Thread: Simsimiyya - Bambutiyya

Hi,
So I was looking for more info about a dance an Egyptian dancer taught me a little about which he called "bambooti". I got the impression from him that it was an Alexandrian dance, but now I think that wasn't exactly right, although it's still on the same coast. Anywho, I just found this really great Article on Simsimiyya and the Bambutiyya on Mohamed El Hosseny's website, that refers to a little Port Said tradition and history:

Oriental Dance - Folkloric Dance By Mohamed El Hosseny

There are also some great video clips of Simsimiyya and Bambutiyya dancing from El Hosseny on you tube. Here's one:

[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=SYVJz_NWO2g]YouTube - Oriental & Folkloric - Mohamed El Hosseny - Finland[/ame]

I'd love to hear from you guys what else you know about this style of dancing and where you've seen it.

I can't add any info, but I'd like to thank you for posting the link to the article, it was really interesting...

<brain whirs feverishly...> Hang on, am having a dim memory of someone dancing 'bambutiyya' in Aisha Ali's Dances of Egypt video - I think the dancer was from Port Said, or the dance was located there. I'm at home at the moment, so can't follow it up...

<brain splutters and spits sparks...> Oh wait, there's more...I have a CD by an Egyptian folkloric band featuring simsimiyya (name unknown, but I got it from rashid.com, it doesn't seem to be listed any more - it was called something like Music of the Pyramids Vol. 4). Of course, there is El Tanbura - a current famous simsimiyya band - more info here: ElTanbura.com

Well, that was a bit of a brain-emptying... hope there's something useful there...

Thanks for the link to the article and the clip, that was really interesting! Looks like El Hosseny has a 'how to' DVD out as well. Hmmmm....

When I interviewed Mahmoud Reda, I asked him about the bamboutiyya dance. He said that there's not an indigenous dance there, that bamboutiyya is the name of a type of boat. He did not originate the bamboutiyya dance as we know it today - he assumes it was one of the other folk troupes that came later but doesn't know which one. For the most part, back in the day he focused on creating his own work and didn't pay much attention to what other people were doing.

Thanks for posting the link to the article - I enjoyed reading it!

Thanks for the links and for starting this thread. I'm always interested in information about the instrument (simsimiyya) because I bought one for my band-mate for her birthday a couple of years ago. She already plays kanoon and Celtic harp, so it was a natural for her. But there isn't that much info about it online. Great links!

Does anyone know if the simsimiyya instrument is related to the lyre or harp that the Bedouins play?

This Mohammed El-Hossany has been my teacher for a year now so feel free to ask me any question if you feel like it. Simsimiyya is his speciality but not my personal favourite, because my better part is my hips, not my legs ..l;,
But the DVD and his shows are interesting - I think he has produced cd,too, only for simsimiyya. And you can see me in the clips in his site, as he is very productive choreographer, we film a lot of new things on-site at the class.
So I do it weekly in the class, like a warm up, and I love to watch him to do it but I still find it hard for me.

another article here
Sing, o simsimiyya

I had a semi-privite lesson with Aida Riad on Bambuti, with assistand Ousama Emam (actually was planned as a workshop for bambuti, but just 3 students showed up so it was more intense).
Aida Riad is famous for her bambuti dance and she tought us the choreo she used to dance, she said that it was a Port Said dance.
I found the spoon thing kind of ok, as we use spoons in greek dance also (and i teach greek folk 20 years now). But the steppings was a strugle.
I like the energy the dance have and its so different that its nice to have it in a show.
This is part of the dance:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvxQACtYwrY"]YouTube - Aida Riyad's Signature Dance[/ame]
and Aida young.

Maria Aya
p.s. I WISH i could study with Mohamed El-Hossany !!! he is amazing.

Yasmina Ramzy taught a little of this at her workshop in Boston in 2007, as part of her quick folkloric overview.

I have a DVD at home that's mostly Reda Troupe but also includes a clip of I *think* al-Firqat al-Qawmiyya performing Port Said dances, a fairly extensive number. This is the same Reda DVD that also features Fifi at the Sphinx.

okay, I do have a little question. You know the piece "Eshta Ya Amar"? Near the end it gets kind of peppy and they start singing "Sukariyya...SimSimmiyya" or something like that. Am I just hearing things or is that the same word? If so, is there some relationship or reference here to SimSimmiyya in Eshta? Just wondering....Here's a video clip of the Eshta song I'm talking about:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYsVjFAlZeU&feature=PlayList&p=9FCDA83790A 24824&index=17]YouTube - Noha[/ame]

I know one of those words refers to a sweet young girl, that's all I can tell you. Because my teacher used to dance to that piece a lot - it was her favourite - and she used to go "god how am I supposed to convey that I'm a sweet little teenaged thing??"

Originally Posted by *Shira*

When I interviewed Mahmoud Reda, I asked him about the bamboutiyya dance. He said that there's not an indigenous dance there, that bamboutiyya is the name of a type of boat. He did not originate the bamboutiyya dance as we know it today - he assumes it was one of the other folk troupes that came later but doesn't know which one. For the most part, back in the day he focused on creating his own work and didn't pay much attention to what other people were doing.

Thanks for posting the link to the article - I enjoyed reading it!

I have Mahmoud Reda's fieldwork video, which includes some great authentic bambutiyya (but not as elaborate or structured as the staged version that his troupe did). I'm at Rakkasah now so don't have the details at my fingertips. Not sure if the video is available commercially. I bought mine from Dee Birnbaum. He just got a bunch of the locals together and they showed off for him. Same video has some Siwa footage.

Latifa

Sahra Kent taught us a bit about this style. She might be a good person to ask. I will see if I can dig my notes out later. :)

Here are some of my notes from Sahra's Journey Through Egypt intensive:

Port Said

dock workers and fisherman...combination of different cultures working on the Suez Canal. movements have a heavy foreign influence-possibly vaudeville. men and women danced together

character, play-acting movements added by national folkloric troupes, not part of the original dance

the semsemiyya is a stringed bedouin instrument

I'll have to see what else I can find. This was the first I had heard of this dance but I think its really cute and different!

Originally Posted by shems

Hi,
So I was looking for more info about a dance an Egyptian dancer taught me a little about which he called "bambooti". I got the impression from him that it was an Alexandrian dance, but now I think that wasn't exactly right, although it's still on the same coast. Anywho, I just found this really great Article on Simsimiyya and the Bambutiyya on Mohamed El Hosseny's website, that refers to a little Port Said tradition and history:

Oriental Dance - Folkloric Dance By Mohamed El Hosseny

There are also some great video clips of Simsimiyya and Bambutiyya dancing from El Hosseny on you tube. Here's one:

YouTube - Oriental & Folkloric - Mohamed El Hosseny - Finland

I'd love to hear from you guys what else you know about this style of dancing and where you've seen it.

Mohamed El Hosseny is not only a great dancer and teacher, he is a warm and generous person who is willing to share everything he has. I had the wonderful opportunity to work at the same festival from Mirimah in Finland two years ago.

I'm confused, are Simsimiyya and Bambutiyya two different dances? Or is Simsimiyya the music one dances Bambutiyya to?

I used to dance bambutiyya when I was in a folklore group. It was a "fishermans dance" from port said. It always reminded me of the Gene Helly and Fred Astaire sailor dances ..l;, . It was really fun to do and we had steps like "throwing out and pulling in the fish net". The spoon part mostly at the end of the song was very painful. The spoons were taped together and to produce sound we had to slap our hand on the spoon hitting our leg, arms and feet OUCH

This was one of many folkloric dances The Egyptian Folkloric Dance Troupe performed on their US tour a few months back. I had the opportunity to see them in the MD area, as did a number of dancers & musicians and they were fantastic! The show had the entire audience on their feet with applause! The music & dance were enchanting and the costumes amazing!

Here's a link to some photos & the promo clip they used for their tour:
IAED Egypt Folklore Dance troupe
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFDFSl6z14U&NR=1]YouTube - National Egyptian Dance Troupe - Tour 2007[/ame]

Also Raksanna (IL) has the 1st pt of a new 4 pt series in Jareeda Magazine of her recent & annual trip to Raqia Hassan's Teacher Training Intensive held in Dec each year. This year she again met & studied with Ibrahim El Suezi (from the Suez area - same as Mona Said) who taught the Simsimiyya.
He is a member of today's Reda Troupe, Egypt's Folkloric dance troupe and the artistic director of his own troupe.

Here's a link to his troupe performing:
[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=jtJ325pAOf8]YouTube - Ibrahim El Suezi dance company, Egypt[/ame]

I also love the clips Shems mentioned about Mohamed El Hosseny!
Great fun & beautiful dancing! ..l;,

Thanks for the great links too ladies!

Originally Posted by shems

okay, I do have a little question. You know the piece "Eshta Ya Amar"? Near the end it gets kind of peppy and they start singing "Sukariyya...SimSimmiyya" or something like that. Am I just hearing things or is that the same word? If so, is there some relationship or reference here to SimSimmiyya in Eshta? Just wondering....Here's a video clip of the Eshta song I'm talking about:

I agree with Zummarad: it would be referring to the sugary-sweet nature and the sesame-sweet nature of the dancer. You're as sweet as tahinah! Work it!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm confused, are Simsimiyya and Bambutiyya two different dances? Or is Simsimiyya the music one dances Bambutiyya to?

I know the Simsimiyya refers to both the instrument used and the music played.

I *think* that Bambutiyya is a style of dance done to Simsimiyya music, the "fisherman's dance", like Amiraates said.

From the article on Mohamed El Hosseny's website: bambutiyya (men who use rowing boats to trade between the harbour and the big ships)

Ahhh. thank you!

I'm curious, has anyone tried to teach themselves or their troupe from Mohamed el Hosseny's DVD? I have no other resources for it here in Australia. I'd like to know whether other teachers have found the DVD worthwhile.
Rachel

Simsimiyya includes several kinds of dances (and songs), bambutiyya (the men of the rowing boats - the origine of the word is the English "bumboat"), sayyadin (fishermen), henna night, bahariyya (sailormen) etc.

By the way, Mohamed El Hosseny is now in the US, teaching also simsimiyya. www.egyptianacademy.com

Originally Posted by sydneyrachel

I'm curious, has anyone tried to teach themselves or their troupe from Mohamed el Hosseny's DVD? I have no other resources for it here in Australia. I'd like to know whether other teachers have found the DVD worthwhile.
Rachel

When Denise Enan taught in Brisbane at the Winter Warmup she spent a day on this. I think it was 2005 - pretty sure it wasn't her most recent intensive. Maria may still have some DVDs of the workshop available. I cannot be sure if the DVD has technique or just the choreographies.

There's a bamboutiya workshop by Magdy el Leisy available on DVD. I believe he taught in Australia. I have the dvd but haven't watched it thoroughly.

Latifa or anybody -- do you have current contact information for Dee Birnbaum? She was listed in Donna Carlton's guide, but that info no longer seems valid.

thanks!