Megeance/Mejance?

[Sophia Maria]

What is a megeance, or mejanse, or mejance? I've seen it spelled many different ways. But every now and then I keep on coming across it in the title of youtube videos. Is the entrance? Every video I click on shows a fast tempo song, so it would seem like an entrance to me.

:think:How would one pronounce this word?

 

[Dunyah]

There is a long and informative thread on this topic over on Bhuz.com. There is some disagreement about how the word is pronounced, but many say it is MERGE-en-say, from the French.

Majenci is a musical form. In Cairo, the top dancers have them composed specifically to showcase their dance style(s). Typically the majenci is the opening number but has many changes of rhythm and melody, allowing the dancer to show her favorite styles of dance, such as Baladi, Saidi, Khaleegy, and even fusion with Samba or Spanish dance.

A contemporary majenci piece that I like is here: Kyka Nuha Masud- Leylet Al Naseeb - YouTube

It starts with a malfuf rhythm, which is typical, then goes into several changes and finally back to malfuf again at the end.

Hope that helps.

 

[Daimona]

You can also find more information in this thread:
What is mecanse? ( spell? ) (majency, magenci, mergence, meyancé, meganse, madjensie)

 

[Sophia Maria]

Thanks!

 

[Farasha Hanem]

This is something I've never heard of before. :think: So majence (??) is like a medley of dance styles? Does this apply only to Middle Eastern Dance?

 

[Safran]

We used to call mejanse an "oriental" before. or, we could also call it a potpourri.

 

[Dunyah]

This is something I've never heard of before. :think: So majence (??) is like a medley of dance styles? Does this apply only to Middle Eastern Dance?

I believe it's an Egyptian thing.

 

[Kashmir]

This is something I've never heard of before. :think: So majence (??) is like a medley of dance styles? Does this apply only to Middle Eastern Dance?

No, it is the dancer's entrance music. It is usually in an Orientale style (which includes a mix of rhythms and maybe some folk references) - but you only get one per show - and it is the first dance. Often dancers will get one written especially for them. So (in theory) you would start with your majence and then you could then do a different Orientale after - although most people would put in something different - maybe folk - between.

Seems (seemed?) de rigour in Egypt. Don't think it is used in Turkey (unless they are dancing Egyptian) - not sure about Lebanon. DOn't think it is used normally in AmCab.

 

[Kashmir]

We used to call mejanse an "oriental" before. or, we could also call it a potpourri.

No, it is neither. You can dance Orientale that is not mejanse. A mejanse is a type of Orientale - ie it is both first and it introduces the dancer. But your opening dance might not be a mejanse and not all Orientale is mejanse.

"Potpourri" in English has overtones of things being roughly thrown together. An Orientale is a crafted piece of music (although on the looser definition anything that isn't folk is orientale). You cannot just throw a few tracks together and call it an Orientale.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

No, it is neither. You can dance Orientale that is not mejanse. A mejanse is a type of Orientale - ie it is both first and it introduces the dancer. But your opening dance might not be a mejanse and not all Orientale is mejanse.

"Potpourri" in English has overtones of things being roughly thrown together. An Orientale is a crafted piece of music (although on the looser definition anything that isn't folk is orientale). You cannot just throw a few tracks together and call it an Orientale.

Is there a good example of this anywhere on YouTube?

 

[Zumarrad]

Here is a random short one I found - Orit doing one in a Fifi 80s style. She switches halfway through to face the mirror but it's a reasonable example I think.
http://youtu.be/o-PqW7_7ONY

This one is short but they're as often six to ten minutes long, just depending. They generally go: instrumental scene setting opening, during which time the dancer is nowhere to be seen: malfuf or fellahi (usually) section during which the dancer comes in, often though not necessarily with a veil, and travels about the place; and the rest. There is usually some folklore incorporated - Orit's has some saidi - and often there might be a little taqsim, a little drum-heavy section. I was introduced to them as part of a "full oriental routine", before I heard the word megance/majensi/however you spell it. Basically it's an introduction to the things you can do. Once that bit is over you can pick a bunch of other things that might be part of your show - a beledi, an Om Khalsoum song, something really folkloric, a drum solo - and then the band, or your CD player, rounds it off with a short reprise of the megance entrance theme, kablam end.

 

[Dunyah]

Is there a good example of this anywhere on YouTube?

I shared a link in Post #2.

 

[Kashmir]

I was introduced to them as part of a "full oriental routine", before I heard the word megance/majensi/however you spell it.

Most megance/majensi are full orientale routines (although I think you could do one that was not) but not all full orientale routines are megance/majensi.

 

[gisela]

Could you give an example of an oriental routine that is not a magency?

 

[Farasha Hanem]

I shared a link in Post #2.

oops... :redface:

 

[Sophia Maria]

Here is a random short one I found - Orit doing one in a Fifi 80s style. She switches halfway through to face the mirror but it's a reasonable example I think.
Orit Maftsir Megance with veil- Inspiered by simple 80's style of the great Fifi Abdu - YouTube

That's funny, that song sounds similar to the one that Randa Kamel always uses for her opening. I swear I've watched about 6 different videos of her dancing to this particular song--

 

[Kashmir]

Could you give an example of an oriental routine that is not a magency?

I don't do YouTube - but I have a number of performance videos that are over an hour long - most have two or three Orientale numbers in them - but only the first can be the magency.