One of the greatest relationships is between a musician and a dancer. This powerful type of interaction can be seen, heard, and felt. Middle Eastern music isn’t the only musical genre that has such a strong tradition of playing for dancers, but there is a unique synergy that can happen which brings performers and audience to a higher state of consciousness. But how does one play for a dancer?
This class will look at how to improvise within the Middle Eastern diaspora for belly dancers. We will describe characteristics behind Middle Eastern music theory, rhythms within the music, phrasing, how to communicate with the dancer, and a multitude of concepts for soloing. The workshop is open to all instruments, and we will have the opportunity to work with the belly dance class. There will be no notation for this class—we will learn everything by ear.