Thread: Skirt dancing: when and how?

Skirt dancing: it's not authentic, but it is a lot of fun.

I'd like to work up a skirt piece, but my problem is that I never really know how best to contextualize skirtwork. I've seen it incorporated into Romany, Flamenco fusion, and American Cabaret/Vintage American style pieces. Personally, I'm particularly fond of Dalia Carella's Dunyavi Gypsy style and Artemis Mourat's Romany-inspired skirt dancing.

To the dancers out there who do skirtwork: what style do you present it in, what type of music do you use, and why?

One of my teacher's "class choreographies" is an "Andalusian Skirt Dance". She started teaching this after taking a WS from Mesmera last year. I don't know what from/what for about the authenticity of it, but it certainly is a ton of fun!

I couldn't resist adding a bit of skirt "flourishing" in a Turkish dance - it's not at all traditional, but those big skirts are so good for that kind of stuff. I think that if it looks good, use it.

A skirt is a prop like any other - there have been whole discussions about the authenticity of sword dancing etc. but the bottom line is if you are not doing a specific folk style and being traditionalist, you can do what you like.

Good question! My students & I have these big ole' skirts for our Turkish Romany number (and we couldn't help putting just a couple of measures of skirt-swishing in there even though we we know better). It would be fun to do something with them.


Traditionally, in America, skirt-swishing has been done to karsilama rhythm accompanied by Turkish moves, either Romany, Orientale, or a combination. It works really well together, so you could do that and call it Vintage Orientale (isn't that the phrase Artemis Mourat likes?)

Of course, you could put skirt-swishing to any kind of music and surround it with anything you like and just call it "Skirt dancing."

I did an improv dance to the Gypsy Kings "Baila Me" in June and ended the dance with all sorts of skirt flourishes. I didn't want it to just be "a skirt dance" so I only did the last minute or so with skirt. My husband said later: "The skirt stuff was so fun! You should have done more skirt!"

I like to think of a shwished-around skirt as a prop, not unlike a sword. Not all that authentic, but comes in handy for a theatrical performance. And, when used well, it can be a of a lot of fun - and audiences seem to enjoy it, as well.

As said before - a nice more AmCab style karsilama seems to call most for big-time swishing a skirt.

This is my favorite skirt dance I've seen. It's a Russian gypsy dance. I like her other videos especially the jazz number.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ctVf8Xs3A[/ame]

I do a ton of skirt work because of how deeply involved I am with Mediterranean trance dancing cults. (Cult as in culture not as in a bunch of people shaving their heads together. ;-) ) The vast majority of my staged skirt work comes from that because it's so hard to divest one part of myself from another.

When doing skirt work you don't have to use your hands all the time to manipulate the skirts. I see a lot of people hang on to their skirt a lot when doing a skirt dance and you really don't have to use your hands to get that thing to move. One of my favorite moves is a fast grape-vine step with a kick flip 1/2 spin in the end. Check out Marguerite for more info on hands free skirt work. You've already been given the other good resources that I would recommend.

As for when to do it... Ummm don't ask me because I will do skirt work pretty much every time if given the opportunity. (Oh there goes Gen! Spinning again!)

Flamenco-Arabe style music is good for it because of all the drama in the music. I use Tarantella (specific pieces only) music a lot for mine but I also use a lot of Italian moves in my dancing. Of course theres the Turkish stuff too. (I luvs Turkish)

Aaaand because sometimes its fun to thumb your nose at the authenticity police don't forget that you can do skirt work with floor work! Ooooooooh! And no that does not mean flash your dance briefs at people... *tsk tsk* Skirt work on the floor can be really tough if you're doing more than just making figure 8's with your skirt. I like to make everything a challenge and so I make a dance out of getting tangled and untangled or just doing really complicated things and magically keeping myself untangled.

Have fun!
~*Genisis*~

Originally Posted by Genisis

Skirt work on the floor can be really tough if you're doing more than just making figure 8's with your skirt. I like to make everything a challenge and so I make a dance out of getting tangled and untangled or just doing really complicated things and magically keeping myself untangled.

The couple of times I tried this, it was a bit of a disaster. I never seem to remember to do the ol' "toes feel you way out from under the hem before getting back up" thing and/or kneeling ON it instead of IN it, blah, blah. Its an artform! I'm NOT ready for the stage with this for sure.

Dalia Carella's Dunyavi Gypsy style. Fusion fun. Her DVDs are cool, and she's an amazing teacher and performer.

Kitty

Originally Posted by kahaz

Dalia Carella's Dunyavi Gypsy style. Fusion fun. Her DVDs are cool, and she's an amazing teacher and performer.

Kitty

You're right, Dalia is amazing. Always growing and evolving as a performer.

Originally Posted by zorba

The couple of times I tried this, it was a bit of a disaster. I never seem to remember to do the ol' "toes feel you way out from under the hem before getting back up" thing and/or kneeling ON it instead of IN it, blah, blah. Its an artform! I'm NOT ready for the stage with this for sure.

I have got to teach you one of my signature moves. I think it would look sooooo good on a guy! Every woman I've tried to teach it to just can't get the timing right because you need to have a lot of muscle power in the thighs.

Yours,
Gen

You can hold up your skirt ans swish it around a little in just a normal Raqs Sharqi number. If you don't have one of those modern, straight skirts of course ..g.:
I use my skirt sometimes for just a minute or even less for variation in the dance. No fancy "skirt work" though.

MEISSOUN

I like it best with Spanish style dance to something like Gypsy Kings. Spinning with one arm holding the skirt up while sort of leaning in that direction is very effective. Pulling it up in a provocative way to show the legs when doing a specific foot movement. Kicking it back while leaning into a backbend with a little jump can give the illusion of the skirt touching the head.

Originally Posted by vilia

I like it best with Spanish style dance to something like Gypsy Kings. Spinning with one arm holding the skirt up while sort of leaning in that direction is very effective. Pulling it up in a provocative way to show the legs when doing a specific foot movement. Kicking it back while leaning into a backbend with a little jump can give the illusion of the skirt touching the head.

LOL - at our big annual performance two weekends ago our finale was a bd/zambra mora fusion w/a bit a skirt dancing thrown in (properly introduced, of course . We danced to the GK's version of Volare.

Thanks for the thoughts and info, everyone! Michelle: that's a great video.

I'm planning to go to a Dunyavi Gypsy workshop with Dalia Carella in October, so I know I'll learn lots of great new technique there.

Can anyone recommend their favourite karsilamas? I have one of Artemis Mourat's CDs of Romany music and a few other songs here and there, but I'd like to increase my collection.

Artemis Mourat has an article on her website that expalins skirt dancing www.serpentine.org

Alrana

Originally Posted by kahaz

Dalia Carella's Dunyavi Gypsy style. Fusion fun. Her DVDs are cool, and she's an amazing teacher and performer.

Kitty

I second that, I use her style to 9/8, and sometimes to Alabina music.