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Folk Tours 2007 Field Trip

Ruric-Amari, Maura Enright, and Anna Wagner went to Folk Tours camp in PA at the end of May. We will spare you many paragraphs about how wonderful it was and simply say we are going back again next year and bringing friends. Also, we would like to share a few things we learned with you.

Ruric:

1. The distinction between Egyptian and Turkish became very clear to me because of the back-to-back arrangements of workshops and concert.
2. Despite rivalries and disagreements, great artists can become family to each other over the course of their careers.
3. Egyptian (Sahra Saeeda):
   • Movements are subtle but surprises are many: level changes, turns, use of space.
   • Don't stand still on stage with legs apart; it is considered indecent.
4. Turkish Orientale and Rom (Artemis):
   • It is okay to stand still occasionally, no matter how lively the karshilama.
   • When skirt dancing, take the time to strut with the skirt in between the big flashy moves.
   • Hops are not only fun but they are true art forms! (when done by Artemis, anyway).
   • Sharp hand gestures have no meaning, so use them at will:
     Hitting hips with fists
     Chopping motions on arms
     "Stirring the pot"
5. Dunvayi World Dance (Dalia Carella): When skirt dancing, be very aware of our feet as being of equal importance (and impact) as the shapes formed by the skirt.

Anna: This was my first exposure to Egyptian in a workshop setting (I've only gone to tribal workshops before) and I absolutely love it.

Maura attended violin and maqan classes by Sami Abu Shumays, and learned:

1. There's no graceful way to avoid the 'traditional' tuning of an Arabic violin (GDGD). GDAE just won't produce the right sound (harmonics, etc).
2. If you cannot play the quarter tones and the distinctive phrases, that's okay. Learn them by singing them first, in short combinations of a few notes or a few measures. This engages everyone's ability to imitate what they hear. Non-singers benefit as well as singers.
3. You can purchase inexpensive downloads of classes to sing and play along with at Sami's web site.

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