Thank you for tuning in!

 

This show is available between June 8th and 14th.

 

Suggestions for viewing:

Grab your favorite beverage, and get cozy.

Watch on a laptop/desktop or tv. Turn your screen brightness up. Make sure to set at high quality HD in YouTube settings.

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Some context for your viewing:

 

Shows are traditionally performed to live music, but nowadays, dancers dance to recorded music. Logistically, one reason is that it has become too expensive for venues to have both. Some larger venues however, still have both.. and on the rare occasion, musicians and dancers make magic together. Because of this, the dance was traditionally improvisational (save for the few theatre & movie productions that required choreography.)

 

All that to say, what you're watching is completely in the moment and 100% improvised. Zero choreography.

 

This show includes an "intro", veil song, Turkish pop song, vintage floorwork, and a drum solo to finale.

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The show starts with an upbeat Turkish intro song.

 

The song I'm dancing to for veil is an old love song very common for a dancer to perform for an event such as a wedding or anniversary.

The song is Hebrew and it is called Erev Shel Shoshanim. This version is without lyrics, but the original song goes:

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"Evening of roses

Let's go out to the grove

Myrrh, spices, and incense

Are a carpet to walk on.

 

The night comes slowly

A breeze of roses blows

Let me whisper a song to you quietly

A song of love.

 

At dawn, a dove is cooing

Your hair is filled with dew

Your lips to the morning are like a rose

I'll pick it for myself."

 

The third song - Türkan - is a very popular Turkish song. (Those are finger cymbals I'm playing while dancing, but the music is played over video.)  If you were experiencing this show live, this is the song I would try to get you up to dance to.  So feel free to get up and dance with me! 

 

The lyrics go:

"Who knows what everybody says about me

This is not me nowadays.

I'm doing really bad things,

I'm really drunk I'm so unhappy, so so so.

Come here by your own decision, I'm not looking for bravery.

Your patience is really durable, like it's made from stainless steel.

 

I watched several movies last night,

and I died because of crying Türkan uhh, that Türkan!*

Again, she didn't allow to kiss anyone."

 

*Türkan is a special name for girls in Turkish and here, the singer means "Turkan Soray" who is very beautiful, famous and successful Turkish actress.

 

The song I'm dancing to for floorwork is a ciftitelli. Floorwork, as a piece to a classic bellydance show, has been practiced more-so in Turkey and in North America. It is an opportunity for the dancer to slow down, but to also sinuously show off a bit of athleticism. It is simultaneously coy and bold.

 

The show ends with a drum solo, traditionally done with a live drummer or two, and would be an opportunity for a dancer to play back and forth with the musician.

Here, it is simply play between myself, the recorded music, and you!

 

I hope you enjoy and I hope it inspires you to move and connect to your own body... and to our human experience that's so beautifully told through music.

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Cheers,

 

Rhia