Question for Greeks: Zembetiko for BD? - Page 3

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 02-16-2007, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chryssanthi sahar

Well ladies (and gentlemen), I will disagree with my dearest friend Maria again. Zeimbekiko used to be men's dance one century ago, but it has become also women's dance already since the 50ies. It is very very common for women today to dance Zeimbekiko and there are thousands of songs with "female" subjects, sung by women, partially composed and got the words written by women for women. There is almost no Greek woman today who doesn't dance Zeimbekiko (except my dear Maria I suppose

). By the way Maraki, the song of Savopoulos you quoted, is originally not a Zeimbekiko, but a political ballad. I don't know when he brought it out as Zeimbekiko and had it sung by Sotiria Bellou. The original version of the song is from the early 70ies and I remember when it came out. I was a very young teenager then and I couldn't understand what the song was talking about. Anyway this song is not a typical example for Zeimbekiko. There are thousands of others which are more typical.
By the way, a typical "female" Zeimbekiko from the 60ies (or 70ies), sung by Doukissa (I think), says:
Eimai ego gynaika fina, derbenderisa,
pou tous andres san ta zaria
tous beglerisa
Which means:
I am a fine and tough woman,
who plays with the men like with dice

Questions?

Sounds like the lyrics of old time Blues song.
Yasmine

chryssanthi sahar · 02-16-2007, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Sounds like the lyrics of old time Blues song.
Yasmine

Does it? So no wonder why some people call Rembetiko (and Zeimbekia is a part of it), the Greek blues

Aisha Azar · 02-16-2007, 04:39 PM

Dear Cryssanthi,
Are there differences in the ways that the men and women express through this dance??
Regards,
A'isha

chryssanthi sahar · 02-17-2007, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

Dear Cryssanthi,
Are there differences in the ways that the men and women express through this dance??
Regards,
A'isha

The basic dance is the same, but men (well, men who dance it well), use more powerful movements. They jump more, sometimes they "dive" to the floor, pick up a glass of wine, which had been set there before, with the teeth and drink the wine directly from the glass without using the hands, and generally they are more acrobatic. A woman of course would never "dive" to the floor and never pick up a glass with the teeth etc. So women's movements are more gracious, but still powerful and there is less acrobatic. But then again older men also don't use acrobatic, because they cannot

But there are some older men, who dance Zeimbekiko fantastic, just because they express very much feeling through the dance, so that even if they use few movements, one gets very touched watching them.
But Zeimbekiko is a bit a matter of character. The fighter type of person, doesn't matter if man or woman, can dance it the best. It is a kind of martial dance

Aisha Azar · 02-17-2007, 01:17 AM

Dear Cryssanthi,
Thank you for sharing the info on the dance. The more we know about the dances, the more we can have an understanding of culture and people, and how the dance is a fit in its own place and time.
Regards,
A'isha

chryssanthi sahar · 02-17-2007, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

Dear Cryssanthi,
Thank you for sharing the info on the dance. The more we know about the dances, the more we can have an understanding of culture and people, and how the dance is a fit in its own place and time.
Regards,
A'isha

Dear Aisha. I agree

Zorba · 02-17-2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chryssanthi sahar

The fighter type of person, doesn't matter if man or woman, can dance it the best. It is a kind of martial dance.

I hadn't heard this before - but if its true, it would provide at least one answer as to why I don't "get it." I'm one of those gentle, sensitive "new age" kind of guys.

-Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
Zorba, "The Veiled Male"

chryssanthi sahar · 02-17-2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorba

I hadn't heard this before - but if its true, it would provide at least one answer as to why I don't "get it." I'm one of those gentle, sensitive "new age" kind of guys.

-Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
Zorba, "The Veiled Male"

Well Zorba, don't get me wrong. Zeimbekiko is not officially a martial dance, but from it's nature it is

So in this case, probably you are right, maybe you don't "get" it, because its energy just doesn't suit you

And I "get" it, although I am a woman, because I am rather the Amazon type of girl

I have exercised martial arts for more than 10 years and generally, I cannot tell about my self that I am very gentle and soft

Well, o.k. I am not aggressive, but I am the fighter type

Zorba · 02-20-2007, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chryssanthi sahar

Well Zorba, don't get me wrong. Zeimbekiko is not officially a martial dance, but from it's nature it is

So in this case, probably you are right, maybe you don't "get" it, because its energy just doesn't suit you

And I "get" it, although I am a woman, because I am rather the Amazon type of girl

I have exercised martial arts for more than 10 years and generally, I cannot tell about my self that I am very gentle and soft

Well, o.k. I am not aggressive, but I am the fighter type

Katabala! Euxaristw para polu; katalabainw tora, nomizw...

-Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
Zorba, "The Veiled Male"

chryssanthi sahar · 02-20-2007, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorba

Katabala! Euxaristw para polu; katalabainw tora, nomizw...

Chairomai

02-16-2007, 04:39 PM	#23 (permalink)
Aisha Azar V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 4,464	Greek Dance Dear Cryssanthi, Are there differences in the ways that the men and women express through this dance?? Regards, A'isha

02-17-2007, 01:17 AM	#25 (permalink)
Aisha Azar V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 4,464	Greek, etc. Dear Cryssanthi, Thank you for sharing the info on the dance. The more we know about the dances, the more we can have an understanding of culture and people, and how the dance is a fit in its own place and time. Regards, A'isha