janaki

Hi all,

I have heard so many mixed opinions about zagreet. Some of my american instructors encouraged to use it whilst dancing. I have seen them zagreet when they were watching a dance performances. I have also studied with many egyptian teachers and this subject never came up. I never saw them (my instructors) use it whilst dancing. I perfrom quite a lot in the middleeastern restaurants and to middleeastern audience and it is surprising that I came across zagreet only 2 -3 times in the last 6 years I have been performing. If I hear zagreet, usually it comes from my friends or students. I live in Hong Kong, since it is a cultural expression, may be they don't like to zgreet here in HK!!! I personally don't like it too much but done appropriate adds excitement to the dance. I would appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Cheers
Janaki

Maria_Aya

I find it more a foklore thing than for a dance performance.
Arabs usualy find it more nice to say aiwaaaa or bravo than do the zagreet for a dancer. At least the middle east ones, more than the magreb ones.

Maria Aya

Aisha Azar

Dear Janaki,
I have videos of both Nagwa Fouad and Fifi Abdou doing zagrootah during folk performances. Most of the time I have not noticed Arab audiences using it too much, or that hissing thing a lot of Americans do either.
In the movie of the life of Omar Mukhtar, ( Lion of the Desert), the Italians hang him to death and the people zaghareet. I have to admit I do not remember it this is in the actual footage of the event or if it was in the movie. There was real film of the concentration camps where they kept the North African population and some also of his death, if I remember correctly. Zaghroota has been associated with war and frenzy as well as with dancing.
Regards,
A'isha

summerdance

Hi ladies ,

the zagareet are an expression of joy, excitement, encouragement in the arab culture. It's not appropriate for a dancer to do it while dancing. it's considered self congratulatory. Like patting yourself on the back. It's totally welcome to do when another dancer is on stage. also in a Zaffa( wedding parade in front of the bride and groom) It lends an air of excitement and charges the room/dance with a lively electric current.

I hope this info helps. i love giving arabic culture info. So feel free to ask anytime

Shanazel

I like to hear zagareet- the energy it throws off is remarkable- but then I am a product of American Cabaret, old style. Recently, a very young woman in an audience reproved us for using "an Iraqi war cry- not a good sound to make." It irritated me at the time, but I let it slide because she was enjoying her superior moral position so much.

I think the American version of zagareet is "YEEEEEE HAAAAAAW," useful for both cheering on a dancer and leaping into a machine gun nest.

janaki

Thank you all!!!! A'isha you pointed great references to this subject. Thank you.

Hi summerdance,

I agree with you. I don't like to do it when I dance.

If it is not appropriate, why did fifi and nagwa zagreet in their performances? Is it to say they are great?

This is my theory. I think the dancer zagreet when she gets very excited/emotional with her dancing or in response to audience. I would love to know your comments on this. I am sure I'll will be sending more questions towards your direction. I love to learn more about the culture side of the things. Tks for your reply.

Cheers
Janaki

Aisha Azar

Dear Janaki,
I think here in the west we often see the dancer as a much more formalized thing that they do in countries of origin. I think we get used to categorizing things into little boxes and think that things must be precisely thus and so. I think that the dance and the cultures surrounding it do not work in that way. If Fifi or Nagwa want to zaghareet, then they will do so. Nagwa actually waggles her tongue around in front of an audience of many hundreds of people. It was a part of the show as much as anything else and it was fun. I think THAT was the while point. To say it is inappropriate for them to do so is rather beside the point since they did, it is their dance and they both know how to do it in ways that are accepted among Arab audiences.
Regards,
A'isha

summerdance

Actually. i do agree. I think Fifi and Nagwa, feel they camn do wahtever they want. Zagareet or a Zagaroota, (Singular) energize the audience and encourage participation. by the way every country has their own particular zagaroota. it wont ever be the same in Cairo as it is in the Gulf countries etc..

I'm not surprised they did in omar mukhtar. They were celebrating. It is a celabratory thing the Zagaroota!

Aisha Azar

Dear Summerdance,
I believe that zaghareet is done in many parts of Africa and in the Arab countries. Its purpose may be slightly different from place to place.
One of the most beautiful series of zaghareet that I have heard is on a song that Abdulmajid Abdullah wrote for the wedding of Saudi Princess Noura. I wish I had a way to share it with all of you.
Re Omar Mukhtar: If the women did zaghareet at his death, it was not a celebration as you would see at fantasia, but more an honoring of a great leader that had passed from this life to be with God, and a sign of rebellion against oppressors. I would say that it expressed a million things, sadness at his passing, hope for his immortal soul, fury at his murderers, a sign that in spite of the terrible circumstances of the people, they still had pride and vitality enough to make a strong statement against their enemies. It was also spit in the face of the Italians who killed him.
Regards,
A'isha

janaki

Tks again A'isha!!!