they may decide are divas, whether they are or not. Request specific numbers if you're a little worried about improv', then practice to those numbers on your c.d.'s at home. Occasionally practice to a piece that you're not familiar with to increase your improv skills. If you're comfortable with improv you can just request specific rhythm changes. When you're up there dancing and you're ready to change, move closer to the band and either give the leader a nod or verbalize your desire to move on (the audience won't hear you over live music). If you agree on a signal beforehand, that's even better, if they remember it!

Above all, relax. In a lot of ways it's actually easier to dance to live music. Good musicians know how to follow a dancer if they can see she's inexperienced, and if she's experienced then she'll find the freedom of not having to worry about a specific choreography, along with the energy of live music, will bring forth inspiration she didn't know she was capable of before.

Chances are that asking for the detailed structure may not come across too well (I tried - and that didn't fly at all). And, asking for "how many measures" - that most likely will not come across. I wouldn't consider that question ;-) Asking "Where are you planning to take your takseem" and "Who will takseem when", "do you speed up for the finale" should be OK. Asking "how do you end" is important.

Asking for tempo will work best if you can count out confidently what you want - "Play me a medium tempo" is not all that good - what is medium tempo. Asking for "play me x beats per minute" works with some musicians, but not all. This weekend, we worked with a musician, who asked me "How many beats per minute do you guys prefer?" - and that left me with a very blank face ;-) Asking for "play as I know from CD X" ain't gonna fly - unless the musician happens to be a big fan of that CD.

I'd say - ask for a list of songs that you know, and be prepared that the musicians don't know what you're talking about (e.g. Fire Dance is Hijazkar Oyun Havasi to some musicians - dance tune in Hijazkar), as I understand, ethnic musicians don't know song names. Once you have the set list - listen to the songs by different musicians, to hear what one can do with the music.

Lots of good advice here and you may also find Mary Ellen Donald's articles on Gilded Serpent useful too, particularly this one: http://www.gildedserpent.com/art34/maryellen8.htm

I have found that the bands we tend work with in my area are very skilled at playing for dancers. I usually just tell them that I need 20 min and to make it something fun. Sometimes if I am in a certain mood I will request a song to open with...like batwannes beek, alf layla... or I will let them know that I will be using a prop. I like being spontaneous and being challenged. Of course some times you end up with a 7 min drum solo doing that....lol.

The majority of my experience has been dancing to live music. My lessons learned. Don't count on key or certain accents to be there. Remember they are not going to play the song as others have recorded it.. That would be an infringement on copy-right... so every band has a way of making the music their own and that means dropping certain accents or adding their own spin on one. Be flexible.... I usually use my zills if I want to make sure my accents or doms are there.. I can usually trust that the melody is the same but they may or may not play the (oh whats the word? piece of music before the song begins? enterance peice? can't remember) part before the song begins. That means you may have to play catch-up.... to get on the dance floor... Same goes for the ending... Once while dancing to Aziza I stopped where the song usually stops.. but the band added another six or eight measures to the ending of the song.... Totally threw me out of wack

Just have fun as everyone tells me... and keep to the rythm and you will do fine.

know your rhythms & hang on. i've done it & will doing it again. i did talk about specific songs with band but i picked extremely well known stuff that hopefully will sound more or less like the recorded versions. i'm mainly counting on knowing my rhythms though. tina

Originally Posted by aziyade

... so what do I need to know? We'll be getting a set list soon, but I'm told you can ask for requests.
Is it lame to ask: When you play Rompi, do you do:
"verse verse chorus verse chorus chorus bridge verse chorus verse chorus chorus"
Can I ask for a somewhat specific tempo? Should I ask for some kind of rehearsal time? What's the standard?
And why am I freaking out about this? Is it REALLY that different from canned music? What's more challenging about the experience?
help?

A lot of the answers depend upon what kind of band you will be getting.
I don't recommend asking "which version do you play" of the songs you request. Be prepared to improvise to any version of a song they play. If you know all the different parts- it shouldn't be a problem. They likely play it different every time- and you should be prepared for that.
Don't ask for rehearsal time. Practice on your own. For example if you own 3 different versions of Alf Leyla- practice improvising with all of them.
I don't ask for specific tempos. I DO indicate however what I plan on doing to a particular song. For example I might ask for "Lamma Bada Yata Thanna" to do veil to. This will give them an idea of tempo AND when I go to pick up my veil they will get a visual reminder of what song to play.
The professional bands that I work with in both DC and NY all do a "wind up" at the end of a song- when you start spinning. They are supposed to wait for YOU to end and usually give you one more "hit" to strike a pose. The bands that finish the song themselves while the dancer is spinning apparently think the dancer has eyes in the back of her head.

Awesome! Live music Raks!
If you are lucky you will get rehersal time first.
I am lucky to work with a couple of bands Kairo by night And Kara Nomadica also Fistfull plus the occasional drum/guitar/violin type of duet or trio.
Most well versed Musicians will be paying attention to any signals you give them opening/during/ending your set.

Choreography is fine but like stated above "expect the unexpected"
Practice improvisation to tons of similar music. or practice your choreography to a different than usual piece of music just to press your awareness of the counting and how you can vary it.
Good Luck!,Have Fun!, Relax! -Shah

A lot will depend on a band. Many bands may know how to play Middle Eastern music but will not know how to work with a belly dancer. So you really need to find out what type of music your band plays. You could be in for a shock if you're expecting Oum Khousoum and Habeebi Aeyni and they end up playing a fusion piece!

Also, when requesting songs, sometimes the band may just not know the song you requested. But sometimes they can't play the song properly because they don't have the proper instrumentation do it.

If at all possible, talk to the band ahead of time. Find out what songs they know. You're much better off dancing to something the band plays well, than to have then fudge through a piece they aren't familar with.

If you can get a rehearsal great, but don't count on it.

If you're lucky and the band can play the music you requested don't expect it to sound like the CD. Often when new dancers listen to live bands for the first time, they don't even recognize the songs the band is playing because the tempo is different, the band skips a part or adds a part.

You need to be flexible. Try to at least find out the format of you show ahead of time and if at all possible go listen to the band so you can become familiar with there style.

You can generally request the format and/or rhythms you want, i.e. fast-slow-fast, with Rompi, a chiftitelli and a drum solo. If you've already decided on the song you want (if it's Rompi Rompi, get dibs 'cause it's a popular request!) then try to dig up as many different versions of the song as you can so you can practice to them. I've danced to live music three times and each was a HUGE growing experience. Good luck - I'm sure you'll enjoy it once you're on stage!!

Originally Posted by norma

if at all possible go listen to the band so you can become familiar with there style.

That is a great point norma..! Thats what I did with the band I dance too and boy oooooooooh boy was I surprised!!! Saved me a lot of grief in the end when I didn't hear my missing accents plus I noticed other dancers using their zills to fill in the blanks...

Does the band have its own CD? It won't necessarily be the exact same (that's what makes it fun!), but I find that a lot of times the CD they put out is a good indication of the type of music and the way they play it.

Good luck. Live music is always my first choice!

Originally Posted by Lucinia

TI usually use my zills if I want to make sure my accents or doms are there..

Ooooo great idea for when you have something just fab planned and you cant count on the accent being there! Brilliant!

Somehow, be a nervous wreck all you want before the show. Im always a little crazed before I go on. ALWAYS!

Then, before I go on, I find a quiet space, or go internal, and take stock of my body. I breathe into all the places that are holding tension, especial my face. Then I find a connection with the ground and channel it up to the top of my head, and maintain that connection. Keeps me centered and forms a kind of protective cocoon, and then I channel the energy I want to the audience. I used to do some of these things unconsciously, but now I make a concerted effort, and people comment all the time on how my dancing has changed, and Im always surprised. Anyhoo...

When its you turn, take a deep breath, fill your lungs with fabulous (waves at Kimahri) and own that stage come what may. When you are practicing, be grounded in all your moves, and coordinate your breathing, too.

Somehow, terror doesnt translate well with an audience, and they can smell fear a mile away ;)

Good luck! Bust a bead!

Originally Posted by sumayasaahir

Somehow, be a nervous wreck all you want before the show.

Oh THAT won't be a problem!

The band is American -- Il Troubadore. I have emailed them about getting a CD, but haven't heard anything yet. It's kind of an odd band -- they play a lot of world music from all over. I think their goal is to play one song from every culture on the planet. I'm hoping I can just pick something off the CD and dance to that, in the hopes that they'll play it live the way they played it on CD.

.w.: .w.: .w.: .w.: why did I agree to this? I know it will probably be a LOT of fun, but I'm going to be a mess until the actual performance. AK!

What Sumaya said about being a nervous wreck makes a lot of sense. It's a strange phenomenon, but I found that if I allowed myself to get really, really nervous beforehand, when I actually got up on stage I was suddenly calm. In fact, I used to purposely try to make myself nervous because when I didn't, it all seemed to come out on stage!

a few tips not mentioned yet:

befrore hitting the stage, remind yourself that it's not life or death - it's only bellydance. it's supposed to be fun. :)

remind yourself what your job is: to get up there and entertain. you'll do that the best if you can let yourself go a little, not take it too seriously, and have a good time. relieve yourself of the burden of thinking that you have to impress anybody.

don't blow your wad in the first few 8 counts. start your story with "once upon a time..." and walk in a nice big circle, greeting your audience and greeting your band. then, you get into the plot of your story. at the end of the set, another big circle gesturing your thanks to the audience and band for your "...and they lived happily ever after."

don't worry about blowing everyone's minds with tons of pyrotechnic moves. pick two, or at the most three, specific moves that you hope to fit in should the right music come along.

slow down. :)

acknowledge the band. especially at the end of your set (do the vanna white arm sweep gesture and clap for them), but also after any taqsims, or even after each song. you're only half of the show.

try to get there in time to talk to the band about your set (and to tell them how honored and excited you are to get the chance to dance with them). or, communicate by email before the show.

finally, remember that even if you think you sucked, you didn't. you did fine. and when people come up afterward to tell you that the liked your show, BELIEVE THEM and thank them graciously. do NOT say anything along the lines of "really? oh, god, i felt like i was just up ther doing the same thing over and over...i was so off the beat...i forgot to do X...yadda yadda." :)

Originally Posted by aziyade

Oh THAT won't be a problem!

The band is American -- Il Troubadore. It's kind of an odd band -- they play a lot of world music from all over. I think their goal is to play one song from every culture on the planet.

Well then, you'll have to be very adaptable 'cause they just might decide that your's is the set that'll have South American, Moorish-influenced Spanish, Greek, Lebanese, and some weird pseudo-Japanese music!

"American" bands tend to be a bit more laid back and accepting of requests than your average Arabic band. If you want to be sure you get ME music, then be sure to ask for that; more than likely, they will accommodate you. If you don't want a specific rhythm, say, 9/8, then tell them that also. John Bilezikjian knows I swoon over a slinky chefti-telli and that I enjoy the 9/8, so he often plays those for me. He will not give a dancer a 9/8 unless he knows that she knows it, or she has requested it.

My first experience dancing to live music was not good (I was maybe 18 years old); it's been almost universally great since then -- probably has something to do with the musicians, eh? Enjoy the challenge, if one is presented to you, and rak that house! ..g.:

Deborah

I think you're in very good shape if your dancing with Il Troubadour. They play for dancers all the time. I think you can find some of their collaborations on youtube. Very dancable stuff.
Good luck. You'll do great! Be sure to report back to us telling us how inspiring it was!
Beth

I love dancing to live music but if you are not used to it, familiar songs seem just so, well different! I don't think the musicians are going to be able to structure things quite the way you describe and the bottomline is, with live music, you can expect the unexpected. It's so fun, though - here's the thing, learn to smile and yes, dance in place until you get your bearings if the musicians go off on a little tangent, and they do, they do! To prepare, just practice dancing in costume to all sorts of songs you aren't familiar with - and practice that "dancing in place" - first of all the audience isn't going to know the difference if your choreo gets *changed* becuase it's a solo.
I actually get nervous with group choreos - always worried I'll make a step that I can't easily recover, but in solo live music pieces that worry shouldn't be there! Relax, have fun, just practice in full costume - you'll be wonderful!

in feb, i worked with john b.may 5th, richard hagopian.in both cases, i did not know what they would play, but i knew all the music by heart, even the words, in some cases.
i enter, nod, he starts a taxim, i enter dance area,then the muscis speeds up to my first song.when i am ready for veil, i nod.they wind up, and i hit a pose.the first 4 notes i know the veil is chopkin chopkin.....i got the clarinent to play for me on the floor, ..i looked at the lead of the band, point down..he winds up, i do drop.i came back up into my drum solo....in one case, he ended with a 9/8.
if you know your songs as well as the american pop stars people listen to, no problem!

I'm lucky enough that we have our own band. I "grew up" dancing to live music. i also have danced to a large variety of musicians, full bands, orchestras, pick up drum circles with one melody instrument!

Best advice I ever received went something like this:

Know the rhythms you want to dance to, even if you can't name the song. Hum a bit if you know the song. :o)

Work out slow, fast, drum solo, fast, etc. for the set. Samira mentioned using a prop to say for a certain song. That works, especially of there is a lot taxim go round. The band can queue a bit from this.

Pick an end. Sometimes they play chaser music...Souren has the best line about this. He said remember it's chaser music for a reason...take the hint and take off! :o)

My personal favorite advice for live music. Remember to pause and stop. Those are powerful accents and will help you to remember to slow down.

Smile, have fun, play with the band...You'll never want to go back!!!

B

I leave what happens during a live performance in the hands of fate. I just do my part and expect everyone else to do theirs. There is one teensy little request that I always give the musicians I've danced with and thats to watch for a "finger spin." I'm an asthmatic and while I don't have too much trouble with it...occasionally I get an attack on stage. I tell the musicians that if I need to exit quickly that I'll turn my back to them and give them a little "finger spin" that means "wrap it up." I've never had to use it. I've always been a trooper about that kind of thing but I think its always good to have an exit strategy even if you don't have any kind of health problem.

Yours in the Dance,
Genisis