Belly Dance - Common Rhythms

Basic Rhythms with zill/sagat patterns / Mahsati

© 2008 Mahsati Janan www.mahsati-janan.com

1

Maqsoum, Malfuf, Ayuub Maqsoum (4/4) Also known as “maqsum,” “maksoum”

Basic: DT TD T Walking Maqsoum: DTkTDkT Walking Maqsoum 2: D T TkTD TkT Zill Patterns:

* Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: RL LR L * Rhythm 2: RL RL R * Rhythm 3: Both R R Both R * Rhythm 4: R L LRL R LRL

2. Malfuf (2/4) Also known as “malfouf” “laf”

Basic: D TT Common: D kT kTk Rhythm with close: D kT kTk DDT Zill Patterns:

* Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: R LL * Rhythm 2: R LRLRL * Rhythm 3: Both RLRLR

2. Ayoub (2/4) Also known as “ayuub” “ayyoub” “zar” “zaar”

Basic: D tDt Common: D kDk Zill Patterns:

* Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: R LRL * Rhythm 2: Both RLR



2

Masmoudi Seghir Masmoudi Seghir – “Little Masmoudi” Also known as “Baladi” “Beledy” “Beledi” 4/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as DD tkT D tkT tk

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & D D T D T D D k T D k T D D tk T D tk T D D tk T D tk T tk Dk D tk T D tk T tk

Zill Patterns:

* Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: R R RLR R RLR * Rhythm 2: R L RLR R RLR * Rhythm 3: R L RLR L RLR * Rhythm 4: Both Both RLR Both RLR

Movements: Baladi means “country” “from the country” “my country” – so the movements that are traditionally performed are simple. You are not limited to these basic movements, but they are a good introduction to dancing to masmoudi seghir.

1. One-Sided Hip Drops/Lifts with or without release 2. Step hip/hip step traveling 3. Hip bumps to one side 4. Shoulder drops/debke shoulders 5. One-Sided Hip/Shoulder Arcs 6. 3-step turns 7. Pelvic down travel 8. Soheir Zaki side-steps (weighted locks out/down)



3

Masmoudi Saghir/Baladi Combinations:

1. Bint al-Balad style 8 hip drop/release L 8 hip drop release R 2 hip bumps R to face away from audience 2 hip bumps L in place 4 debke shoulders L, looking over L shoulder 4 debke shoulders R, looking over R shoulder Sway upper body R, L L hip arc forward to R to turn face audience

2. Diagonal bumps

2 hip bumps R diagonal to front 2 hip bumps L diagonal to back 2 hip bumps R diagonal to back 2 hip bumps L diagonal to front Grapevine L to R 2 drop/release R Grapevine R to L 2 drop/release L



4

Saiidi Also known as “saidi” “sayidi” “sayyidi” “saidii” Rhythm common in Upper Egypt (southern) used extensively for Raqs al assaya (cane dancing). Movements commonly mimic the forms of the men’s Martial art dance called tahtib and horse style movements. Common instruments – doumbek, mizmar, rebaba, duff 4/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as DT tkDD tkT

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & D T D D T D T k D D k T D T tk D D tk T D T Tk D D tk T tk D T D D D tk T tk

Zill Patterns:

* Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: RL RR L * Rhythm 2: RL LRR LR * Rhythm 3: RL RLRR RLR RL * Rhythm 4: Both R RL Both Both RLR

Movements: Step Basics

1. horse step (in place and traveling) 2. hip drops 3. hop-step walk 4. hop-step cross in front 5. hop-step fwd and back

Cane Basics 1. Holding 2. Accenting hip moves 3. Tapping 4. Twirling forward and back 5. Balancing 6. Strike (end) 7. Fight Strike



5

Masmoudi Kebir Masmoudi Kebir – “Big Masmoudi” Also known as “Masmudi” “Warring Masmoudi” This rhythm is generally slow/medium and is heavily syncopated. 8/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as DD tktkT tkD tktkT tktktT tk 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & D D T D T T D D tk tk T tk D tk tk t tk tk T t

Zill Patterns: * Singles * Doubles * Threes * Rhythm 1: R R RLRLR RLR RLRLR RLRLR R * Rhythm 2: R L RLRLR LRL RLRLR LRLRL R * Rhythm 3: Both Both RLRLR RLBoth RLRLR RLRLR R Movements: Heavy

• Hip drops or locks down • Chest drops or locks down • Walking • Hip sways • Pelvic drops and locks • Hip Crescents down vertical front/back and in/out • Locks

Light

• Hip circles, vertical/horizontal/omis • Chest circles, vertical/horizontal • Shoulder punches/shimmies • Undulations • Arm movements • Light/Up hip movements



6

Khaleegy Also known as “khaleegi” “khaligi” “kaleegy” “samri” “saumri” “nashaat”

Basic: D D T Var1: DkD T Var2: DkD kTk Var3: DkkDkkTk

1 & a 2 & a Basic D D T Var1 D k D T Var2 D k D k T k Travel Steps

1. Limping Step 2. Heel-toe walk 3. Step-touch and ankle show walk 4. Quick forward/back step

Upper Body/Arms Hips Thobe Hair Kneeling



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Other Common Rhythms Fallahi Also known as “Falaahi” “Fellahi” 2/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as Dk kD k

1 e & a 2 e & a D k k D k

Zeffa Often used for wedding processions 4/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as D tkt t D t t

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & D tk t t D t t D tk t t D t t tt

Chiftetelli Also known as “Ciftetelli” “Shiftetelli” 8/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as D tkt T tkt T tkD D T tk 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & D T T D D T D tk T tk T tk D D T tk D tk t T tk t T tk D D T tk t t

Karsilama Also known as “Kashlima” “Karshlama” 9/8 Rhythm Most commonly heard as D T D ttt (If Rromani, common to switch to D T D tt) 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & 9 D T D T T T D t k T t k D t k T T T D T D k T D T D T T

Rhumba 4/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as D tkt K T K Dk

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & D tk t K T K D k Bolero 4/4 or 8/4 Rhythm Most commonly heard as D kkT kkTkTkD T

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & D k k T k k T k T k D T

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Belly Dance - Common Rhythms