The St. Chartier Festival is a traditional music festival
where bagpipe players and hurdygurdy players have been meeting
since medieval times. This is where Helm members met Dee,
Maria, and Trixy. |
Gilded Serpent presents...
Helm
takes
Rhythm Diatribes Workshops to Europe
by
Ling Shien Bell
Based in Marin
County California, Helm is a six member band that has become
known because of its folk and original works using traditional Arabic instruments
and rhythms, and specializing in Tribal accompaniment. The band
has been the musical complement to several of the better-known
tribal dance troupes, Fat Chance Belly Dance and Hahbi Ru, to name a couple of them.
These special
and inspired musicians will be conducting a series of rhythm/music
workshops this April in Ireland, Spain, and Luxembourg. The Helm workshops will be sponsored
by local Tribal Belly dancers along with additional support
in Ireland from the Cork County Council (Cork being the E.U.
Cultural City for 2005) and in Spain from Devorah (of
the Devorah Dance Company).
Playfully titled "Rhythm Diatribes",
Helm's workshops are designed to deepen understanding of Middle
Eastern music by teaching various rhythms typically used and
how each is employed in musical compositions.
 Techniques
for Arabic percussion instruments and zils are slated to be
taught as well. Helm's impressive repertoire includes musical
selections from the classical and folkloric heritage of both
Arab and Turkish cultures and some of Helm's original compositions.
Mark and Ling Shien Bell
met Dee Cotter
from Ireland, Maria Cresswell from Spain, and Trixy Mehlinger from Luxembourg at a traditional music festival held
annually in St. Chartier, France.
The
dancers were already familiar with Helm's music, and after an
impromptu dance class and rehearsal, they all performed together
in the village square later on the same night that they met,
with Helm being joined by an excellent percussionist, Dimitri Dupont.
Plans were
soon hatched after that experience for offering Rhythm Diatribes
workshops to their students; the student response to the plans
were very positive and the project is now becoming a reality.
Each workshop will end with a hafla! (Incidentally, the
hafla being planned for Girona, Spain, will be a benefit for the Tsunami
disaster.)
Helm
will be keeping us posted on updates as the tour unfolds, depending
on Internet their access.
Rhythm
Diatribes 2005 Tour Itinerary-
- April
6-13, Ireland- report received and will be posted soon!
- April
14-20, Spain
- April
20-23, France
- April
23-24, Luxemborg
Click
here for more information to
attend any of the workshops.
Have
a comment? Send us a
letter!
Check the "Letters to the Editor"
for other possible viewpoints!
Ready
for more?
4-11-05
San Francisco Screening of American
Bellydancer by Miles Copeland
Traveling
to San Francisco to attend the screening of American Bellydancer
to a largely belly dance community crowd was like jumping into
a hornet’s nest of opposing views!
4-6-05
The Rhythm and Reason Series
Article
1- Cymbals, Beyond Basics by
Mary Ellen Donald
Each
rhythm has a distinct arrangement of accents. If you are sure
of where these accents come, you can bring a unique flavor to
each section of your routine.
4-3-05
The London Belly Beat!
by Alexandria
They
have nothing against tribal or fusion styles and seem to enjoy
all belly dance.
3-31-05
Rakkasah West Festival 2005
Photos- Friday Page 1 photos by GS Staff and Friends
More
to come!
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