This "jazzy" written by Nancy Montgomery was first published in Desert Rain's Tribal Journeys. Nancy is the assistant director of Desert Rain and Instructor of Tribal Belly Dance StyleI love analogies/similies/metaphors. One I've been working on recently equates a tribal style belly dance troupe with a jazz band. Yeah. Tribal style troupes produce music just like a jazz band. Visual music (or the visual representation of music, if you like). They both improvise as a group. Neither jazz band musicians nor tribal troupe dancers perform solos unless the entire group is on stage. Both groups could create their "music" without an audience. I could go on, but, is all this important, or just amusing? I think it's important, because, when the musicians in a band are in sync with each other, their music "cooks". How do they get in sync? Musicians in a good jazz band have an idea of the style their music should be.They learn/create music that fits that style and that everyone in the band can relate to. They learn how to relate to each other as musicians and as teammates. They have musical formulas like chord progressions, scales and harmonies that help structure their improvisations. They take turns playing the lead. They cue each other. They don't always follow the written sheet music. And they don't worry if the song never comes out the same twice in a row. Their focus is not on the written notes or the individual musician. Their focus in on the way the music sounds. The total effect. Sounds like the tribal approach to belly dancing to me. Consider our dances musical improvisations as well as dances. Visual musical improvisations. Step back and consider the total effect we're presenting as well as polishing specific choreography or correcting specific mistakes. Jazz things up, you know? I love analogies/similies/metaphors. Ask me about tribal style belly dance as a language sometime. |
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