Thread: basket dance?

i have no experience with this at all but i'm intrigued and want to know more about it. what are the origins, what music do you use, costuming, etc.? anyone have any good video clips to share?


i tried searching on youtube and am getting mostly tribal dancers using baskets. and the bhuz search function isn't working properly :-/

pming you.

The only authentic one I know of is Nubian (based on Nubian weddings), but when I was a baby dancer a couple of my teachers taught us made-up ones that were fun to do. It gives students something to do with their hands, which is always a good thing!

ah, i found *some* info:

Overview of Belly Dance: Props for Belly Dancing

Originally Posted by ZanaRaqs

ah, i found *some* info:

Overview of Belly Dance: Props for Belly Dancing

Not really. All this says is that dancing with baskets is inspired by the fact that North African women carry things on their heads.

I feel fairly safe in guessing that you are free to make up whatever kind of basket dance you like, using whatever music feels appropriate to you. I suspect it's a bit of a made-up art form and not a specific cultural phenomenon.

I'm guessing that in places where EVERYONE carries things on their heads, balancing just isn't seen as difficult or cool, so no one bothers much while dancing. (though it could be done for tourists.. I kind of suspect that's the case with Tunisian jug dancing? It wouldn't impress other Tunisians much)

I know there's supposed to be a Moroccan Tea Tray dance done by men, but that's balancing an entire set. And I don't know how common it really is (didn't see any references to it while I was there, but I wasn't there very long) and whether it's mostly done for tourists or not.

If you want to evoke images of N. African life you might do it as a vignette to Tunisian or Algerian or Egyptian music and wear costuming that reflects the area you're choosing to represent. But if you just want to do cool balancing tricks, I'd probably treat it as a sword dance.

thank you, i was wondering if the basket itself could be used as more of a theatrical prop without offending any culture/style.

Originally Posted by ZanaRaqs

thank you, i was wondering if the basket itself could be used as more of a theatrical prop without offending any culture/style.

Well, for what it's worth, you have MY permission. ..l;,

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Well, for what it's worth, you have MY permission. ..l;,

..l;,

My former troupe did one. It was, as has been mentioned, based on the concept of women carrying baskets on their heads to market or whatever. We wore galabeyas with hip scarfs, and we wore turbans.

No, it's not an authentic folk dance or anything, but it was immensely popular. That was the one that was always requested when we were invited to dance, including when we were invited to perform for the Egyptian community and for a couple of other events heavily attended by people of Middle Eastern origin, so I'm sure nobody found it offensive.

We used a song that had a lot of mizmar in it.

Not a basket dance but a water jug dance. Similar concept.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPWk4C8M3Fs]YouTube - Egyptian Folkloric, Solo Fellah Water Jug Dance[/ame]

I asked about basket dance here a while ago. The result was the same: It's fake-lore

In our recent photo shoot I posed with a basket, mostly because it looks so pretty ..l;,



But I would really like to use the prop more often - I have a very nice basket, so it should be used!

MEISSOUN

I know several groups which do basket dances at the end of their sets in order to go out and collect tips.

{{{HUGS}}}

Saqra has a DVD on basket dance.

Saqra's Video (& DVD) Series - Choreographed Belly Dance Routines

meissoun, it was your picture that inspired me to ask! hehehehe

We learned a Nubian basket dance at Oasis West Camp from Katia Katia Katia studied with Antar el Tary, the director of the Nubian Folklore Troupe in Aswan, upper Egypt. We used a flat, no handle, basket about 16" in diameter. The song was a field recording of Be-lay. Katia described the dance as being based on two rhythms, a fast Soke (counted one two, one two) danced with one foot on the ball and one flat and Arageed rhythm (counted one & two three & four) danced with a step R, touch L with arms forward on the step and back on the touch. The costuming was similar to the dress in the water jug video only made of brightly colored cotton, long sleeves, circular veil headress which attached to the fingers with elastic. Dowry necklace and big gold earrings to complete the look.
Several years ago I saw a performance by Nadia Hamdi (Egypt) in Portland, OR and she entered with a basket full of flower petals which she threw out towards the audience and around the stage during her opening number...g.:

Is this what you mean?

Unfortunately the beginning with the baskets is not on the vid. But they enter with the baskets & leave with them at the end... Perhaps Artemisia has another video of this, but I didn't find it...The quality isn't great either...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgg_9GNTf0c]YouTube - Bellydance show - Because we care[/ame]