The Big 5: 9/8s

 
This post is part of my series on “The Big 5”. Those are the genres that an educated audience would recognize, and expect certain dance stylizations.

(i.e., the genres for which just listening to the music isn’t enough.)

 
 
To read more about this idea, or to find links to the other articles in the series, check out the first article in the series, The Big 5.

 

 

9/8s

(aka karsilama, dokuz sekiz)
 

What it is:

9/8 is a time signature, rather than a musical genre. This article refers to the 9/8 songs used in belly dance.

These are a small repertoire of songs in 9/8 time, mostly medium-to-fast, and mostly (but not exclusively) Turkish.

(9/8s also come in slower tempos, but these are rarely used in a belly dance context.)

Rhythms

There are several rhythms in this time signature, but there are only two that we see often in a belly dance context.

Karşilama (1-3-5-789), is most common in music played for Vintage Orientale, and is often found in music from other countries, particularly Greece.

In music recorded in Turkey, you’re more likely to hear what Artemis Mourat calls a “Romani 9” (1-3-5-78-). The only difference is whether the final “9” beat is played or omitted.

Dances

Many dances are done to 9/8s, including many line dances and freestyle social solo dance.

The performance dance we know in the belly dance world has branched into two different genres, depending on who the audience is.

The first is a fancified-for-the-stage version of a Turkish Romani social dance, which is frequently included in a Turkish Oryantal show.

The second is it’s Vintage Orientale (aka AmCab) adaptation.

Belly dancers commonly call the genre and dance “Karşilama” (or as English speakers often spell it “Karshilama”). But that’s a bit of a misnomer, since, in Turkey, that word refers to a specific men’s social dance done to the Karşilama rhythm.
 

Relevant styles:

This is a must for Turkish Oryantal and Vintage Orientale (AmCab). I’ve never heard of it used in Egyptian style.

(Although, Egyptian drummers have a 9/8 rhythm called “Aksak”. This is a reference to Turkish music, rather than an Egyptian thing. “Aksak” is the Turkish word for “limping”, which they use to refer to all odd-numbered meters.)

That said, if you ever work with non-Arabic bands, you’ll want a basic knowledge of the rhythm and stylings.

I once saw a band throw an an unexpected 9/8 at a friend of mine. It was outside her style, but because she knew the rhythm, she was able to cope brilliantly. I went on to create a “crash course” workshop based on her example called “9/8 911”.
 

Aesthetics:

The Turkish version includes lots of fancy footwork, pelvic articulations, and occasional use of gestures.

The Vintage Orientale version often includes those elements, but usually simplifies the footwork, and adds fancy skirt flourishes.

Skirtwork is a fusion element, and does not come from the Turkish source dance, but it has become traditional and expected in the Vintage Orientale context over the last 30+ years.

In both styles, a high-energy “shot out of a cannon” aesthetic is expected for fast 9/8s.
 

Resources:

DVDs

Artemis Mourat’s DVD* features Turkish style 9/8s, with a segment on Vintage Orientale skirtwork.

For the Vintage Oriental variant, there are instructional videos by Sarah Skinner* and Dalia Carella.

Notes: Sarah has received some criticism for mis-identifying her video as “Turkish”, rather than Vintage Oriental, and for some small tidbits of misinformation (such as a mis-translation).

Those concerns aside, the DVD is an excellent resource for Vintage Orientale 9/8 stylings.

Dalia Carella’s DVDs teach her own fusion style, Dunyavi, rather than specifically Vintage Orientale material.

However, most of the material is appropriate for Vintage Orientale, just more stylized than average. And Dalia is very clear on which elements come from which cultures.

Workshop Instructors

Artemis Mourat and Eva Cernik teach workshops world-wide.

Several Turkish men also teach in the US: Tayyar Akdeniz, Ozgen, and Ahmet Luleci.
 

Songs to know:

Çadırımın Üstüne* (Turkish, aka Rompi Rompi*), Mastika* (Turkish), Marinella* (Greek).

If you want to geek out on 9/8s, check out Trakya Karsilamasi* (sometimes aka Rumeli Karsilamasi*, but I’ve heard more than one song under that title), Sulukule*, and Limoncu* (aka The Lemon Seller*).

Those are fabulous songs, but few bands will play these for you unless you specifically request them.
 

Tip:

In the belly dance world, we usually use medium-to-fast 9/8s. However, slow 9/8s are frequently used in the Romani social dance.

That style is not “belly dance”, and not commonly included in a belly dance show, but it’s a lot of fun. (Plus, the rhythm can be easier to learn at a slower tempo.)

If you’d like to learn about the Romani social style, you may want to check out the DVD by Reyhan Tuzsuz* (highly recommended!), or the work of tribal dancer Liz Strong, who studied with her in Istanbul.

Artemis’s DVD* also has some information on slow Romani style. Ruby Beh’s DVD* teaches a choreography in 4/4 time, but includes a bonus segment on slow 9/8s.

Check out the final article in the series: Ifs, Ands, & Buts
 

Your Turn

Are you a fan of 9/8s?

Do you do them in the Vintage Orientale or Turkish style?

Do you ever dance to slow 9/8s?

Can you think of any other must-know 9/8 songs?

What resources do you recommend for learning 9/8s?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

 

* Note: links marked with a * are Amazon affiliate links, meaning that I will get a small commission (typically a few cents) if you make a purchase through them.

If you’d prefer that I not get that commission, just search Amazon directly for the title you’re looking for. That’s 100% okay by me.

I have personally used and enjoyed all of the items featured on this page. Even so, please read the product descriptions and reviews carefully before you buy, to make sure they’re appropriate for you.

The photo of me (or more accurately, my skirt) is by Allison Perkel.