Dance and friendship
in Moorish Spain
by Angela Williams
Vejer de la Frontera
is a white-painted village set in a remote location on a steep Andalusian
hillside that towers above the road from Tarifa to Cadiz. The town's former
minaret, now crowned with bells and masquerading as a church spire, looms
above the skyline, asserting Vejer's Moorish past. I'm visiting this historic
town in late September for a week of Egyptian Dance, organized by UK-based
travel company; Dance Holidays.
The old walled town was dominated by the Moors between 711 and 1264 and
they continued to play an important part in Vejer's history until the
late 1400s. This area of West Andalusia, easily reached from North Africa,
was fought over by Moors and Christians for two centuries until the Moors'
expulsion in the latter half of the 15th Century. The de la frontera suffix
harks back to those turbulent, frontier times. The Muslim presence also
left its mark on the traditional dress of Vejer's women; full-length,
traditional veiling was common until the mid 20th Century. This dark,
veiled figure; la cobijada, has become the town's emblem. Nowadays local
women only don this costume to celebrate the annual 'our lady of the olive'
festival.
La Cobijada
Running adjacent to the Raqs Sharqi course is an optional Kathak class, led by Sujata Banerjee, one of the UK's most versatile South Asian artists. Kathak, Raqs Sharqi and Flamenco share common cultural roots. Kathak, the classical dance form of Northern India, derived from the ancient art of dramatic storytelling and eventually became a popular form of entertainment in the courts of the Mogul rulers. The Kathak dancers were itinerant entertainers who migrated from India through Afghanistan and Persia, carrying their music and dance traditions to the Middle East and Europe. It is believed that these migrant peoples were the forbears of the Ghawazee, the legendary gypsy dancers, whose dance represents the rural branch of Raqs Sharqi in Egypt. In Andalusia Kathak blended with other cultural influences, evolving into the emotional and highly dramatic dance known today as Flamenco. Similarities in the percussive footwork, stylized hand movements and musical rhythms can be attributed to the shared ancestry of the two forms.
Lessons were held in
the town's gym.
The ten-hour
Raqs Sharqi course was spread over four days. Classes led by Liza Wedgwood
started promptly at 9 a.m. After we had warmed up, Tim Garside arrived
and accompanied Liza's teaching with live tabla playing. Tim's many years
of working with dancers has given him an instinctive feel for the symbiotic
relationship between drummer and dancer.
Drawing on many years experience, Liza bases her present interpretation
on groundedness and simplicity of gesture arising from a sense of well-being
and confidence. Self-acceptance is a vital ingredient if one is to grasp
her style of teaching. She dances with a natural, relaxed ease that appears
deceptively simple. Liza has observed ordinary Egyptian women dancing
and was inspired by their minimal interpretation of the music and their
accompanying ability to captivate. She suggests to her students; 'don't
be a dancer.' This simple change in attitude is liberating and allows
one to approach the dance anew. Liza's class was a mixed level group and
initially I was a bit apprehensive about this but her emphasis on enhancing
the quality of each move meant the mix of beginners and experienced dancers
worked well. Newcomers' enthusiasm was revitalizing and reminded me of
the reasons I started dancing in the first place.
Vejer de la Frontera
During the week in Vejer I gained a fresh insight into Raqs Sharqi at a time when I was feeling jaded with things in general and dancing in particular. Liza's approach of simplicity and connectedness gave me a sense of renewal and I aim to integrate these aspects into my own dancing when I return home to Amsterdam. This holiday also offered the perfect opportunity to renew precious friendships with friends from overseas. My lasting enthusiasm for Raqs Sharqi is due in large part to these enduring and special relationships formed and enriched through a mutual love of the dance. At the end of the holiday I stepped into the taxi to start my steep descent from Vejer and journeyed homewards with my batteries recharged, new friendships forged and a suitcase full of precious memories
Raqs Sharqi Society Events Newsletter-Summer Issue 2004
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Beach photos © Dance Holidays
