Part 2
“Chochek dance looks like Turkish Roma dance, feels like Turkish Roma dance, uses the same sort sort of music, but, aaah, it’s not!” (my quote, Chiswick, London, December 2011)
A re-cap
In part 1 of Romany Tales, we explored the contributions, that the Roma communities have made to keeping bellydance (Middle eastern dance forms) alive, after arriving in successive migratory waves from North-West India , from the 5th century onwards, to Asia, the African coasts, Europe and eventually onto the Americas, Australia and New Zealand.
We looked quickly at traditional Roma jobs, and how the Roma adopted the hosts’ music and arts, often becoming so proficient in them, that they were predominantly hired to play and dance at celebrations and weddings. In doing so, many of the dances, which would have remained hidden in the female sphere ( as in the case of Muslim households across various Muslim Empires: Ottoman et al ) were revealed; people were able to see and record these dances. The Turkish Roma and the Ghawazee (Female Egyptian Roma) were able to pass on their dance knowledge to others. The Turkish Roma, were instrumental in defining Turkish Oriental dance, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, while Badia Masabny, ( of Syria) owner of the Casino Opera ( during the 1920’s onwards) in British ruled Egypt, brought cabaret dance and performance there( using many elements of Ghawazee dance) with many of her students: Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca and others, the now famous (bellydance) Stars of Egypt. Ghawazee dances form the basis for the Egyptian bellydance art we know today (Hobin)
I looked at the links between Kathak dance( which is a dance that has existed in India, for around 3,000 years,) and Flamenco, and how elements of Kathak perhaps exists in many other of the diverse Roma dances in various cultures (since the Indian migrants brought their dance memories with them, and adapted them with their hosts’ art forms.)
During 2011, I spent some time, learning some Roma dances, with some very skilled specialists, seeking to find both the commonality and differences with Roma dance: finding the essence of Roma dances, not forgetting how many Roma express strong and powerful emotions, and is often of the moment.
In addition, I included some facts and figures about modern day Roma, to expel some of the stereotypes about these groups of people, to serve as context to their important stories and journeys of art, dance and life.
Balkan Roma Dance Summary: Romanian and Russian
I had spent sometime in July and August 2011, studying Romanian, Russian Roma dance(with some Serbian circle steps) with Angela Wooii and Simona Jovic ( Leicester, and Paris, respectively). Simona Jovic is one of Europe’s best-known specialist in Roma dance, and Angela Wooii, a bellydancer based in the South of England, uses elements of Balkan “Gypsy” dance in her more darker fusion pieces, inspired by Simona’s tuition.
What transpired from studying these dances, was how syncopated beat is used to showcase the movements, with the usage of footwork: limping steps, grapevines, forward and back moves, jumps, fast spins, foot glides and hops. Skirt work is more limited in the Romanian- with a very gentle movement, while the more the theatrical , stage created Russian dance can use shawls, draped over the shoulder, and a huge skirt, which can be worked into small figure of eight wrist moves, or held lifted up to head height, with both hand, accompanied with a limping step. Russian Roma dance uses similar Romanian moves. Dance moves can be slow or fast.
In terms of dance costume, many dancers wear skirts and blouses and heeled shoes. The Russian costume is more flamboyant, with huge skirts and shawls, since it is meant to be danced on stage. Youtube shows some very beautiful examples. Type in Authentic Russian Romany Dance/ Romanian Rom/”Gypsy” Dance.
Balkan Roma dance : Serbian Chochek (Cocek) dance : Turkish, yet not Turkish.
Early December saw me travelling down to London, to have a lesson with Ajsa Samia, Serbian-born artist, who has worked extensively in Germany, with a huge and rich dance background in Middle Eastern dance art, Flamenco and other Rom dance styles. She currently resides in South Africa, where she still performs and teaches. Ajsa is a very generous and warm teacher, who pieced together a lot of the fragments concerning Balkan dance and history. It ties in, so powerfully with what we said in part 1, how the Roma adapted dance and music and played in celebrations and weddings. The dance is called Chochek (also spelt cocek, and pronounced with a “ch” sound, whenever you see the “c”.) Simona had shown me some chochek moves, in Paris, and I remembered thinking how Turkish Roman it looked.
Ajsa explained that this dance originated in Serbia, during the Ottoman empire ( and it is still danced in Serbia, to this day) when the Roma, who where originally from mainland Turkey (but now second, third, fourth or even fifth generation) took their dance movements and the 9/8 Kashilama rhythm with them, to play at Serbian Christian weddings, then often went back to play and dance at Turkish weddings.
Cultural Bridge
The dancers and musicians formed , more often than not, a cultural and musical bridge between Serbs and Turks, when both communities were not supposed to mix, said Ajsa. However, the truth was, both sides more often than not, mixed and intermarried, just as people did in Moorish Spain. The Turkish Roma moves became modified for the Serbian audiences: Turkish Roma dance uses hops and jumps, and hand gestures that hit hips and stomach, wrists, elbows and shoulders; there are pelvic tilts, dynamic travelling steps, as well as fast footwork and of course zill playing. Chochek has the semblance of these moves, but when you examine it closely, it is perhaps a variance of it, and with its own character: it is not Turkish Roma at all, but it deceptively looks like it, hence my quote, at the beginning of this article.
Basic moves: preskok and variations /Music: Kashilama 9/8
The basic moves are known as preskok steps, which is a jumping over step, in time to the limping 9/8 beats, with the same accents, as in a Turkish kashilama. This jumping step involves running on the spot rhythmically, lifting the knees up. Then, as a variant, the hips can be twisted forward and back, also using hips lifts ( left, right, left, right) and hip circle movements with the same rhythm: the latter being a tad more difficult! Ajsa showed me shoulder accents in time to the 9/8, and then adding shoulder shimmies. Shoulder shimmies could be layered with the jumping preskok steps and variations. The preskok step was often danced with a scarf and / or a tambourine (More about the tambourine later) She showed me a cross step with a hop ( very similar to a Turkish equivalent) and a forward and back footwork with a hop and a jump onto the opposite leg, in 9/8! A cheeky variation of preskok step, followed, with a delectable shuffle back, with the pelvis tilted up, and then a forward and a back step, with again a very cheeky pelvic tilt and quick double pelvic drop. It looked so precise and complex at the same time- it was fascinating to watch another hidden world unfold in front of my eyes. I then recognised the pelvic semi ciricular move and a drop that Simona showed me in the Summer. Ajsa re-capped it, perfectly.
Percussion: The Tambourine
Ajsa explained that the tambourine is actually used in this particular dance. Although, tambourines are often seen as stereotypical “Gypsy”, in this case, it is an authentic instrument, used in chochek dance – also known as: “dayereh” ( variant spellings include: “doyra”/”dayre” /”dojra”/”doyra”/”doire”/”daire”, a medium-sized drum with jingles, played in Iran, the Balkans and Central Asia/Tajikistan/Afghanistan and Uzbekistan (www.rhythm.web)
It is held with the instrument’s skin on the thumb, so that the inside of the tambourine is shown facing the audience, with the four fingers clasping inwards. It is usually held in both hands, held by the chest area, while the hips move. Sometimes the tambourine can be shaken,/shaken in a circular motion while moving and walking around.
Also, in time to the rhythm, the tambourine can be tapped on the left hip, then onto the left elbow, left wrist and onto a finger (left hand). In sequence Ajsa, then hit her left knee, bent both knee, twisted her right hip up, stuck her left elbow and left wrist with the tambourine and jumped. At other times, she twisted her hips and hit her hips alternating between right and left hip. She smiled and said, “I told you this dance is very much a jumping and energetic dance…” It’s more than that. It’s actually a very exuberant dance. I felt Ajsa explode with joy, as she danced those intricate, deceptively-Turkish like steps, fleet and nimble of foot; it made your heart sing. Imagine watching this dance at a 19th century Serbian wedding!
Dance Costume
Ajsa added fine details concerning costuming: huge shalwar (Turkish) trousers, shirts/tunic belted with sashes, the use of finely , ornamental, richly coloured and gauzy scarves. She showed me very beautiful examples- all based on Ottoman and folk styles. It was truly magical and exciting, as if taken back in time, so I truly appreciated these glimpses of a past, that hopefully won’t die out for a very long time to come. In a quiet moment, I suddenly realised what a huge privilege it is to learn something like this, and hope it will get to be passed on, as the Roma dancers have been doing for centuries.
Conclusion
In summary, three Roma dances from the Balkans have been looked at in varying detail ; all different, expressing different movement , yet there is some common ground, tied in with the common link of India and its classical dance. As a final point, many Roma dances are very cathartic( cleansing, relaxing, stress-relieving) in function, too. I have not touched upon the social issues both the Roma and non-Roma communities face, here, with regards to social conflict, misunderstanding, stereotyping etc, as this deserves a whole series of articles on their own. It is fair to say, using dance as a form of cartharsis , helps many of the Roma deal with these issues, on some levels.
Hopefully, this article will show, different facets of Roma dance and some of its diversity. I recommend the reading of Caitlyn’s article: “Gypsy Dance” from the gilded serpent website ( see part 1 at the beginning, for reference). Caitlyn’s article looks at how some performers often label dances “Gypsy” when they have not studied any of their forms, and are in love with a “fantasy” or “stereotype” of the Roma dancer/person/musician; the fantasy and stereotype becomes the dangerous truth. It is always worth finding out the real truth, and honouring the integrity of the cultures and arts of any group you choose to study; in doing that, you will command the respect for taking the care and trouble.
See the realities not the fantasies that you want to believe about these cultures.
As you learn about the people, the music and the history you will be able to express
the feelings and the subtle nuances of the dance .
(Mourat, interview with Salome: www.orientaldancer.net/star_interview)
That’s the least we can do for those, who have helped preserved these variety of art forms.
I will end the article with a list of resources on Rom dance, Roma culture/references/websites , and for inspiring food for thought, some Roma people who have made very positive contributions to life and the arts.
Feel free to contact me, or make comments, if you have any questions, or if you would like to find out about any more resources/websites on this topic need or contacts with teachers/dancers…. See below.
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Resources and References:
Bellydance:
Buonaventura Wendy, The Serpent of the Nile
Green Ozlem/Ozgen , Turkish Dance Workshops ( Sutton Coldfield, Stourbridge, Birmingham, 2004 -)
Hobin Tina, Dance of the Mother Earth
Selford Cathy (Vashti), Turkish Dance Workshop at Celebrating Dance Festival in Torquay, 2005/2006
www. jasminjahal.com Turkish Bellydance (article)
www.jasminjahal.com The Ghawazee (article)
www.gildedserpent.com CaitlynGypsy American Gypsy (article)
www.daliacarella.com
Dalia Carella, of New York, is one of my dance heroines. She is an extremely versatile dancer in many forms of Middle Eastern dance, including Turkish , Egyptian, plus Salsa/Caribbean dances, Flamenco, Indian Classical, Western contemporary dances. She is famous for her fusion styles, of which Dunyavi ( “World Gypsy”) is a fusion of Turkish Rom, Flamenco and Indian Classical Dances, developed during the 1980’s. Dalia , along with Artemis Mourat and Eva Cernik , was instrumental in helping re- awaken interest in Turkish oriental/Rom dance in the USA, with the rise in the popularity of Egyptian dance.
www.serpentine.com
Artemis Mourat’s excellent website on Middle Eastern dance (articles on especially Turkish -Rom/Oriental, Cabaret styles, Vintage Orientale, the Roma, Middle Eastern culture etc)
www.orientaldancer.net/star-interview
A great interview with Mourat, by Salome, about bellydance/oriental dance/tribal fusion , dance training ( dance training, dance vocabulary/ understanding Middle eastern cultures). Mourat has Greek/Turkish American ancestry and is also an activist for human rights and welfare, including Roma rights. Artemis, with Masters in both psychology and social work, has written 300 articles on Middle Eastern dance and is one of the USA’s most eloquent, accomplished and influential dancers. She has been dancing for over 35 years.
Video Bring out the Bellydancer in You by Tejal ( documentary section. A well recommended video)
DVD Turkish Style Belly dance by Artemis Mourat ( Turkish Oriental/Rom dance) Highly recommended by many.
DVD Turkish Roman Dance with Elizabeth Strong ( Highly recommended ) 
Balkan Romany Dance
www.anacondabellydance.com ( Angela Wooii)
www.raksafrica.za ( Ajsma Samia)
www.simonajovic.com
Flamenco
www.flamencodecalszo.com (barefoot flamenco with Valerie Romanin, London)
Kathak and Indian dances
www.chandrakantha.com
www.gaurijog.com
Music
The Rough Guide Series:
A Rough Guide to Gypsy Music
A Rough Guide to the Music of the Gypsies
A Rough Guide to the Music of the Balkan Gypsies
A Rough Guide to the Music of the Russian Gypsies
Chochek
Chochek music and songs compiled by Ajsa Samia ( www.raksafrica.za)
see also Youtube, Amazon etc.
Costuming
Scarce Jennifer (2003 ) Women’s Costume of the Near and Middle East
This well-researched and beautiful book discusses and described clothing and dress from the 14th – early 20th centuries (in the Ottoman Empire) : regarding what women and girls wore in the Near, Middle East and the Balkans. She gives an insight into social and economic backgrounds at the time. This ties in also with the chochek dance costuming, as described by Ajsa Samia ( see chapter 5, The Ottomans Abroad- South East Europe).
Roma cultures, liguistics and history
Although, it has not been possible to discuss the total histories, sociologies and linguistics of the Roma, in this article, there are plenty of recommended books around, to sample, to get a better understanding
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_people :
this gives a brief introduction to references about Middle eastern Roma,( such as the Ghawazee) often known as Dom or Domari ( also Zott etc) by Arabs and others.
Suggested readings: Donald Kenrick “Gypsies from the Ganges to the Thames”, Amoun Sleem “The Gypsies of Jerusalem” .
Djoumahna Kajira (2003) The Tribal Bible Chapter 7, “Gypsy This, Gypsy that”(pp 207-227)
Fonesca Isabel (1995) Bury me Standing
Fonesca did 4 years of living with and travelling to/ with Roma communities in Eastern Europe, around the time Communist rule was ending. She travelled to countries such as Romania Albania, Bulgaria, meeting a diversity of Roma, explaining history , economics and culture, discrimination, education as well as the enslavement of the Roma, Roma deaths in the Holocaust. The books ends on how the Rom are politically organising themselves. As this book was written, Communism had died in Eastern European, so this book reveals, in addition, the “brave new world,” in which both Roma and non-Roma people faced, and what this has meant for the often strained and hostile relationships between them.
Hancock Ian We are the Romani People (University of Herfordshire Press, U.H.P)
Dr. Ian Hancock is British Roma, an academic/specialist in linguistics and Roma studies. He is currently teaching at a Texan university. Hancock is a leading authority on Roma culture and history. Hancock overcame great adversity to become who he is today. He dropped out of school, but eventually ended up earning a degree and the rest is history. What he has to say, is invaluable and on the money.
Leblon Bernard Gypsies and Flamenco (U.H.P)
Manrushiakova Elena Gypsies in the Ottoman Empire- A contribution to the
history of the Balkans (U.H.P)
The Situation of Roma in Spain ( www.europe.org/report/2002)
www.equalityhumanrights.com
www.irishtraveller.org/uk
www.en.wikipedia.org/Romani_people ( annotated with several reputable references and resources). Rominchal refers to the branch of Roma commonly found in the Uk and parts of Scandinavia, and in English speaking parts of the world, such as USA, Australia and New Zealand etc.
www.romani.org/
www.romaniworld.com
www.unionromani.org
APPENDIX A
Analysis of predominant Roma groups across Europe
Germany : Sinti
Wales/Finland : Kale
UK /Norway/Sweden ( and USA) : Romanichal/Romansael
France : Manouche /Manush
Central and Eastern Europe, Central Italy : Roma
Iberia (Spain and Portugal) Kale
( adapted from Hancock’s We are the Romani People and Matras’ Romani- A linguistic introduction)
APPENDIX B
Some Famous and Notable Roma
Django Reinhardt, Ronnie Wood( British musician) , Joaquin Cortes(Flamenco dancer) Adam Ant, David Essex, Yul Brynner (1/4 Roma, 1/4 Russian Jewish), Elvis Presley ( the name Presley originates from the German Sinti / Roma group name of Pressler), John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim’s Progress), Michael Cain( British actor)
Tracey Ullman ( comedienne, mother Romani, father Polish), Charlie Chaplin, Didem (Turkish bellydancer), Fairuza Balk (American actress), Bob Hoskins, Ian Hancock (British Academic) Tony Gatlif (film maker, notably Latcho Drom), Sir Henry Wood ( British conductor who founded the Proms) adapted from Enclyclopaedia Britannica and www.imminalu.net/famousGypsies.htm )
APPENDIX C
Skirt dancing: Mahrime or not Mahrime – What is Authentic?
( www.serpentine.org : Skirt dancing by Artemis Mourat )
One of the reasons for learning more about the dances from the Romany communities, is to precisely know fact from fantasy, romance and stereotyping. Romany dancing has become synomynous, in recent years, with skirt twirling, skirt movement,( although the images of dancing around the campfire, being utterly carefree , wild and fiery and the rest, have more or less been around for a while) .
To put the records straight, some dancers do use an element of skirt movement, but as we shall see, it’s more of a gesture or an individual’s expression of dancing, rather than anything significant. Mourat in her well-written article, Skirt dancing, tries to clarify things. And it all has to do with so-called observances of purity laws…..
Some Roma communities, in retaining their Hindu roots, from India, pay very strict attention to purity rituals and laws. Many Roma do not practise or observes these rules: however, there are groups such as the Vlach Rom in north America, who do. (What it means to be Roma Gypsy, Pemberton M, www.ishtar.tv)
Mahrime: Unclean
Things that are considered unclean or impure, contaminating, are known as “mahrime” ( Romani= unclean). This can mean observing strict rules about washing hands regularly, washing dishes under running water only, eating from separate utensils, or not eating foods prepared by non-Roma peoples, washing upper garments separately from lower garments ( because the lower part of the body/ below the waist, is seen as unclean, as it is associated with the excretory organs and menstruation. Women in childbirth or on their current menstrual cycle, are considered by some Roma to be unclean, since blood is deemed as a contaminant ).
Those who observe these rules, will have a list of clean and unclean things. Having said this about the lower part of the body, those who observe these laws, would think anyone who touches their skirts, as being in contact with contaminants (Mourat).
Therefore, touching the skirt would not be seen as the norm at all. Many dances from Russia, Spain and Turkey, may show dancers touching or manipulating the skirt, but none of these dances have a dance that is all about the skirt: there is no dance called, for example, Flamenco skirt dance, or Russian skirt work dance , etc. Any skirt flourishes seen, is merely a matter of gesture on the part of individual dancers. When I was studying with Ajsa Samia, she made no mention of skirt work, and given the fact that a shalwar and a belted tunic/shirt would be worn for dancing, there would be no real opportunity to envision dancing with a skirt…
What has happened, is, that very creative dancers like Dalia Carella and herself (Mourat)in the USA, in being innovative in their intrepretation of Turkish dance, have inadvertantly influenced dancers, who may not have seen such dances at source, or even studied a little more widely. Consequently, from the 1980’s onwards, skirt work became associated with Roma dance. Mourat tries to explain this, in her classes and workshops, as a duty to make sure people are well-informed. It is very easy to become misinformed, and important to keep channels of communication open. Mourat suggests the love and intrigue for skirt work in the USA/West, is very similar to the relationship western dancers have with the veil. Western dancers are very skilled with veil work, and spend far more time with the veil in a dance, than a dancer in Egypt or Turkey. There, dancers would use the veil for perhaps, the very first few phrases of music and discard it (Mourat)
Artemis doesn’t suggest people stop using skirt work, as she herself loves the creativity and dynamic beauty it gives to a dance. She suggests dancers be aware true skirt work is not part of Roma dance ( and not to label it or say it is so) and to be mindful too that some Roma observe strict purity rituals, so watching a dancer touching the skirt could be offensive to them. She suggests , therefore to let the audience/students know that your skirt work is a very beautiful part of an individually creative and imaginative dance/dance interpretation.
