My Shamadan performance

[alonewiththemoon]

So, I danced with my shamadan yesterday. The major unfortunate discovery of the day is that the sticky stuff I used to hold the candles in place gets melty in the hot sun and high heat, so I lost a few candles during the show. OTOH, I think I dealt with it professionally and I didn't step and slip and fall on any of them. It's not so obvious when the video is shrunk down to YouTube dimensions, so here you go:

That rumble towards the end of the shamadan part was indeed thunder. That doesn't really put your mind at ease when you've got a big old lightning rod on your head, but luckily the rain and storming held off until after the show was finished. I have a million technical criticisms of myself, as per usual, but I think the shamadan part is not bad for a first performance with it, apart from the candle issue. I think in both songs I rushed things a bit, or rather didn't stay with some movements long enough. But, whatever. I'll happily accept shamadan tips/critique from any experienced shamadan users!

The show was a ton of fun. We had a dedicated audience who had come for the show, and several passersby who stopped to watch. Each of us did something really different, so it was a really nice variety of performers. A little girl came up to me afterward to express how totally cool my shamadan was, so that made me feel quite good :-)

Comments

[firefly124.livejournal.com]

I think you did a great job with both! And you did handle the candle issue very well. My favorite bit, though, has to be the end of the cane dance. Very dramatic finish!

[alonewiththemoon]

Thanks--that's a classic Najmat move, I'll give credit where it's due! :-)

[pink-kimono.livejournal.com]

Very cool.

I think my head is too knobby to balance things on it. :o)

[alonewiththemoon]

The beauty of a shamadan is that most of the weight rests on the band that goes around your head, so it's okay if your head is lumpy :)

[bluemoonsaga.livejournal.com]

don't feel bad a buddy of mine had the same thing happen. every shimmy & candle fell off.

good job!!

[alonewiththemoon]

Of course, none of them ever fell off at home!

[bintblue.livejournal.com]

Not only did we both do shamadan last night, we used the SAME MUSIC. We rule.

That doesn't really put your mind at ease when you've got a big old lightning rod on your head...
Holy shite!!!

Nice clip, very entertaining, I would have been hooting and hollering!

candles

[bintblue.livejournal.com]

P.S. I used to use these sticky dot things you can find at craft stores, now I use a yellow thick playdough like substance called "poster tac", made by super glue. It is *great*. My candles do not move, and it is reusable.

Re: candles

[alonewiththemoon]

Cool, I'll keep an eye out for that. I used florist's clay, which was fine for the candles that already sat straight in their holders but wasn't strong enough for the candles that have to be set in at an angle due to half-assed drilling and soldering work by some underpaid person in Egypt :-/

That's funny about the music--I gather then that the song is still a current or at least nostalgic favorite?

Re: candles

[bintblue.livejournal.com]

No idea whatsoever, but I like it a lot!

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

V nice! I would love to do shamadan in principle, but I am really shit at balance. I liked the floor bits especially (there is really no reason, apart from my pathetic physical weakness, that I couldn't do one of those kneeling layback thingies. I should work on it.)

What was the Saidi piece? It occurs to me, watching you, that an actual cane-focused choreographed saidi solo from me is LONG overdue, and I like that music. (Your cane looked good too. My hatred of all props means I don't do a hell of a lot with mine and I really should force myself to do more *things*.)

[alonewiththemoon]

It's funny, I was only inspired to develop the strength for any sort of floor work because of my gothic belly dance. Generally I'd never do any floor work in my Egyptian dancing, but for shamadan it's appropriate. I'll sometimes go to my knees in a drum solo for some head tossing as well.

The second song was Il Moulid by Saad, it's super fun. It's really shaabi rather than saidi, but cane just felt right for it, so I went with it. I found the song on a compilation CD being sold by Tarik Sultan at a workshop, so I have no idea where one would obtain it, unless you've got a friendly neighborhood Arabic music shop. I know it came from a movie, but I don't know the title of the movie. It does involve somebody becoming a policeman, since I do know that the song is played at the policeman's party to celebrate his new job.

I think the secret to most props is to just work with them until they feel natural. I think it helps that I have to carry my cane around on mass transit all day before class, I know its weight and balance perfectly :-)

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

That looked really great - I love the Shamadan :) Look forward to seeing more :)