Ghawazee Sparkle & Turkish SoulWorkshop and HaflaBY CARMEN GELETTE, HILARY THOMSON, AND SUSANNE NAHM Lynette and Leah are masters of their arts and both are warm, approachable teachers. Their teaching styles complement each other perfectly, they were easy to follow and adept at breaking down the moves. Both instructors took the time to answer questions and provide background information for clarification. This hafla was a sold out event and we're sure that no one was disappointed; from the dreamy, intimate atmosphere and outstanding food, to the four spectacular dancers, it was a very enjoyable evening. This venue got us in the mood immediately. The Chai Gallery can be described as part enchanted tree house, part Bedouin tent. The narrow front room is lined with wide platform benches layered in carpets and backed with stiff cushions and the walls are adorned with Afghani wall-hangings and wall sconces. All four dancers were received with great enthusiasm; they are highly skilled and well-known in the MED community. The show began with the vibrant Devorah in gold and black, warming up the crowd with her beautiful dance. We were struck by her elegant hands and fluid transitions as the music alternated from fast to slow. Devorah travelled, undulated and shimmied with a seemingly effortless grace, dancing in full skirts around the little wooden stools in the tight walkway between the tables. Next up was the graceful Leah dancing a Ghawazee number. Her costume was a midnight-blue, flowing, layered dress that extended every twirl with a little flight of chiffon. This performance included fluid ripples and rolls layered over near-constant shimmies, as well as the stomping 'hip-scoops' characteristic of Ghawazee dancers. Again, the hands helped tell the story - Leah's long, graceful fingers and strong, controlled hand movements added greatly to the expressiveness other dance. During the intermission, Leah and Lynette got the crowd up from lounging on the rugs to dancing in the aisles with some great Turkish tunes. It was no surprise that many women in the audience had stashed a coin belt in their purse for just such an opportunity. The men were up dancing, too, getting into the true spirit of hafla.
Rahma also engaged her little sister from the audience in a spontaneous duet that included impressive floorwork. The final dancer was the sassy Lynette dancing to a Turkish piece. Lynette began posed in the doorway, her back to the audience, and entered with a lit (fake) cigarette in her hand (there's a prop you don't see too often!). This set the tone for an energetic dance ranging in mood from haughty to nonchalant to passionate, and full of great Turkish moves - including a dramatic full body-length floor toss!! This unique and entertaining dance truly embodied the word attitude with a capital A. What a fun night of performances and free dancing! The venue, though a bit small, was the perfect atmosphere for the whole evening. It was like a mini- vacation to an exotic locale. The Afghani food, buffet style, was abundant, delicious and very flavourful. We must mention that there was a whole table of desserts! The lighting was intimate, though a few more lamps focused on the performers would have been nice. We would definitely recommend this venue; be sure to bring a hearty appetite and wear cool clothing as it heats up in there pretty fast! On Wednesdays from 7 pm to 1 am, Chai Gallery hosts a "Best of Chai Live' night, featuring Leah dancing and live musicians and drummers with proceeds going to 'Children of War' and 'World Vision". WorkshopLynette and Leah are masters of their arts and both are warm, approachable teachers. Their teaching styles complement each other perfectly, they were easy to follow and adept at breaking down the moves. Both instructors took the time to answer questions and provide background information for clarification. Leah started the day with a gentle warm up, then outlined the basic posture and arm range for Ghawazee dance, along with the common rhythms, starting with the Fallahy. We then learned individual arm, shoulder and hip moves, and some travelling steps unique to Ghawazee, including a particular kind of3/4 shimmy. The participants learned to keep that shimmy-motor running below the waist, while keeping the upheld arms swaying gracefully. As we became comfortable with this, experimentation was encouraged, and we began to layer and accent, creating more complex moves. As we danced around the room and encountered another dancer, we would trade off moves for a few moments before moving on to the next dancer - a very fun exercise that was repeated throughout the day.
After an hour off for lunch, we gathered again for Lynette to introduce us to the art of Turkish Roma dance. She broke down individual moves in an easy-to-understand manner, including figure 8's, hip twists and other pelvic moves. We learned to follow and improvise to different types of Turkish music, moving from basic 4/4 to a fast ciftitelli, up to the more complex 9/8 Karsilema. We practiced inserting an element of surprise in the dance - often a drop to the floor. Luckily, this move can be very effective just by dropping down on one knee for a pose, so we did not have to attempt the dramatic full-body drop Lynette performed at the hafla, although after the workshop she did share her secret with some of the dancers. Next we learned to "orientalize" Roma dance - working with light/heavy energy, suspension, flow, staccato and vibrations. We paired for an exercise where one person danced light and the other heavy and then we switched. This exercise was very effective in identifying the different movements and expressions that we each associate with these moods. Next we experimented with adding more drama to the dance using a short routine of walking steps, posing with arms, adding a body move, plus another moving step, ending with a dramatic pose. This combo was a great framework for getting creative with the moves we had been practicing. Finally we learned some different gestures that convey meaning and provide attitude to the dance. Throughout the workshop Lynette provided historic background information, showed pictures and read historical quotes. One quote described this Turkish Roma dance and music as having "the freedom and spontaneity of improvising, a dynamic sense of rhythm, [and] rich melodic ornamentation ... expressing a full range of human emotion." Lynette definitely provided a window into all of these aspects. Both workshops flew by time-wise and we're confident saying that everyone (no matter what their dance level) had a fun time, developed confidence in these particular dance styles, and gained some genuine anthropological insight into these two dance cultures. Two aspects that made these workshops special were the emphasis on personal creativity and interaction with other dancers to experience the social bonds created by dance. |
After the intermission Rahma demonstrated her dance mastery. She began by mesmerizing the audience with a narrow rectangular turquoise veil and proceeded to execute dizzying spins and dramatic head tosses.
Halfway through the morning we took a brief break from shimmying and learned more about the history of Ghawazee dance, costuming and music. Lynette and Leah showed us articles, pictures and some costumes which really helped us understand this dance form more fully. One quote from a historical observer described the dance as a "ceaseless flicker of hips and graceful upward arms". We paired off and danced our new moves in a rotating circle with our partner, creating the many beautiful patterns that you often see in paintings of Ghawazee dancers. Overall, the morning session was high energy with lots of shimmying and interaction.