Belly Dance Traditions & StylesFrom traditional folk to modern performance, there is a lot ot discuss regarding the characteristics of Middle Eastern dances.
I'm going to be teaching a special session on veils in April, and would like to be able to give my students an accurate overview of the history and origins of it.
Veils are not really traditional to ME dance...My understanding is dancing with veils, the complicated full routines, wrapping and unwrapping, big spins and tricks came out of American Cabaret. Maybe some connection or origin with Ruth St. Denis and/or the Ballet Russe oriental fantasy routines--but not sure. Then multiple veils stuff is very recent, maybe 70's 80's?
While there is Egyptian veil, it developed independently from American Cabaret. It's used for a grand entrance, and then it's tossed aside. I heard that many of the "Golden Age" dancers were receiving training from someone from the Kirov Ballet, who didn't think Egyptians knew how to hold their arms right, and gave them veils to improve it. It's one of those things that could be true, but might not.
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single post.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 12,288
Re: History/origin of veils in belly dance
There's a lot more complicated veilwork in Turkish dance, which I think might have influenced the American dancers (whose dance is quite strongly based in Turkish style). The spinning and swirling is very Turkish, but I think the wrapping and unwrapping are rather American.
Yes, Egyptians are known for swishing and dropping, mostly. I've seen Fifi and others do a little more swishing before they drop, but they never seem so enthusiastic about it.
I *think* the consensus on history is that it started with the Samia Gamal, who was given a piece of fabric to carry by her ballet instructor to help with arm carriage. (someone here can name the ballet instructor, I think she was Russian?)
From there, it would have spread into Turkey (via travellers or films) where the veil took on a lot more importance as part of the flashier Turkish style. American dancers would have picked it up from some of their Turkish and Lebanese teachers, and would also have seen it in old Egyptian films. They put their own unique spin on it, of course.
I suspect that the history of the veil in bellydance is about as easy to explain as the history of bellydance. From what I understand, there is reason to believe that women in the ME have danced with floaty pieces of fabric for centuries (if not millenia), but that doesn't mean that they performed bellydance with a veil.
I *think* the consensus on history is that it started with the Samia Gamal, who was given a piece of fabric to carry by her ballet instructor to help with arm carriage. (someone here can name the ballet instructor, I think she was Russian?).
Can't forget Loie Fuller, and her fabric dancing. That probably inspired some of the interpretive dancing of Ruth St. Denis, which probably inspired a few American dancers.
I think hipcircle has been hacked. When I try to follow that link, my browser gives me a warning that it is an attack site that will try to harm my computer or steal info from it. I dont recommend following this link unless we get word from someone that hte problem has been fixed.
when i was dancing in clube in L.A. a musician friom a turkiah band took my veil and told/showed me what he wanted.as i have said many times, we were taught by the first imigrants who started the resturant /club scene.i do not find it american except it was in america that they taught us.
By the way, the Egyptians and Turks could easily have been influenced by Ruth St. Denis's work as well, I imagine, given the timing.
How recent is multiple veilwork? I'd' have guessed 90s, but it's only a guess.
I started doing double veil work in the early 80's, I learned 3/4 veil from Marta Schills after her return from Egypt, I think I was about 12, not long after that I started working with 2, I don't recall who else was doing double veil at the time, maybe Saqra?
__________________
Aradia of Las Vegas --- www.AradiaLV.com --- ***How you treat me will not change who I am--but it will change who you are** unknown
thanks for the post Jes, I'm sure there were some dancers out of the 60's and 70's doing double veil. I know they didn't video much back then, but I couldn't begin to answer who was the first to do double veil.
__________________
Aradia of Las Vegas --- www.AradiaLV.com --- ***How you treat me will not change who I am--but it will change who you are** unknown
How recent is multiple veilwork? I'd' have guessed 90s, but it's only a guess.
At my very first Rakkasah in 1985, there were a lot of people doing double veil. So it had already been around long enough for bunches of people to learn it and incorporate it into their performances.
I was captivated by it, and still love to do it today!
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single post.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 11,486
Re: History/origin of veils in belly dance
When I was first lured into bellydance, Shira's site was the very first one I was on, I found the link to this page Belly Dancing: Making A Circle Skirt
I saw the layers of gold and green and red that Shira is wearing (and spinning) in the second photo and was HOOKED ..so Shira is the first bellydancer I 'saw' with double veils
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single post.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 11,486
Re: History/origin of veils in belly dance
Quote:
Originally Posted by Athenaserpent
Loie Fuller can be found on youtube too
are those veils or isis-wings (without pleats)??
it's been a while since I read the book but she used yards and yards of silk and created the shapes with poles. The colored gas lamps were important to the overall effect. I believe she once danced on a mirrored floor.
Her pattern for this creation was closely guarded in fact she reportedly never let one assistant pack or see the entire outfit for her ..let me go google but I do believe it was patented. And as you can imagine there were many copycats in her time.
here's a useful resource with more links, again I loved the book if you have interest, I believe the link to the book is on that page as well...probably its available thru amazon
Linear Mode
