Baladi-progression

topic posted Wed, April 2, 2008 - 6:02 AM by  Nuria
can you please explain in what sense the word "progression" is used here? is it like: a routine? What belongs to a progression?
posted by:
Nuria
Germany
  • Re: Baladi-progression

    Wed, April 2, 2008 - 8:25 AM
    I'll post the "cliffnotes version", I"m sure you'll get much more detailed responses as well.
    A Baladi Progression is a type of song comprised of three basic parts -
    1) taxim
    2) taxim progressing with tabla accents
    3) the accents progress into rhythms and the song continues, often building up to a fairly fast pace.
    It is very Egyptian and classically a part of an Egyptian style set. If you watch full shows from almost any of the Egyptian dancers from the 70s and 80s you'll see it.
    Here is an example:
    www.youtube.com/watch
    In Egyptian shows a lot of the songs start with taqsims- Om Kolsoum songs will, Saidi often will, so it's important to be able to hear the difference between a beladi progression and an actual song in it's instrumental form.
    another example of the progression
    www.youtube.com/watch

    Beladi of course also is the common American name for a rhythm (Masmoodi Saghiir) and a term that roughly means "country" (as in nation), and also "country" as in from the country or having a country/old time/earthy/"of the common people" feel.
    Mostafa Sax has a lot of lovely examples of beladi progressions- Many of his would have to be edited to use for shows- as they tend to meander a long time and fade out.
    beledi, belady, baladi...look up all sorts of different spellings. A lot of stuff on youtube is mislabeled, so be careful.

    • Re: Baladi-progression

      Wed, April 2, 2008 - 9:17 AM
      You are so awesome :D
      • Re: Baladi-progression

        Wed, April 2, 2008 - 9:57 AM
        There use to an awesome clip of Mona Said doing a Beledi Progression on youtube but it was removed. To me, a beledi progression is the essence of Egyptian style. No matter what I see a dancer do, if she messes this up, she's lost me.
        • Re: Baladi-progression

          Wed, April 2, 2008 - 10:02 AM
          Baladi Show - featuring Mona Said, Hannan and Nelly www.dahlal.com

          Nouria I think I talked to you about this video before? It features Mona Said doing her classic yellow bikini drum solo. She does Oum Khoulsoum and a baladi progression.

          I just taught this a couple weeks ago and I made up a whole CD of different progressions. I'll email you a really really good one!
          • Re: Baladi-progression

            Wed, April 2, 2008 - 12:07 PM
            Yes you did, Norma. I think I have seen these progressions before, but I want to learn about balady so I need the explanation along with what I see. My teacher often seems startled why I want always explanations but that's how I learn. Often I prefer to ask on tribe. I will get that dvd soon, now (I had others I had to buy first).
            • Re: Baladi-progression

              Wed, April 2, 2008 - 1:39 PM
              Thanks for posting this Nuria. I've seen Baladi progression videos, but the explanation makes it more crystal clear for me.
              • Re: Baladi-progression

                Wed, April 2, 2008 - 4:17 PM
                Samira-I think Mona Said's version is just about the best on video. She really captures the feeling.

                My two favorite Balady's:

                Taxim/Beledi/Drum Solo -Abbud Abdel Aal & His Golden Strings -Belly Dance for Arabian Nights

                Taksim/Accordian/Drum Solo- Hamoudi Ali-Princess of Cairo
    • Re: Baladi-progression

      Sun, April 6, 2008 - 8:03 AM
      Thank you for the posting Samira... love the classic style. There was one of the comments posted on the sevond video..."shows respect to the audience".. love that comment. I think allot of dancers today have forgotten that.

      Old school music has found it's way back into my dance repertoire
  • Re: Baladi-progression

    Wed, April 2, 2008 - 12:04 PM
    Thank you so much Samira. I myself posted once what I found on a webpage - yours was easier to understand, but since you posted the Najua clip also this scheme seemed more understandable.
    1. Awwady (swaying like an ood/bamboo-cane), slow improvised taqasim with small moves full of feeling. There is the musical style Mawal as free nostalgic singing without rhythm. The dancer slowly "sways" herself into the music.
    2. Me-Attaa (broken pieces of music and rhythm), introduction to the rhythm, with the tabla the play of question and answer starts, the dancing style yet rather conservative and shy, but sensual and feminine.
    3. Maqsoum: the rhythm is established, goes faster, dancer dances more extrovert, hipwork!
    4. Tet (4/4 rhythm accent on 2 and 4 with "tiit toot tet teeit" played by the mizmar), nostalgic sound of the Egyptian countryfolks
    5. "coming home", transition to fellahi-rhythm, danced with Egyptian walk
    6. Awwady Taqasim as calm end, or "cooling down" (f. ex. "Lucy from Kairo" out of the album best of baladi & saidi by Hossam Ramzy)
    a drum solo can also be added. "

    Now thank you so much for the links. Now I always wanted to see a piece that has all this, to understand how the classical balady goes.
    1,2,3 and 6 I can identify in the Najua-clip, yes, plus the drum solo. Is there the tet and the fellahi too? Are they a must or could they drop out?
    Yesterday I came across a clip on bhuz - so nice: youtube.com/watch
    (This is just on maksoum, no progression)
    .
  • Re: Baladi-progression

    Fri, April 4, 2008 - 6:17 AM
    Shareen calls it Beledi-Taqsim, it's one of her basic topics - it's on the schedule for her workshop in VA.
    • Re: Baladi-progression

      Fri, April 18, 2008 - 4:20 PM
      I love watching Egyptian dancers performing that , flowing,
      natural, ooey-gooey progression in the baladi section of a
      show. My all time favorites are Sohair Zaki, a dancer whos
      movemenets I love to study. Then there is Nelli Fouaad, Mona Said,
      Nelli and Hayatem. Now in America, there are a few really excellent
      Egyptian dancers in the US that do what I call
      HIT ALL THE LICKS RIGHT ON THE BEAT,
      in the Egyptian rhythm and feel within the music. My favorite dancers
      show me how to feel the Egyptian music and self-evolve. I am always
      captivated by watching my inspirations on this soil that to me totally
      capture the essence of what Egyptian dance and baladi-progression
      is for me such as: Dahlena of Chicago and now Las Vegas, Serena Wilson
      of New York (RIP), Shereen alSafy of California and the younger dancers like
      Jillina of California, I love the great Zahra Zuhair of California, the fantastic
      Soraya of New Jersey/PA/Chicago and Jehan Kamel of New York. There are
      more I fancy but these bellydancers are my top favs for really nailing
      that real, elusive Egyptian way in this dance making it believable.

      CANDACE

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