Thread: Using expression and gestures to tell a story

Okay, I feel like this is a stupid question but here it goes... and this is not a thread that questions whether you are a true artist or not, we are all artists in one form or another.

Do you try to express the feelings of a song by it's lyrics - even if the song does not have a singer? I'm talking about songs by Om Kalthoum, Farid Al Atrash or other great song writer/singers, but maybe the same exists in Turkish ROM or other.

I'm not talking about just facial expressions (anyone can look like they're in pain), I'm talking about telling a story with gestures.

Yes, and I teach that to my students. If an instrumental song does not have lyrics, I tell them to make up a story and act it out through facial and body expressions. One of the many exercises I have my level 2 dancers do.

Nilaja

I do try to embody the meaning of the lyrics and use the odd gesture where appropriate, even when the lyrics aren't present, yes. But I wouldn't say I tell a story per se.

I went to a great workshop on tarab once where we worked through a chunk of a particular song, which just happens to be my favourite bit of that song. It didn't teach me to dance it, but I now do know some of the words and where they fit; even the fact that I *know* what she's singing in This Bit Right Here makes it feel more real.

I like an occasional gesture.

Here's an example, a performance I love by Bhuz's own Lucy of D.C. She's clearly dancing from her heart. There's a moment when she lipsynchs lyrics that aren't there ('habibi') and a few gestures (a tear, a letter).

But it never degenerates into a pantomime show or a fingerplay.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06EzRLyXKIY]YouTube - Hayart Albi - Lucy of DC[/ame]


This stuff is tricky, though. Try too hard and you look -- well, like you're trying too hard. Nothing worse than a dancer who takes herself too seriously, IMO. A little humor and playfulness goes a long way.

Thank you, Lauren, for posting that video. That is exactly what I mean. I want to learn how to evoke feeling in others through my dance. Lucy's dance was beautiful.

That was exquisite! Thanks for posting.