Workshop impressions, notes, etc.
So, I went to Naharin's Turkish/Armenian and Arabic workshop today. It was very different than anything I've ever been to before. First of all: no choreography. None. Music and suggestions, but no choreography. We were each supposed to "do our own thing." Since I don't really know what "my own thing" is, yet, this was somewhat problematic, though by the end of the afternoon I was at least losing some of the deer-in-the-headlights look. However, I still wasn't improvising. I was throwing together combinations I already knew from other songs.
I had thought that veil wraps were a primarily AmCab thing. Apparently they're a primarily Turkish thing, and AmCab adopted them. Good to know. Also a Turkish or Armenian intro is most likely very peppy and zilly, as opposed to the more stately Arabic style. I'm still confused about the usage of the word "Arabic" in this context, since most of what was being described as Arabic, I had previously filed in my brain under Egyptian.
One should nevernevernever choreograph veil work, which I'm not sure is as problematical as she thinks it is. Either our troupe looks far more stilted than we think, or it can be done. Then again, we don't really do *slow* veil stuff. Other than Yanni's Adagio in C Minor, which still isn't that slow by "veil song" standards. And, you know, isn't Middle Eastern at all.
You can do anything you want to a karsilama so long as you stay to the beat. Bummer, I'd been hoping for more guidance there.
Non-washable costumes can be freshened and disinfected by being misted with a mixture of cheap vodka and water. The lighting at The Athenian Corner is abyssmal, and could hardly make dancers look worse if it was planned that way, but that may be changing soon. (I keep hearing so much about this place, I'll have to go there sometime.) Local teacher Desmeen was once on the cover of an album the Athenian Corner Band made, back in the 70s, and thus Michael Gregian actually had heard of my town, since she teaches here.
Oh, and if you're going to wear fake hair, wear hair that is actually fake, not "real human hair," or it'll be just as problematical as what's on your head. I can't see me adding to this mop, actually, but it was amusing, so I jot it down to immortalize it.
I'm wiped. Must nap so I can get up when Patsfan goes to work and try to do stuff around here. Yeah, yeah, my mantra for nights that end up wasted ...
I had thought that veil wraps were a primarily AmCab thing. Apparently they're a primarily Turkish thing, and AmCab adopted them. Good to know. Also a Turkish or Armenian intro is most likely very peppy and zilly, as opposed to the more stately Arabic style. I'm still confused about the usage of the word "Arabic" in this context, since most of what was being described as Arabic, I had previously filed in my brain under Egyptian.
One should nevernevernever choreograph veil work, which I'm not sure is as problematical as she thinks it is. Either our troupe looks far more stilted than we think, or it can be done. Then again, we don't really do *slow* veil stuff. Other than Yanni's Adagio in C Minor, which still isn't that slow by "veil song" standards. And, you know, isn't Middle Eastern at all.
You can do anything you want to a karsilama so long as you stay to the beat. Bummer, I'd been hoping for more guidance there.
Non-washable costumes can be freshened and disinfected by being misted with a mixture of cheap vodka and water. The lighting at The Athenian Corner is abyssmal, and could hardly make dancers look worse if it was planned that way, but that may be changing soon. (I keep hearing so much about this place, I'll have to go there sometime.) Local teacher Desmeen was once on the cover of an album the Athenian Corner Band made, back in the 70s, and thus Michael Gregian actually had heard of my town, since she teaches here.
Oh, and if you're going to wear fake hair, wear hair that is actually fake, not "real human hair," or it'll be just as problematical as what's on your head. I can't see me adding to this mop, actually, but it was amusing, so I jot it down to immortalize it.
I'm wiped. Must nap so I can get up when Patsfan goes to work and try to do stuff around here. Yeah, yeah, my mantra for nights that end up wasted ...