Reading Reflection on Title: The "Arab Wave" in World Music after 9/11 Author(s): Ted SwedenburgSource: Anthropologica, Vol. 46, No. 2 (2004), pp. 177-188Publisher(s): Canadian Anthropology Society:

 http://www.jstor.org/stable/25606193

Wow, talk about a great pick! I knew this article could be relevant to my capstone, particularly in relation to Simon Shaheen, one of my performance focuses, since he is a Palestinian oud player.  What I didn’t realize was that Shaheen was actually discussed in the piece several times, and I learned many things about him I didn’t know before:

·         Shaheen was part of a label called Mondo Melodia, which played a major role in bringing the popularity of Arab music to the US.  He was one of 5 musicians discussed in the piece, and several of them toured together pre and post 9/11. 

·         Shaheen performed backup for Sting and Cheb Mami during their 2001 Grammy awards performance of “Desert Rose”. He also opened several times for Sting

·         After 9/11, while other Arabic tours were cancelled, Shaheen kept performing and touring.  He claimed that since 9/11 people in the US “seem much more interested and open when it comes to the Middle East and are trying to unlearn stereotypes.” (P182)

·         During a 2002 tour with other Arabic artists, Shaheen appeared at the World Economic Forum in NYC (annual gathering of top corporations and political leaders) while 60,000 protesters met at the alternative World Social Forum in Brazil.  With their involvement, the forum was able to sustain a label of being an organization that promoted “world peace.” (P183)

I kept thinking about the marketing side of world music when reading this article.  There is a contradiction that exists in discussing the popularity of Arabic music since 9/11 because while there was and “exotic” interest and appreciation for the music, the people creating this music were often times seen as the enemy.  Marketing seems to endorse the cultural side of it, but at the same time exploits it all the same.  For example, Mondo Melodia brought together artists from three different countries in the Arab Diaspora, encouraging the coming together of a myriad of cultures, but at the same time one of their biggest moneymakers are belly dancing videos. They see belly dancing as the key vehicle for delivering Middle-Eastern music to a mass American audience.  This was a result of “refocusing” efforts.  Also, after 9/11, the Arab artists were marketed with posters stating “Banned by the Taliban” to ensure Americans that they are on the “same side” in order to sell more records. 

A few different themes came out of this for me:

·         Exoticizing the “other”

·         Orientalism

·         Sexualization- belly dancing=big moneymaker

·         Popularity and acceptance comes as a result of collaboration with American artists

Amongst others, Swedenburg is in conversation with Edward Said. He states that Said believed that the US not only participates in the generalized Western discourse of Orientalism, but US Orientalism possesses a particular and often virulent character. This is due partly because of the physical distance between the US and the Arab World/Middle East.  Therefore there is an ignorance and disinterest when it comes to the Arabic world.  I thought this was interesting, because when I conducted my interview with Simon Shaheen, he too, seemed to be coming from the same belief, stating more than once that it is important to educate Americans, who often don’t even know where Palestine is.  He felt it was important to reach out in order to start helping others to make connections to a world outside of the US. 

“UW World Series Artist Simon Shaheen on the importance of music education by Priya Frank”- Timing Excerpts for Video

Vid 00004

:10 to :22 –“Before” Shot

Vid 000019- interview

1:11 to 1:41- 30 secs

1:55 to 2:24- 30 secs

2:27 to 2:40- 13 secs

4:16 to 4:40- 24 secs, conclusion piece?

Vid 00015- with WA middle school kids- altogether

:25 to :46- 21 secs

:54 to 1:25- 31 secs- him smiling, then solo

Vid 00014 – Girl in Green

:00 to :18- mimicking him

TOTAL: 2 minutes and 49 seconds

Questions for Interview with Simon Shaheen

·         You learned to play the oud from your father, Hikmat Shaheen, who was a professor of music and a master oud player.  What was it like learning from him, and how long have you been playing?

·         Your music blends a fusion of traditional Arabic sounds with jazz and Western classical styles- how does that reflect the exposure you have had to different kinds of music in your life and what interests you about bringing together a medley of sounds?

·         In your experience, how important is music as a tool to help build bridges and transcend boundaries of race, genre, and geography? 

·         You have written selections for some amazing projects, including movies such as Malcolm X and the soundtrack to For Everyone is Everywhere, which celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the UN’s Human Rights Charter.  What is your process when writing for a soundtrack?

·         What will you be performing when you come to Meany Hall in December, and what does this work mean to you?

·         Last time you were here, you performed a piece called The Wall, composed during a children’s residency you conducted in Bethlehem on the West Bank.  How has teaching others impacted you personally?  Why is it important for you to participate in the educational work along with on-stage performances?

Interview with Foeye Oto Longa, Dance Master for Compagnie Jant-Bi

LONGA, FOEYE OTO

·         How long have you been with the company?

·         You were born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. What influenced you to become a dancer?

·         You have trained at the The International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances (Ecole des Sables).  What has your experience been like training and working at the centre with Germaine Acogny, as well as dancers from the whole of Africa?

·         The piece you will be performing in Seattle is called Waxtaan. What is the inspiration behind the piece, and what meaning does the work have for you specifically?

·         What does the clothing worn during the performance represent?

·         You have participated in several educational activities in the Seattle Public Schools during your time here. Why is it important for you to participate in the educational work along with on-stage performances? How has teaching others impacted you personally?

Dance Master, Choreographer; dance historian, he was born in RDC (Congo) also works with the National Institut of Art in RDC.  He dances and helps Germaine Acogny and has been with the company Jant-Bi starting with “Fagaala” in 2004.

Compagnie Jant Bi Engagement Plan

·         blog entry with lead in on e-newsletter

o   http://www.uwworldseriescommunityconnections.blogspot.com/ 

·         display board

o   info on the Centre

o   The environmental influence

o   Flag/Map of Senegal or Africa and Senegal’s location within it

o   Info on Senegal- possibly based on info from UCSD teaching guide

o   Photos from residency

o   Laptop or DVD player running education photos or video

o   Comment cards for audience participation aspect-

§  3/5 index cards, box for submissions, sign with questions on it either as tent card or posted on the board-

§  Question: Have you been to Senegal or participated in an artistic/cultural exchange before? Tell us about your experience! and enter to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming performance! Just include your name and email address on your submission”

·         recording the pre-show lecture for pod-casts on website

o   Elizabeth will contact tech folks

o   Once she received the CD, she will give to me and I will put on education blog around Monday, Oct 13th, using http://www.divshare.com/ or http://www.box.net/ for help

·         videotaping an interview with choreographer for feature on website

o   Interview will take place at 12:30pm in the staff lounge, outside, or in the gym of Wing Luke Elementary

o   Consent form will be used

o   I will be interviewing Foeye Oto Longa- Dance Master, also known as Mr. Fo

o   Monday, Oct 13^th- Ask UWWS Facebook friends if they have questions for the company

o   Questions:

§  What is the inspiration behind Waxtaan? What meaning does this work have for you personally?

§  Why is it important for you to participate in the educational work along with performance?

§  What has your experience been like working at the centre and with Germaine Acogny?

§  Other questions- from Teri for marketing purposes?

·         Videotaping residency activities

o   I will attend the Wednesday session at Wing Luke Elementary 11:00am

o   Consent- General release from Seattle Public Schools, so no consent form needed for kids

o   Possibly shoot the Matinee Q&A session on Friday, Oct 8- play it by ear- Elizabeth will check with company about this for permission

·         Student Outreach/Feedback

o   UWB students invited to attend on a first come, first serve basis

o   MACS/MAPS students RSVPing to me

o   Kanta Kochkar-Lindgren’s global dance class will be attending

o   Email UWB attendees afterwards asking them to send us their thoughts and responses to the performance. In exchange, they will be rewarded with a pair of tickets to a UWWS performance

o   They can email their responses to Elizabeth, who will handle the posting of material on education blog and provide them with comp tickets. 

Map of Senegal

Flag of Senegal

Compagnie Jant-Bi Audience Feedback

PROMPTS FROM DISPLAY BOARD:

• Have YOU been to Senegal?
• Have YOU ever participated in a cultural exchange or artistic collaboration?
• What drew YOU to this performance in particular?
• YOUR reaction after seeing the performance?

FEEDBACK:

·         The performance was wonderful! I was really impressed.  I think it challenged stereotypes about Africa and expressed in interesting ways the experience of contemporary Senegal.  The music was great, and the creative use of silence, and technology along with the percussion added to the dynamic excitement of the performance.  The image of the dancers performing traditional Senegalese dance in suits will stay with me. -Bonnie McConnell

·         I’ve been to Guinea, near Senegal, to study African dance and drumming. I’m interested in modern dance that incorporates traditional African dance, which I feel is a very expressive dance form-Sasha Parks, 206-383-6788, sasha.parks@hotmail.com

·         “Have you been to Senegal?”  Yes! I love Senegal. I’m a subscriber but would have come even w/o my season tickets. Amazing, engaging! I hope they continue their work and come to Seattle again. -Judy Davis- (206)-285-4365

·         Loved the blending of drumming and dance-big energy, big hearts, big smiles- Michael Hansen 1600 43^rd Ave E #306 Seattle WA 98112 michael@highpointexp.com

·         No, I haven’t been to Senegal, but I have been to Ghana. Lots of informal cultural exchange, but not formal program. Such an exciting performance! Love the dancing, drumming, suits, lighting.- Susan McLaughlin (2060 850-8638 smcl@uw.edu

·         Never been to Senegal but would love to visit. Show was amazing, powerful and enjoyable. I play African percussion so I really enjoyed the drummers. A friend got me the tickets. Amber Franklin amberf@uw.edu (206) 235-1057

·         Loved it!!! I will be going to Senegal in February 2011- Jeanne Hansen World Dance Subscriber

·         I was actually riveted to my seat during the whole performance, and was surprised that it "ended so quickly!"  I was so entertained.  The symbolism of the African businessman/diplomat juxtaposed with spontaneous bouts into their tribal roots was an idea that spurs alot of thought about development, power, cultural heritage, and ancestral history, and identity.  The drums were perfect.  They brought force and energy to the work.  Even the dancing to silence was perfect, as the rhythms were created soley by the synchronized choregraphy. 
I was able to relate to what I saw in that with modernization some valuable traditions in our culture have been lost, traditions that root us in our core values.  I always say though, "You can take the person out of their place, but you can never take the place out of the person."  What this means, is that, if your parents and grandparents were diligent about educating you about your roots, those roots will guide your life and identify you. 
Also, the posturing (while in the negotiating positions) was rather hilarious.  It showed how appearances were important, but when in the dance (or just diving into a project) complete synnergy occurs as individuals become community.  The root force of the dance seemed to pull the members in... as though they were 'slipping' into their core selves. 
The performance will stay with me a long time.  It was truly riveting.  The costumes, the creativity, the energy, the athleticism of the African dance tradition...  all pulled me into the performance in a powerful way.    

I have no suggestions, it was perfect. 
Thank you,
Ann McRill
206-291-8210 

Hello Priya,

I am glad to help with feedback.

What did you think of the performance?

I thought the performance was of a very high caliber from the perspective of having seen National Geographic, local and international dance troupes and given the demands of the space it was presented to the specialized audience with a shortened time frame. The lighting and sound crew did a great job to provide the tools needed for an optimal experience -  this would have really been a factor if the sound and lighting were less quality.  I expect it was hard for the dancers to decide which portion of their program to present to the audience. 

The topic is relevant, since the week prior there had been a three day international UW led presentation about global health!

http://cugh.wordpress.com/

What kind of message do you think was represented?

I thought, for the children present, it provided a message that it is okay to express your own opinions about the very complicated and large (and abstract) concepts around how we interact with each other and how the countries of the World communicate.  The colors and presentation of the modern and traditional means of dance were a nice way to demonstrate collaboration and appreciation of our differences, even if we don't all speak the same language or have the same abilities of expression.

What did you think of the music?

This was wonderful.

Most notable was the presence of just one woman amongst the many men.

This was a great way to introduce the children in the audience to how music can be used to help express hard feelings and deep emotions.

As an adult viewer, the music for me was an inspiration with the use of percussion and vocals.  The musicians were wonderful and the compositions they presented innovative, outstanding and complex.

So many times the dance performances don't make note of the musical attributes, as the musicians are not seen in the standard Western symphony or dance formats.  It was exceptional to see the music being performed on stage while the dancers performed!!

Were you able to relate to anything you saw?

Yes, working in global health, being an artist, musician and return Peace Corps Volunteer...  this was suggestive of how we can use the arts to help educate our next generations and audiences to create a dialogue to understanding how the individual can really make a positive impact in the way our World is shaped and managed.

What was memorable?

The conference room table!!

I loved the piece where the western suited musicians came to the table as performers on the same level as the dancers, with notably only one woman present.  The whole scene really spells out for me a frustration I have wanted to share many times in my career - but due to the etiquette of a meeting one could NEVER do in real life.  The scene developed to a place where the men all pulled sticks out of their pockets and she had none to use to "speak" at the table.  And when the one in the middle went under the table in protest, I was so pleased to see this.  The example I give is not of the dancers, but it truly was dance.

I will be hard pressed not to think about this scene for every meeting I attend, at least a dozen times I have thought about this since I saw the performance.  Can you imagine how a negotiation could sound at the United Nations or in any household if the people present could use more than heirachy, hands and non verbal communication to get their point across?  The scene was truly powerful.

Also, the way the costuming played just as an important role as the dance.  The bright colors...the traditional robes, the western suits and the traditional ballet costuming.... all very effective.  This made the point later explained by the Director about how the topic of the piece related to international dialogue for his nation.

Any suggestions?

I would have liked to have seen more teaching information in the lobby, tables of non profits working in Senegal, a map of Senegal, an internet port for people to be able to give feedback, UW programs like the Daniel Evans School of Public Affairs -   interaction of groups as they related to the topic.

This desire stems from my experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer I believe.

The tool I refer to of continuing dialogue forward after the performance for the audience members I have seen  used at Benaroya Hall with the National Geographic and UW Bookstore Town Hall events.

I am happy to elaborate further if you need.

Thanks for the opportunity to tell you what I thought!

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Tess Morgan

UW Alumni, Staff

www.myspace.com/theluckyones

tmorgan1@u.washington.edu

·         What did you think of the performance?

[JC] Very entertaining.

What kind of message do you think was represented?

[JC] Professionals can have fun too. Uniformity and conformity in the workplace.

What did you think of the music?

[JC] The music was very nice.

Were you able to relate to anything you saw?

[JC] Some business meetings where people tend to go along with standard practices.

What was memorable?

[JC] The scene at the dining table.

Any suggestions?

[JC] I expected them to have more traditional dress. The suits made them look to stiff and out of place.- JC Cannon

UW WORLD SERIES FRIENDS: WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

·       Have YOU been to Senegal?

·       Have YOU ever participated in a cultural exchange or artistic collaboration?

·       What drew YOU to this performance in particular?

·       YOUR reaction after seeing the performance?

Use the note cards available, or email fpriya@uw.edu with your reflections and enter to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming UW World Series performance! Please include your name, phone number and email address with your entry.

Thank you!

           

Cross Cultural Collaborations

Photo taken during collaboration between Compagnie Jant-Bi and German dance group toula limnaios company in June 2010

The International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances now offers individual or collective residences to all writers, artists and musicians who seek new sources of inspiration in Toubab Dialaw.  For example, during the summer of 2006, 25 American artists from UCLA participated in a 3 week cultural exchange program to Ecole des Sables. They worked and lived together in this amazing center under the leadership of Germaine Acogny and members of Jant-Bi.  They documented this powerful experience on film for others to share in their journey-showing us the compound, the landscape which provides much inspiration, and providing viewers the rare opportunity to observe dance workshops led by Acogny herself. Check out the footage on the UW World Series Education Blog at http://www.uwworldseriescommunityconnections.blogspot.com/

Environment as Inspiration

Toubab Dialaw, where Jant-Bi trains and teaches as part of the International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances,  is a little fishing village situated 55 km from Dakar on the coast on Senegal, along beautiful white sandy beaches and rock formations. Its landscape features baobab trees, picturesque hills and a magnificent Lagoon with a view over the sea.  The environment where Jant-Bi trains is extremely important because it is directly tied inspires the pieces being created.  Germaine Acogny expresses, “African dance is a constant dialogue with the cosmos, with nature. It is an anchor to the earth and a bridge to the sky. So this is the global context of African dance, the socio-cultural and national context.”

(Quote from http://www.thisbusinessofdanceandmusic.com/Article-NegotiatetheSpacebylyw.htm)

The International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances (Ecole des Sables)

The Centre was formed in 1998 under the leadership of Senegalese dancer and choreographer Germaine Acogny, who Dance magazine labeled "the first lady of modern African dance." The main objective of the Centre is to provide a living, working, and learning space for young dancers from the whole of Africa, giving them professional training as well as an understanding of both traditional and non-traditional dance forms.  After the first series of workshops was held in 1998, Acogny and a group of dancers formed Compagnie Jant-Bi.

Germaine Acogny- Jant Bi Dance Company Choreographer

“Our mission is to bring up African dancers, to save their traditions, their roots and to introduce them to other cultures…we should advance everything that our ancestors left to us so that young people can express with gestures their feelings of today…and develop their own vocabulary…”

-Germaine Acogny

Jant-Bi choreographer and founder of Ecole des Sables

Senegalese and French, Acogny founded her first dance studio in Dakar in 1968. Her influences include the dances she had inherited from her grandmother, a Yoruba priest, and her studies of traditional African dances and Occidental dances (classic, modern) in Paris and New York.