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To "hiss" or not to "hiss"....
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 1:32 PM"Tonight my girlfriend and I had the pleasure of spending an evening at the Mediterranean Hookah Lounge, where a friend of mine who teaches Middle Eastern dance was performing. She was awesome (in my obviously unbiased opinion) but I was a little at a loss to figure out exactly how to express my appreciation for her art. It turned out that clapping was absolutely fine, but I talked to her afterwards to find out more culturally appropriate ways to applaud.
1. Yell “Ai-Wa!” (an Arabic term of appreciation, pronounced “Eye-Wah”)
2. Yell “Yallah!” (similar to above, but with the emphasis on the second syllable).
3. Yell “Oh-pah!” (the Greek phrase, familiar from weddings, especially appropriate, obviously, in Greek restaurants)
4. Yell a “zagrit”, a high-pitched ululation popularized by the Xena, Warrior Princess TV show.
5. Somewhat controversial is the practice of hissing - while it is a legitimate form of appreciation, it is also apparently used for summoning prostitutes as well in the red light district. Some dancers might not appreciate that…"
I personally do not make any noises but I know some drummers who will join in so I though this was relevant. I know it is ok to hiss in some Greek situations and of course Americans tend to do whatever they feel even though in American sports and theater hissing is a bad thing. But is it appropriate for bellydance? Do we need to consider this? I would not want my fellow drummers accidentally offending anyone.
Thoughts?
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 1:32 PM -
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Thu, May 8, 2008 - 9:30 AM
For a while it was commong for dancers to do a little "tssss" kind of sound during taqsim type situations - where the music was slow and melodic rather than upbeat - because letting loose with a zaghareet just didn't seem appropriate. Also used when dancers were balancing, so as to not startle the dancer and risk impalement. (ouch!)
Or, it was just a way, to say "whew! that's sexy!" However, (and this is a kind of third-hand telling of it,) I'd heard that Morocco said the "hissing" is actually something people in the MIddle East do when they DO NOT LIKE the dancer, and thereby call her promiscuous or a prostitute. Like when you hiss at a cat to try to get them to "scat". Since I heard this, I personally have stopped doing it. But it is kind of a shame, because I feel there's a void for something to do in those more quiet, subtle moments of the dance. Oh, but to add to the list above, here's a few more things you can say to spur on a dancer: "Ya Leili" (yah LAY-lee) - oh, night! this implies the dancer is mysterious & enchanting like the night time "Ya Eini" (yah AY-nee) - refers to eyes, as if to say "you are the light of my eyes" (and of course) "Ya Habibi" - my darling, sweet one. "Yallah, Ya Habibi!" Interesting to note, the feminine versions are Habiba and Leila, but in Egypt (per Rania) it is complimentary to refer to a woman in the masculine sense. (Kind of like saying Actor, instead of Actress, even though you are talking about a woman.) |
