can you please explain in what sense the word "progression" is used here? is it like: a routine? What belongs to a progression?
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 8:25 AMI'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.
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 9:57 AMThere 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. -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 10:02 AMBaladi 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! -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 10:14 AMNorma- I was looking for that exact Mona Said beladi you're speaking of on youtube. :) She's simply lovely, isn't she?
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 12:07 PMYes 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). -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 1:39 PMThanks for posting this Nuria. I've seen Baladi progression videos, but the explanation makes it more crystal clear for me. -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 4:17 PMSamira-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
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 10:08 AMThank you for the thorough explanation Samira, it is much appreciated. Thanks for asking the question Nuria!
Christi
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Re: Baladi-progression
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 8:03 AMThank 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
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 12:04 PMThank 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)
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 12:19 PMyoutube.com/watch
This just has been posted in the videoclips-tribe. There is the fellahi. Would the "Tet" be the accents at around 0:47-49? -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 1:13 PMWould anyone know what the name for that piece of music they used in that clip? -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 1:24 PMpost the question on youtube. Avasa sure will answer you.
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Re: Baladi-progression
Wed, April 2, 2008 - 1:23 PMThanks for the Arabic words, Nuria! I've heard Egyptians use "tet" to describe basically the whole progression, but I've never gotten a good explanation as to why. I'll have to quote Miss Piggy here: "Whatever."
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Re: Baladi-progression
Fri, April 4, 2008 - 6:17 AMShareen calls it Beledi-Taqsim, it's one of her basic topics - it's on the schedule for her workshop in VA. -
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Re: Baladi-progression
Fri, April 18, 2008 - 4:20 PMI 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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