Thread: Cane dance advice

I need some!!! Lately ive been working with live bands at Arabic clubs and they always want me to do a Saidi/cane dance that lasts at least 8 minutes if not waaaay more.

Im new to Saidi dance but I think im getting the hang of it, my only problem is that my hands get sweaty and im afraid the cane is going to slip and fly off into the crowd! Any suggestions on how to avoid this?

My teacher has a rubber band near the end of the cane where you would hold it. It helps, but my hands get sweaty too and it's always slipping. I fret every time I use a cane.

Azeeza

One of my students had problems with cane because she had sensitive skin as well as sweaty hands. She tried a couple things and what worked best was bit of baseball tape - like players use on their bats - at the gripping point. Our canes are darkish wood so the tape was not noticable- this might not be so elegant a solution on a metallic or sequined cane.

Gymnastics athletes use a type of powder on their hands so they don't slip when hanging and twirling on the bars. You could use that to help.

Make sure you're not holding the cane with a death grip. I find that my canes stay put when my hand is most relaxed, air can get between my fingers.
Also, you got Yousry Sharif who is MASTER cane dancer. ;0)
I cannot vouch for rubber band. Only time I've ever used rubber band was the only time the cane flew out of my hand.

rosen..they put rosen on their hands....it is used on the point shoes too.i makes your hand funky though....wraping with textured cloth helps.

I use a soft-woven hair elastic, the kind with no metal bit, as an anchor. And having a relaxed grip, too. One of my teachers told me to hold the cane as if I had a live mouse in my hand, gently, but firmly. (or, if you don't like mice, a live bird)

I put a thick hair elastic right after where I usually put my thumb and my forefinger so they (hopefully) don't slide over it. It's not pretty on a foil cane, no, but the barrier is only half a centimeter thick. I think it's totally worth it. It would be even better with a matching elastic...damn it, why don't I try to find these things??

Additionally, watch what you put in your hair. On those days when I use more oily products, there is transfer from when I might put my hand on my head, and there will be a cane flying around the room. Right before you do your dance, wipe your hands off on your skirt.

Additionally, when I do work with our local death march bands, whose repertoire only included 8 minute songs, I got rid of the cane after a while. It's ok! Also, you don't have to be twirling it the entire time, either. You can take a break with other moves to get your hand rested and grip back in place before you start twirling again.

I think it would be great to have a rosin basin available for various performers at a nightclub: cane twirlers, balletic spinners, violinists...

Keep the hand relaxed and rest it lightly between thumb and first finger - don't grip it. I used to use a rubber band until I got a decent cane. I now use a real man's walking cane, its weight means I don't need to drive it all the way around and its thickness means it stays in place.

The way Yousry teaches cane -- which I LOVE -- your hand NEVER closes around the cane. Like Kashmir describes, your hand is completely open with the cane resting between the thumb and palm. I don't know if it can be explained well -- Nourhan's assaya DVD surely demonstrates it???

I was introduced to cane at a Yousry workshop, and even though it was intimidating I'm so glad I didn't learn it wrong first. So many dancers at the workshop already had bad habits of fully closing their hands around the cane, and they just couldn't open up their hands. Those were the canes that went flying!!

Also, Yousry teaches to make sure you have several inches of tail below your hand, never hold the cane all the way at the bottom.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

The way Yousry teaches cane -- which I LOVE -- your hand NEVER closes around the cane. Like Kashmir describes, your hand is completely open with the cane resting between the thumb and palm. I don't know if it can be explained well -- Nourhan's assaya DVD surely demonstrates it???

I was introduced to cane at a Yousry workshop, and even though it was intimidating I'm so glad I didn't learn it wrong first. So many dancers at the workshop already had bad habits of fully closing their hands around the cane, and they just couldn't open up their hands. Those were the canes that went flying!!

Also, Yousry teaches to make sure you have several inches of tail below your hand, never hold the cane all the way at the bottom.

This is how I learned cane from my teacher who was Nourhan's teacher before she left for New York and I love it!!!

Lauren_I remember taking a class in cane from Denise Enan in New York and playing watch out for the flying cane from other dancers because they weren't holding the cane properly .w.:

..l;, Yes, not getting a death grip on the cane is critical. When starting to teach cane, one of the ways I start to introduce it is I tell my students to "make a duck...ok, now make it a kind of dim witted, slack jawed duck...now stick the cane in his mouth..."...

But seriously, try to keep your hand relaxed, try to keep your wrist relaxed. I personally don't use the rubber band trick, but I know people who do. What I find is more effective is to be sure you leave hold the cane high enough. A few of the Egyptian instructors I've had complained that part of the problem American and European dancers have is they always want to hold the cane way down by the tip--they said you need to hold it with a few more inches hanging out the bottom. (Which seemed harder at first, but when I got used to it, they were right! Much more secure and no need for rubber bands.)

And remember that you don't need to spin and twirl the cane at speed the whole time...not at all! There are many framing things you can do, many slower sweeps with the cane, many holds, many subtle movements holding the cane in both hands or one hand, etc. Raks assaya isn't *only* swinging the cane, and Saidi style dancing isn't *only* raks assaya--you can put the cane down or--perhaps even better--start without it, and pick it up partway through (depending on the song, but if you start Saidi style, dancing, then pick up the cane, dance with it a bit, then get more dramatic and vigorous with it etc., you can sort of build the energy and drama of the piece.)

My cane is bamboo and has a natural "knob" at the end, which helps a lot. That doesn't mean it hasn't gone flying, though!

Here's my spin (no pun) on it:

1) The tighter you hold on, the more it slips away. Like several others have stated: no death grip! The only time you should be gripping your cane is when you're NOT twirling it - gripping it STOPS it.

2) Tape the end of the cane where you'll be holding it with "tape that works for you". I use electrical tape and tape a "wide hand's grip" about 3" from the end. I do not use knobs, rubber bands or similar - although many dancers do. You may also want to tape the crook to help prevent splitting - esp. on bamboo canes.

3) Get a cane that fits your hand comfortably. This means not too BIG in diameter. I like about 5/8", or a bit skinnier.

4) Lighter is better. Lighter is safer too. Yes, you'll have to use a bit of energy to push it around when you want to go fast (and you can spin a light cane around a LOT faster than a heavy one!) - but you'll save hand cramps from trying to control a heavy cane. I even find that most bamboo canes are a bit heavier than I like!

5) I'll jinx myself for saying this, but I haven't lost control of a cane since I learned these tricks...

Yes yes, agree with above!

Da Sage, my BAMBOO cane was also the one that receives frequent flyer miles...

The only fingers touching my cane is my thumb and forefinger and the circle created by the 2.

The Sharif Raqs Assaya DVD is superb.

Can't elaborate, nail polish drying... ;0[

There are lots of things you can do with the cane other than spinning. There are salutes and frames where you use the cane to emphasize the accents in the music. And, of course, balancing. You can balance the cane on your head, your shoulder, your hip. Use it as a "pole" that you dance around. Do shoulder shimmies with your arms stretched out in front and the cane resting across them (move your arms lower and higher so that cane slides up and down your arms as you shimmy). Nourhan Sharif's Raks Assaya video is wonderful and has lots of things on it you can do. Use the cane to frame your face when you do head slides. Toss the cane from one hand to the other. Lots of cane tricks!

Souzan

Thanks for all the advice!! I dont tend to want to spin the cane the entire time, I mix it with a lot of other cute moves, my hands just get really sweaty, haha!

I dont think I would want to put anything sticky or powdery on my hands, that might get messy during the rest of my show.

I will have to practice with the tape and work on not death gripping the cane like a crazy person :3

Vasha, 8 mins if a fair amount of time to be spinning a cane ;-)

A nice long saidi section may be good for some interaction with the audience? getting someone up to dance with you and handing over the prop temporarily while you lead them in some steps?

Or you can loosely choreograph a signature section for yourself that may include a bit of balancing and humour with the cane?

Both of those will chew the time and prevent you having to 'hold' the cane the entire piece

You could always follow what Samara (dancer in Lebanon) does and "make" people in the audience hold the cane for you for a while.
She has a long cane dance on one of the Cocktail videos (94 maybe? I haven't watched it for awhile) and she spends a lot of it messing around in the audience. I think it's pretty cute :)

XOXOXO
amanda

I once wowed every one with my extremely smooth and fast twirling- guess wot - cheatin!!
the wrapping of the cane had come away and made a loop - so I held that while doing the twirly stuff - no-one knew until I told them!!!

By the way maybe your musicians are winding you up - I don't see any reason why they need to play for 8 mins Saiddi style.

I discovered that a fabric bandaid works really well also, lol!

My bamboo cane has a metal tip that started detaching on one side right before a performance. Being a mom, I had an Elastoplast bandaid in my purse and used it to hold the tip in place. It worked so well as an anchor, that I've kept it on ever since. It matched rather nicely with the colour of my cane too!

POWDER and remember you don't have to twirl it the whole time. Nourhan Shariff Raks Assaya had wonderful movers.

Originally Posted by amanda_raqs

You could always follow what Samara (dancer in Lebanon) does and "make" people in the audience hold the cane for you for a while.
She has a long cane dance on one of the Cocktail videos (94 maybe? I haven't watched it for awhile) and she spends a lot of it messing around in the audience. I think it's pretty cute :)

XOXOXO
amanda

IMO the cane dance(saidi or dabke)is highly anticipated by many in the audience,
they can´t wait to get up and dance with you!

Do a little solo stuff and then "hook" people that are dancing in their chairs to come up and strut their stuff with you!

I use this section to socially interact in a "family friendly" way.

If the music isn´t too loud I chat a little with other women-
where they´re from,if they are having a good time and such.
Often they ask for their favorite songs to be played and appreciate that I´m not just begging for tips or shaking my boobs in the guys faces.
(which gives more tips;))

I use a fabric bandaid as well, it's a absolute godsend as I get clammy hands as well (you just have to change them every so often). Get a really wide one rather than using a couple of smaller ones as one bandaid will always come off and be hanging down, which is not a nice look and also very distracting! I also make sure to change hands or use the cane in a way that I'm not gripping it it in the same spot all the time to let everything dry out briefly.