Hidden Treasure
by
Cheri Berens
|
COPYRIGHT 2003
Like most dancers, when I hear a new piece of music, I am listening to hear if it’s danceable. Does it move me? Can I perform to it? Can I
teach to it? I have been collecting Middle Eastern music for almost thirty years. I have it on albums, cassette tapes and now a massive
and growing CD collection. Often, after bringing home a new purchase and listening to it briefly, I have put it on the “back shelf”. There it
would sit on the back shelf for a year or so until I went through my annual music search for something new to teach or dance to. Often
something I didn’t like the first time I heard it suddenly becomes very interesting. But other music continued to stay on that “back shelf”
for many years. During those years various Middle Eastern friends would comment on my collection. The music they were most excited
about was the music on my “back shelf”. This troubled me. What wasn’t I hearing?
When I began traveling to Cairo years ago I noticed that the dancers in the 5-star hotels and the big name superstars like Nagua Fouad,
Fifi Abdou, Lucie, Dina, and Camelia opened their shows with a full classical orchestra to an Um Kolsoum or Mohammad Abdel Wahab
classic. Sometimes the music wasn't familiar, but I would recognize the title when I inquired. Each time I returned home I would go
through my music collection. The title was familiar because I had the music. It was on my “back shelf”. The orchestrated music chosen by
choreographers and big name dancers for the spectacular shows in the 5-star hotels and top nightclubs often is the introduction to the
original full length piece. Songs like Leylot Hob, alf Leyla we Leyla and Hayart Albi are good examples. Others, like Al Atlaal, have
powerful, dramatic music for dancers forty minutes into the piece. This is why I had recognized the title, but not the music. Often, after
listening for fifteen or twenty minutes and only hearing the poetry-like singing, I put a new purchase on the “back shelf”. The mystery was
solved. I have learned to value the importance of this classical music. Much of it is the live concert recordings of Um Kolsoum with
music composed by Mohammad Abdel Wahab or Riad Sambati. You have most likely had exposure to this music in an altered cabaret,
small band style. But it’s not the same as the classically orchestrated.
I have loosely categorized the quality of dancing I’ve seen in Cairo into three categories: 1) At the very bottom is a style seen in the
poorer communities at weddings, and, the dancing at 3-star or lesser clubs. The dancers at these weddings often wear costumes that
reflect their poverty and often their dancing isn’t as good as the regular social dancing done among the guests. At the 3-star and lesser
clubs, it often can barely be called dancing--sleazy movement is a better name for it; 2) A slight notch higher in quality and performance
skills can be seen in the 4-star nightclubs, the Nile dinner boats, and, the Nile cruise excursions between Luxor to Aswan that end with a
party and show. These dancers are mediocre at best, but usually put on a slightly more entertaining show and sometimes include a
folkloric show. Also included here are the early shows in hotels which are often lackluster and aimed at tourists. If you are looking for
spectacular dancing, it is never in category one or two (and again, beware of some 4-star club dancers, they can be quite sleazy).
Category 3: The top quality dancers. There are only a handful and they can only be seen at 5-star clubs and hotels for between $100-$150
(includes dinner, but not drinks). This dancing is something you will never see in a packaged tour, nor any of the category one or two
atmospheres, nor any nightclub or hotel before 2:00 a.m. It is worth the money spent because it is an experience that will stay with you
for life. The show always starts after 2:00 a.m. This is when the opening small bands and lesser dancers have left the stage or after the
pop singer has finished. A full 20-30-piece orchestra enters. The immediate transition is exciting and the feeling of their presence, often
black tie or tux, gives you goose bumps and chills because you know that something is about to happen. I have seen a lot of dancing in
my thirty years experience. This classical presentation of the dance is spectacular and the dance style is so stunning it takes your breath
away. The musical part of the presentation makes a statement along with the performance skills and costuming. Serious dancers should
not only try to get exposure to this dance style, but become knowledgeable about the classical music these top dancers dance to.
The pieces written by classic composers and songs made famous by Um Kolsoum and Abdel Halim Hafez are respected works that will
continue to be re-orchestrated and enjoyed forever. It takes time for the American ear to enjoy Um Kolsoum. If she’s too heavy for you,
you might try Warda, (although, remember, the dance music is not usually during the singing part, and, the classical music presentation in
the live concerts of Um Kolsoum can’t be beat). Most western dancers only know Warda’s pop songs, such as Betwaness Beek, but great
classical composers have written for her. Riad Sambati, who wrote al Atlaal, Hyart Albi and Lessa Fekker (songs made famous by Um
Kolsoum), also composed music in the classical style for Warda. Baligh Hamdi, whose Zay el Hawa, Moawad, and Sawah were made
famous by Abdel Halim Hafez, also composed for Warda. Try Warda Live at the Olympia which includes two compositions by Baligh Hamdi,
and Fi Yum We Leyla, composed by Mohammad Abdel Wahab. Most western dancers only know the European sounding introduction to Fi
Yum we Leyla. You are in for a treat about half way into it when the tone and personality of the music changes. The next time you
experiment with new music, try something old. Explore some hidden treasure—an original orchestrated classic. Even if it ends up on
your “back shelf” temporarily, you will some day come to value it tremendously.