Thread: Talk to Me About Saidi Fallahin?

Originally Posted by elljay

Ghawazee simply means "public performer". Its more of a class distinction as opposed to a type or style of dance - ghawazee being the "lowest" class of dancer, as opposed to "Awalim" which are considered more respectable and higher class. There are (well, were) lots of different styles of Ghawazee dancers, with a wide variety of movement styles, so I'd assume there was a variety of music styles as well. Considering ghawazee were found all up and down the Nile, there were definitely ghawazee dancers from the Said region, so my best guess is 1) one could be both saidi and ghawazee at the same time, and 2) it would be okay to use saidi music for "ghawazee" dance.

Hope I'm reading my notes correctly. ..c::

I think you are right.

Speaking for myself, I fall into the habit of using the term "ghawazee" to refer to the Banat Mazin style of ghawazee dance, when in reality there are multiple ghawazee styles.

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

RE: The Kenawe family, I am pretty sure they are sa'idi, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, they are Saidi.

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

RE: sa'idi and ghawazee music, I am not sure the differences are so cut and dry that we could say it's inappropriate to use sa'idi music for ghawazee dance. I'm anxious to hear others' perspectives on this, though; it's an interesting question.

It is not appropriate to use music with a strong Saidi rhythm (the heavy doom-tek, doom-doom, tek rhythm) for the Banat Maazin style of Ghawazee dance. (There is other Saidi music which is okay. Not all music from Upper Egypt uses that rhythm we call Saidi. Some uses what we would call fellahi, some uses what U.S. musicians would call walking maqsoum, etc.) I have taken five workshops with Khairiyya Maazin and seen her perform in person several times, and every time the band goes into a heavy Saidi beat, she quits doing the signature Banat Maazin style and instead does a simple step-lift, step-lift until the music returns to the rhythm she expects. I have NEVER seen her make an exception to this.

The type of Saidi music that would be appropriate for Banat Maazin style would be that which utilizes the rhythm that many U.S. musicians call the "walking maqsoum". Also, the instrumentation should be more mizmar-oriented, as opposed to rebaba-oriented.

For those who wish to do Banat Maazin style of Ghawazee, I recommend listening over and over to the music used in the videos sold by dancers such as Morocco and Aisha Ali that depict dancing by the Banat Maazin. I think that's the best way to train one's musical instincts.

Originally Posted by elljay

Considering ghawazee were found all up and down the Nile, there were definitely ghawazee dancers from the Said region, so my best guess is 1) one could be both saidi and ghawazee at the same time, and 2) it would be okay to use saidi music for "ghawazee" dance.

See above regarding music.

Regarding the question of whether one could be Ghawazee and Saidi at the same time... although both can be found in Upper Egypt, the ethnic groups are different. At least, as it pertains to the larger Ghawazee clan to which Khairiyya Maazin belongs. Similarly, Saidi and Nubians both live in Upper Egypt, but the ethnic groups are different.

I can't comment on the ethnicity of the Sombati Ghawazee - haven't had as much exposure to them. But they're in the Delta, not the Said, so no one would consider them Saidi anyway....

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

I think you are right.

Speaking for myself, I fall into the habit of using the term "ghawazee" to refer to the Banat Mazin style of ghawazee dance, when in reality there are multiple ghawazee styles.

In the ghawazee clip they are using "pharaonic" costumes which i thought were invention of Banat Mazin. So maybe that's why you thought about them.

Speaking of Banat Mazin ghawazee: LOVELY and interesting archival photos just posted on Gilded Serpent!!!

Researching Dance Origins with the Mazin Family | Belly Dance News & Events - Gilded Serpent

Shira thank you so much for your input! somehow missed your post and read it only now.

[QUOTE=nuringa;519480]unfortunately the video is unavaliable for me....


I think this is the video you mean?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmW7br5PZzw]YouTube - Saidi Fellaheen, Egyptian Folkoric, Water Jug and Stick Dance[/ame]