Thread: Zaffa question

I love this pattern. I have never seen it actually danced to. Are there traditional foot patterns or movements for this processional sounding beauty?

Do you mean how to dance to it apart from an actual wedding procession? Or as part of a procession? I think I have seen it only as part of zeffa (on YouTube) or as a imitation of a zeffa in a stage show.

My understanding is that in the wedding procession it is used to actually process (used to be through the streets, now at a snail's pace in the hotel lobby), then the musicians will start a different rhythm for some sort or dancing or other entertainment to take place, then it goes back into the zeffa to advance a little further. Used to be with the lead dancer wearing a shamadan to light the way, definitely playing finger cymbals. Doing the re-enactment was a really fun part of Sahra's Journey Through Egypt I.

You'll hear it at the end in this clip:



Multiple dancers with shamadan here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeCHb...eature=related

Kiyanna,

You say used to be led by a dancer wearing a shamadan... Don't they use Shamadans any more?

Marya

Thanks Kiyaana, so what happens to the dancer as the wedding party progresses? Where does she go? Do you have a set step or steps you like to do when this appears in a piece of music?

Oh sure, they still use them (the second clip above shows some dancers with shamadan), but not all wedding processions have a dancer with a shamadan (or even a dancer). If you search for zeffa (or zaffa) on YouTube you will see quite a variety. If I remember correctly, I believe Sahra (who did her dissertation on the Zeffa) explained that it now depends on how traditional the wedding party chooses to be plus expense. Some of the wedding processions are very simple with maybe a couple of musicians to play as the bride and groom enter the hotel lobby. Others have the bride and groom walk a few feet, then stop for a performance, process a few more, stop for a dancer, a few more steps, some singing, etc.

Seems like a bagpipe player led this couple in -

Originally Posted by Wallowa

Kiyanna,

You say used to be led by a dancer wearing a shamadan... Don't they use Shamadans any more?

Marya

I'm definitely not an expert on this, so I'm hoping someone else will chime in here. Candi? She has great shamadan info on her site. Lauren did a mock zeffa for a show and I think there are clips on YouTube. I'm sure Shira has info through her own studies plus she was at JTE 1 & 2 with me. I'm sure other JTE peeps can speak up here, too. The basic step I think of for the procession is step, hip-lift, step, hip-lift, arms out to sides, playing finger cymbals.

As far as a bit of Zeffa showing up in another song, can you give an example? I know this happens with Saidi or Khaleegy, but I don't think I've heard it happen with Zeffa.

Originally Posted by anala

Thanks Kiyaana, so what happens to the dancer as the wedding party progresses? Where does she go? Do you have a set step or steps you like to do when this appears in a piece of music?

I'm assuming you mean Egyptian Zaffa. Lebanese Zaffa is just dabke folk music.

I will look for one Friday...one doesnt come to mind - tis late.