What shouldn't Americans dance to, in our own music?

Aziyade · 01-08-2008, 06:17 PM

This is sort of off-topic, but I've read a lot about various Arab/Turkish/Muslim styles of music, and what not to dance to, and I'm wondering, for us Yanks, is there a specific type of music that we would could consider inappropriate for dancing? (Dance in general -- not just bellydance)

I guess you might have to differentiate between social dance and formal dance (like ballet). ???

The only thing I thought might come close would be possibly the national anthem (although I've seen this done in modern dance, but not to the whole song). Even songs like Amazing Grace, or Nearer My God to Thee have been tackled by modern/ballet companies with lovely results. (Religious songs I think are often accompanied by liturgical dancing, but I think that's a different sort of category altogther. Would ballet dance be acceptable if done to what is usual considered a religious song?)

Do we have anything in our culture that would be considered off-limits? If not, could this possibly explain why some Americans seem not terribly sensitive when it comes to the question of what categories of music are "appropriate" for bellydance. ???

(Non Yanks: please feel free to contribute regarding your own culture's taboos for dance music.)

Aisha Azar · 01-08-2008, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

This is sort of off-topic, but I've read a lot about various Arab/Turkish/Muslim styles of music, and what not to dance to, and I'm wondering, for us Yanks, is there a specific type of music that we would could consider inappropriate for dancing? (Dance in general -- not just bellydance)

I guess you might have to differentiate between social dance and formal dance (like ballet). ???

The only thing I thought might come close would be possibly the national anthem (although I've seen this done in modern dance, but not to the whole song). Even songs like Amazing Grace, or Nearer My God to Thee have been tackled by modern/ballet companies with lovely results. (Religious songs I think are often accompanied by liturgical dancing, but I think that's a different sort of category altogther. Would ballet dance be acceptable if done to what is usual considered a religious song?)

Do we have anything in our culture that would be considered off-limits? If not, could this possibly explain why some Americans seem not terribly sensitive when it comes to the question of what categories of music are "appropriate" for bellydance. ???

(Non Yanks: please feel free to contribute regarding your own culture's taboos for dance music.)

Dear Aziyade,
Perhaps funeral dirges???
Regards,
A'isha

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 01-08-2008, 07:28 PM

Hi Aziyade, I think American dancers of all types do have respectful understanding when it comes to choosing music in which to dance to.

Popular music-Hip-hop, Rock, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Latin are the basis for most of the social dancing seen at parties and clubs. The music is free-spirited so pretty much anything goes.

Liturgical Music- Black Gospel,Christian,Country Gospel and Christian Rock- dance appears to be more restrained. More swaying and trance meditative steps...of course the idea is to commune on a spiritual plane. You won't see any hip thrusts done to this music

Folk Music-Blues,Cajun/Creole, Appalachian- people dancing together either in specific line dances or couples out on the floor. There seems to be a greater communal sense when dancing to this music...people are happy.

What I've seen within the BD community is a lack of understanding of how different types of music will dictate the appropriate choice of dance. What we know even on an intuitive level about 'Yankee' music is not transferred well to non-indigenous music.
Yasmine

Aziyade · 01-08-2008, 07:45 PM

Yeah I wondered about 3 types -- funeral music, political music, and religious music.

I've seen Taps done in ballet - as part of a larger composition, but the ballet was also a commentary on WW2. The famous "funeral song" has PROBABLY been used the same way, but most likely it would be part of some kind of social commentary. Certainly not social dance -- although maybe the Goth crowd has explored that ??

Political music seems MORE danceable (if the only criteria is that you can tap you toe to it.) But I don't think we really have any societal taboos with political music. But then little kids have been tap dancing to our most popular marches since they were written

Religious music again falls into the "if you can tap your toe to it, you can dance to it" category, but apart from liturgical dance, I never see people do much more than what Yasmine described.

Hmm. Interesting.

Moon · 01-08-2008, 07:53 PM

I wonder if it's maybe a less big issue in Western countries (apart from extreme things like funeral songs). I notice at ballroom dance class, when the rhythm is right we do the same dance to it, no matter the lyrics.
Though I guess you probably take the lyrics into account when making a choreography when you're a professional ballroom dancer...

Hm, difficult, I can't come up with anything besides funeral music and the more traditional (not necessarily Christian) Christmas songs. I don't know much about Dutch music. The places where I go out only play Dutch music veeeeeery occasionally and then it's the very happy kind you can dance to.

Aziyade · 01-08-2008, 08:26 PM

Yeah, I don't know too many people who dance to Christmas songs -- except those who've had too much eggnog!

Seriously, for music like that it seems less a taboo to dance to it, but more a feeling of "oh that's just kind of stupid." But this IS America we're talking about, and I'm pretty sure we created the barking dog jingle bell song. We do stupid well.

01-08-2008, 06:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,049	What shouldn't Americans dance to, in our own music? This is sort of off-topic, but I've read a lot about various Arab/Turkish/Muslim styles of music, and what not to dance to, and I'm wondering, for us Yanks, is there a specific type of music that we would could consider inappropriate for dancing? (Dance in general -- not just bellydance) I guess you might have to differentiate between social dance and formal dance (like ballet). ??? The only thing I thought might come close would be possibly the national anthem (although I've seen this done in modern dance, but not to the whole song). Even songs like Amazing Grace, or Nearer My God to Thee have been tackled by modern/ballet companies with lovely results. (Religious songs I think are often accompanied by liturgical dancing, but I think that's a different sort of category altogther. Would ballet dance be acceptable if done to what is usual considered a religious song?) Do we have anything in our culture that would be considered off-limits? If not, could this possibly explain why some Americans seem not terribly sensitive when it comes to the question of what categories of music are "appropriate" for bellydance. ??? (Non Yanks: please feel free to contribute regarding your own culture's taboos for dance music.)

01-08-2008, 07:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 1,139	Hi Aziyade, I think American dancers of all types do have respectful understanding when it comes to choosing music in which to dance to. Popular music-Hip-hop, Rock, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Latin are the basis for most of the social dancing seen at parties and clubs. The music is free-spirited so pretty much anything goes. Liturgical Music- Black Gospel,Christian,Country Gospel and Christian Rock- dance appears to be more restrained. More swaying and trance meditative steps...of course the idea is to commune on a spiritual plane. You won't see any hip thrusts done to this music Folk Music-Blues,Cajun/Creole, Appalachian- people dancing together either in specific line dances or couples out on the floor. There seems to be a greater communal sense when dancing to this music...people are happy. What I've seen within the BD community is a lack of understanding of how different types of music will dictate the appropriate choice of dance. What we know even on an intuitive level about 'Yankee' music is not transferred well to non-indigenous music. Yasmine __________________ www.visionsofthenile.com

01-08-2008, 07:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,049	Yeah I wondered about 3 types -- funeral music, political music, and religious music. I've seen Taps done in ballet - as part of a larger composition, but the ballet was also a commentary on WW2. The famous "funeral song" has PROBABLY been used the same way, but most likely it would be part of some kind of social commentary. Certainly not social dance -- although maybe the Goth crowd has explored that ?? Political music seems MORE danceable (if the only criteria is that you can tap you toe to it.) But I don't think we really have any societal taboos with political music. But then little kids have been tap dancing to our most popular marches since they were written Religious music again falls into the "if you can tap your toe to it, you can dance to it" category, but apart from liturgical dance, I never see people do much more than what Yasmine described. Hmm. Interesting.

01-08-2008, 07:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
Moon V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 3,638	I wonder if it's maybe a less big issue in Western countries (apart from extreme things like funeral songs). I notice at ballroom dance class, when the rhythm is right we do the same dance to it, no matter the lyrics. Though I guess you probably take the lyrics into account when making a choreography when you're a professional ballroom dancer... Hm, difficult, I can't come up with anything besides funeral music and the more traditional (not necessarily Christian) Christmas songs. I don't know much about Dutch music. The places where I go out only play Dutch music veeeeeery occasionally and then it's the very happy kind you can dance to.

01-08-2008, 08:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
Aziyade V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornfields of Evansville Indiana. Posts: 1,049	Yeah, I don't know too many people who dance to Christmas songs -- except those who've had too much eggnog! Seriously, for music like that it seems less a taboo to dance to it, but more a feeling of "oh that's just kind of stupid." But this IS America we're talking about, and I'm pretty sure we created the barking dog jingle bell song. We do stupid well.