Thread: Rope as a prop?

Hi all,

I ran across a couple videos on youtube with dancers dancing with a rope as a prop.


Ozgen


Shakira in one of her bellydance tributes in a show

I was just curious, cause I have never heard of it, if it was a new fusion thing or some old revitalized Roma or folkloric thing or just some weird S and M thing and if anyone else knew anything about it or had it explained to them.
I must admit, I kinda dig it, though may send the wrong message depending on the audience

Personally, I think it's ridiculous. Yes, very S & M and you have to ask yourself, just what kind of image are you trying to portray? If you're doing modern dance, tribal fusion or any other kind of non-bellydance, non-Middle Eastern dance, go ahead and do whatever you want. But with MED or bellydance, there's a history and tradition to respect, not to mention the cultural aspect that can't be separated from it. As for Turkish style and Roma dance, of which I know very little about, ask an expert like Artemis (http://www.serpentine.org/home.html).
It think it could work at a burlesque or other dance show but I would keep it out of a bellydance show, for sure.

Ozgen's piece was clearly not Turkish Romani.

Instead, it seemed to me more of a circus/magician inspired modern or fusion number, kinda like Houdini. It is not my cuppa, but I am not upset by it, and IBDCC is a good choice of venue. As a more general comment, I am not at ease with pull-the-shirt-off part, and being a confessing prude, I do not like to see a male dancer's nipples on display during a performance.

I was at the IBCC the year Ozgen did that, and I talked with him about it after his performance.

It's not a new fusion thing.
It's not a Roma or folkloric thing.
It's not a weird S&M thing.

It's just Ozgen putting into action an idea that came to him as something that might be fun to experiment with.

Originally Posted by steffib

Ozgen's piece was clearly not Turkish Romani.

As a more general comment, I am not at ease with pull-the-shirt-off part, and being a confessing prude, I do not like to see a male dancer's nipples on display during a performance.

you had me laughing on that! That seems to be his style though

Originally Posted by *Shira*

It's just Ozgen putting into action an idea that came to him as something that might be fun to experiment with.

Awesome Shira thanks for the info! Before I even got into bellydance but was experimenting with it I actually had wanted to do some sort of hands tied behind me start that would actually just be the veil poi (the song was really mournful at the beginning then became celebratory) but never did it for a variety of reasons so it was interesting to me to see a rope, made me think of it.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I was at the IBCC the year Ozgen did that, and I talked with him about it after his performance.

It's not a new fusion thing.
It's not a Roma or folkloric thing.
It's not a weird S&M thing.

It's just Ozgen putting into action an idea that came to him as something that might be fun to experiment with.

It totally works for him! I think the way he uses it as a prop is interesting and fun to watch!

I remember seeing videos some time ago of that- so I wouldn't say it was new...

and I never thought it was S and M either.


But it could be... muahaha ha ha ha!!!

An older dancer I know teaches a veil move where you draw your veil into a narrow rope and then wrap and unwrap it around your wrists above your head while you're doing isolations (kind of like a closed-fist hand lotus). Always looked a little bondage-y for my taste, but apparently some dancers did it.

I've seen that too, Tourbeau. It didn't appeal to me so I never used it. Came across as "gotta get this out the way while I do a taxsim but keep it handy for later".

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

An older dancer I know teaches a veil move where you draw your veil into a narrow rope and then wrap and unwrap it around your wrists above your head while you're doing isolations (kind of like a closed-fist hand lotus). Always looked a little bondage-y for my taste, but apparently some dancers did it.

I once attended a workshop where that was taught using the name "slave girl". I found it distasteful to romanticize slavery in that way and have never used the move.

Originally Posted by Hala Jamal

Personally, I think it's ridiculous.

Yes, that was my first thought. To me it looks like someone didn't want to buy a real prop, so they grabbed a piece of rope out of the garage.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I was at the IBCC the year Ozgen did that, and I talked with him about it after his performance.

It's not a new fusion thing.
It's not a Roma or folkloric thing.
It's not a weird S&M thing.

It's just Ozgen putting into action an idea that came to him as something that might be fun to experiment with.

well this the eternal: I know it looks like... but I meant it like...
Artists create references and they have to know, the rest is in the eye of the beholder.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

An older dancer I know teaches a veil move where you draw your veil into a narrow rope and then wrap and unwrap it around your wrists above your head while you're doing isolations (kind of like a closed-fist hand lotus). Always looked a little bondage-y for my taste, but apparently some dancers did it.

I think it can be cool and effective it just depends on your audience, music, story you are trying to tell, what you are comfortable with and so on. Obviously, tied up wrist on top of a crowded table in the middle of a Greek restaurant is not a good move, but perhaps at a dancer oriented event or more artistic venue it could work. It just really depends on what you are trying to convey as an artist.

Originally Posted by Basha

I remember seeing videos some time ago of that- so I wouldn't say it was new...

and I never thought it was S and M either.


But it could be... muahaha ha ha ha!!!

maybe i just have a dirty mind!

Originally Posted by steffib

Ozgen's piece was clearly not Turkish Romani.

As a more general comment, I am not at ease with pull-the-shirt-off part, and being a confessing prude, I do not like to see a male dancer's nipples on display during a performance.

I admire him for trying to do something different - as for the costuming, I much prefer his macho "folkloric" look and dance where there is just a little side-teasing nipplage (I saw this up close and personal a couple of years ago, love it though it's been posted here before). He can wag his shoe at me anytime, lol.

-Devora

Originally Posted by Devora

He can wag his shoe at me anytime, lol.

-Devora

]

i second that!

Just think of it as a really floppy cane.

I've seen a European dancer use rope when dancing to El Hantour. Considering the text/lyrics, it worked well... many of the Arabic speaking crowd loved it.