Thread: What makes it Shaabi? Discuss!!

Originally Posted by katja

Ok, I'm lucky to study for Lena Helt who is probably one of the most knowledgeable in shaabi (you should really have her in the US!!! and take me along....;) )

For me shaabi is attitude, attitude attitude! You need to bring out your acting skills. There are different styles of shaabi, but common is the attitude, real sassy, cheeky, rough but with lot's of humour.

Also shaabi for me is heavy, earthy and quite sloppy. Not techniqually polished, don't get me wrong, you need lot's of technique, but the appearence can not be the polished, perfect orientalelook.

Most of the shaabi I've seen around isn't doing it for me. Way too sweet, too light/balletish and lacking of that proper attitude. I'd say shaabi is probably one of the most difficult styles to emulate.

Thanks for the definition. I have been wondering this myself. When I was living in Baltimore (for a short period of time) I danced at a hookah place and a lot of the regulars said I danced this way. I had no idea what they meant. I just thought it was because I threw some turkish moves into what I did while dancing to a hakim song. I would like to learn more about this and take soem classes or a workshop in it.

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

Now this is shaabi! Good ol' down and dirty music for the common people of Egypt.
YouTube - Saad El-Saghir & Bellydancer Dina - El-Enab

Thank you! This is one of my favorite examples! I have another that I need to share.

BDF/KJ

Here's another example I like, but it's a better example in terms of the music than the dancing.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHDyoREWzzg"]YouTube - emad ba3ror may ezz el dein elenab[/ame]


BDF/KJ

BTW, this is "El Enab," just a different variation. Nothing new, I just really like it!

Originally Posted by Nouria

Yes well that reminds me of the Cuban thing. If you got "it", the mood and the rhythm and the general moves you can't do anything wrong, you just fool along with the music as everbody does, some more crazy and creative, others more minimalistic.

Exactly, and for me the best shaabi is pure improvisation, just playing around and having fun with your audience. Sometimes when I see people do choreographed shaabi it tends to get a bit too...well choreographed and clinical.

Going with the moment and really connecting with your audience is very much the essence of shaabi. I know this is not maybe possible in all settings, and I have seen good choreographed shaabi too of course. I guess if it´s choreographed and the dancer isn´t really pulling the attitude of it shows, maybe more if you´re just having fun and improvising.

Originally Posted by Nouria

Yes well that reminds me of the Cuban thing. If you got "it", the mood and the rhythm and the general moves you can't do anything wrong, you just fool along with the music as everbody does, some more crazy and creative, others more minimalistic.

Ok but I liked Orit, dancewise I thought it was much more interesting than the Dina-Saad thing.

Thank you David for your explanations, you really took your time. Well then Dina can't be so educated, now, can she, seeing that she has such a low center, she lifts her arms like she is drowning bc of the weight of her hips that pulls her down
Actually I think you put it quite well and I also can see what you mean.

LOL, OMG, ya Dina - if you are reading this - I swear, I never said that! lol.

Well, Dina works low and high center simultaneously - she's a phenomenon :) She'll be Hiiiigh relevee and low center in the hip...it took me YEARS to get that. I was like, why is she always reaching? lol

Well forgive me because I haven't read all the posts. I just got a new computer and I'm still having technical difficulties which may require a whole new forum. But I did browse a few posts and videos.
Now it seems to me that shabi is the "people dance" . From watching the Dina video that is exactly what I would say it is. I know that few dancers nowadays get to experience dancing in an Arabic nightclub. But to me this is what the customers got up and did after the professional belly dancer did her show. The basics of belly dancing remain, shimmies, hip drops, etc. but what it lacks is artistry and technique that a trained dancer can bring. But at the same time, a trained dancer can just let go and have fun.

Originally Posted by norma

Well forgive me because I haven't read all the posts. I just got a new computer and I'm still having technical difficulties which may require a whole new forum. But I did browse a few posts and videos.
Now it seems to me that shabi is the "people dance" . From watching the Dina video that is exactly what I would say it is. I know that few dancers nowadays get to experience dancing in an Arabic nightclub. But to me this is what the customers got up and did after the professional belly dancer did her show. The basics of belly dancing remain, shimmies, hip drops, etc. but what it lacks is artistry and technique that a trained dancer can bring. But at the same time, a trained dancer can just let go and have fun.

Well, I would have to beg to differ on the "lack of artistry" comment you made. In my humble, but outspoken, opinion - Shaabi would be one of the most complex styles to be able to express correctly. Thus, pretty far up there when it comes to intricacy and artistry. The only difference between Sharki and Shaabi on a conceptual plane is the grounding and the approach to layering/projection.

But yes, Dance of the People definitely :) OR, is it just an illusion we give and it's actually impossible to do correctly if you're just an unit of "people"...;)

To mirror what Nisaa said, sha'abi is a genre of music. Sha'abi music is to Egypt what hip-hop or blues is to the U.S.

When I was taught a choreograhy in a workshop to a piece of sha'abi music, We were told that there are a lot of undertones in that kind of music. We were also told by the instructor that regardless of the song or even if you don't speak Arabic, you can tell by listening to the singer and/or the music the emotion of the song so you should always appropriately emote the feeling of the song through your dancing (like not dancing all bouncy and happy to a sad song).

We were also taught in the workshop that our movements need to be more relaxed and earthy. The way we learn bellydance in the west is different than the way it is learned in Egypt. We westerners are taught the dance in a more rigid and structured way and we need to learn to feel the song and let our movements flow by allowing our bodies do what feels natural to it by letting the arms follow through an not focus so much on isolation.

The heavy focus on isolation (keeping the rest of the body still while one part is moving and not following through naturally with other movements) is a western concept.

I've only known of sha'abi as being a genre of music and never heard of it as a separate dance style until now. But I think the attitude and right emotion goes for dancing to any kind of song, not just sha'abi music. I learned that the "common people" in Egypt among whom this music is popular go nuts whenever they hear their favorite songs and do just about every kind of crazy dance move to sha'abi music they can think of and not bellydance specifically.

Oh god, Dandash scared the bellydancer out of many people that night at Tante Åkes Krog back in the day. People went home and had a mental breakdown and a personality crisis after seeing her pull out all the stops in her show. It was a TRUE Egyptian experience with the whole Oum K, Street Shaabi, the fat rich Egyptian that got a lot of attention and tipped as if there was no tomorrow.... Thank GOD I have the whole show on video. I think my favorites were when she did fishface and when she ran from one side of the stage to the other - did a pivot turn and flicked her full circle black costume skirt up in the air so the WHOLE audience on that side of the stage got a clear glimpse of her BLACK SEQUINED BOYSHORTS and then kept on dancing as if nothing had happened. The faces on people were to die for.

[/QUOTE]

I remember that show- it was the first time I saw a live bellydance performance!
She's one of my favourites today though!

I was a Hilal dancers at the time,and LOVED Dandash&Aida-
changed teachers over night:D

A little late for this discussion but I wanted to chime in on Lena. My own dance education has been lacking in Shaabi. Just hanging out with Lena and her troupe gave me a whole new understanding of Shaabi. I feel so lucky to have met and danced with her and her troupe (and I am going back this september!).
Aziza

Originally Posted by aziza

A little late for this discussion but I wanted to chime in on Lena. My own dance education has been lacking in Shaabi. Just hanging out with Lena and her troupe gave me a whole new understanding of Shaabi. I feel so lucky to have met and danced with her and her troupe (and I am going back this september!).
Aziza

Oh Aziza - please book Lena to your Birthday Bash some year. I know people would LOVE her... :) Cant wait for you to pull out all the stops on a Shaabi *all blushing and giggly by the mere thought of it*

Originally Posted by aziza

A little late for this discussion but I wanted to chime in on Lena. My own dance education has been lacking in Shaabi. Just hanging out with Lena and her troupe gave me a whole new understanding of Shaabi. I feel so lucky to have met and danced with her and her troupe (and I am going back this september!).
Aziza

Awww! *thanks* It means a lot to us coming from you! We miss you a lot and are looking forward to hanging with you again, sweetie!

Lots of love and happy dancing!

OK, where do I find video of Lena? I must see her. Are there any forsale?

Originally Posted by Michelle75

OK, where do I find video of Lena? I must see her. Are there any forsale?

We are working on getting videos up on her, but as for now there isn't any Hopefullywe will have some shortly.

You can check her website out: Magdans - Orientalisk dans med Lena Helt - Kurs, möhippor & bellyfitness

*Jumping on the Lena bandwagon* I was lucky enough to see Lena perform live last December, and she totally rocks! Very excited to see you guys again this September :-)

Hi.
Now finally it's possible to watch Lena on YouTube! Enjoy.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0h2Jz_YQPQ]YouTube - Lena Helt - Shaabi[/ame]

Originally Posted by sabinae

Hi.
Now finally it's possible to watch Lena on YouTube! Enjoy.
YouTube - Lena Helt - Shaabi

That was awesome! I did my shabbi-in-progress song for my teacher on Friday, and I can totally see in Lena some a living example of some of the critiques I was given. What a great clip - thank you so much for sharing!

And it's driving me nuts - what's that song? I know I've heard it before, but I can't place it.

Originally Posted by laura 2

That was awesome! I did my shabbi-in-progress song for my teacher on Friday, and I can totally see in Lena some a living example of some of the critiques I was given. What a great clip - thank you so much for sharing!

And it's driving me nuts - what's that song? I know I've heard it before, but I can't place it.

It´s called Min Dah

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

Couldn't have said it better myself. I love Shaabi. It really suits my body type and style of dancing. For me it's got to look effortless and feel natural. For me, Fifi epitomises this style. Though I would disagree that it's not technically polished... I feel it is, but has a rougher shine.

Another heavy,earthy ,sloppy fan here..i feel the calling......g.:

Originally Posted by katja

It´s called Min Dah

Any idea who it's by, or what CD it's on? I'm not having any luck tracking it down by the title.

Sorry, can´t help you....

Lena rules!
Thanks for sharing!
Getting homesick now...

The guy singing Min Dah is called "Sim Sim".

thanks for all the nice words about me here on bhuz... hope you enjoy the videos...

So the famous first lady of Scandinavian shaabi is around herself...
Yeah there's the IT-thing in it...the clip was too short! Please let us have some more...

Ha ha Katja almost forced me to join this site.. and now I´m glad she did. Im not so found taking about my self and find it a bit difficult, and then we have the spellings in english goush.... but I will try to answer any questions about different styles or the shabie styles if some one wonder anything :)

And thank you sooo much dear beautiful Aziza for your words about us in Stockholm. We really looking forward to september when you coming back for another fabulous visit... you are my private favorite :)

Originally Posted by lenahelt

Ha ha Katja almost forced me to join this site.. and now I´m glad she did. Im not so found taking about my self and find it a bit difficult, and then we have the spellings in english goush.... but I will try to answer any questions about different styles or the shabie styles if some one wonder anything :)

Ya Leeeeena *heleleleleleleleeleleheeeeeh* (zaghareet)

Don't worry, you don't have to talk about yourself.... WE will do that part for you ;) You just keep dancing and putting more videos of yourself online so we can show them to our students and make them work harder.

Oh to those of you that now are all in love with Lena's Shaabi - just wait till you see more of her Sharki... you wont know what leg to stand on...
shaabi - sharki - shaabi - sharki - sharbi - shaaki *falls over*

DaVid

I agree DaVid, Lena is a wonderful choreographer no matter what style. Her musicality is exceptional. In her I found someone who heard the music the way I do, but was able to put the choreo together like I imagined but isn't capable of.

I have danced so many teachers choreo and sometimes you feel that their way of choreographing just isn't for you. It's beautiful choreo but it soesn't fit your body or you hear something else in the music. But Lenas stuff always fits like a second skin for me.