"Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul." PlatoThe drum solo, or table solo, is an exciting part of your dance routine. Here is where your routine crescendos with strong percussion instruments and dynamic dance steps. The audience should be left breathless. Let's examine how you can deliver a powerful drum solo performance.
First, let's discuss the differences between a live drum solo and a recorded one. It is fantastic if a good drummer and a good dancer can work together, merge their skills to compliment each other and create a dramatic connection between sound and dance, a connection that is felt by the audience and especially by the performers. Be aware that this occurrence is rare. The dancer must have an outstanding command of body movement and a great depth of feeling for the music. And not just any professional drummer is a great percussionist for a dancer. He may be good at what he does, but he must also be willing to put aside his ego to focus on making the dancer look good, not just himself. I've had the opportunity to work with several dancers' drummers, and when you find one, it is like you've come to the end of the rainbow and found the pot of gold.
With a live drum solo, the dancer does not know what will come next. If she is performing with a dancer's drummer, he will repeat phrases, which she can recognize and accent. He should be inspired by her movements and she by his playing. If he is not a dancers' drummer, then a live drum solo is difficult to perform to and the dancer is practically at the mercy of the drummer. Even the best dancer can look weak when performing to such a drum solo.
You will definitely know whether you are performing to a dancers' drummer or not. Serena Wilson says it well in her now-out-of-print publication The Belly Dance Book: "Many drummers tend to overplay - to be 'hot shots' - and all but ignore the rest of the group, especially the dancer...You will become increasingly aware of drummers who play too much, and seem to clutter up the rhythm rather than enhance it. You will find yourself being annoyed by this." Annoyed is not exactly a strong enough term!
As most belly dancers more often perform to recorded music, let us focus on refining and improving performance to a recorded drum solo. There is a great advantage dealing with recordings because you can select music which 'turns you on' and which runs a desirable length of time. Plus, you can listen to the music often and will know the phrasing and the changes so well that you can easily dance improvisationally to it or can choose to choreograph movement to it.
When looking for the right drum solo, choose one that you can edit clearly, rather than one that is blurred into the music that precedes or follows it on the recording. When you include the drum solo into your routine's music selections, keep a few seconds space after the previous song to heighten drama.
The ideal length of a drum solo that is part of a longer routine is one to three minutes. More than one drum is played in a table solo, so be sure that the lead drum is recognizable, and there are not too many synthetic enhancements added to the recording.
The beginning should contain a moderate tempo, not too powerful, but definitely lively and intriguing. Sometimes the same rhythm is played throughout the entire drum solo, such as maksum, and then the lead drummer is your focus. Sometimes within the solo the rhythm is changed by the other percussionists in the group, and the lead drummer follows, and of course, so should you. In any case, the impact of the music should increase throughout and come to a very strong finish. It is not as exciting for the audience and certainly harder for the dancer if the drum solo just fades away.
Personally, I believe the best drum solos to dance to are found in Egyptian and Lebanese music. Some recordings you might like to look into are:
If you would like to choreograph a drum solo, look for one in which the lead drummer plays such distinct phrases that you could outline the entire solo. It helps you to see the structure of the solo, and therefore, how to play with theme and variation within your movements so that there is continuity and interest. You never want your movements to be predictable or boring! Call on your strongest shimmies and vibrations, as well as unique stomach, chest and shoulder accents and sharp hip movements. Even a turn of the head can be a wonderful accent. Change your facial expressions to connect with the audience, keep their attention and show them that you truly feel and enjoy the music.
The drum solo should come near the end of your routine, either as the finish or followed by a short finale'. Your routine should come to its strongest peak during the drum solo. This means that if there is a finale' following the drum solo, you should refrain from dancing much more. Consider the finale' your exit music. Acknowledge the audience, take a bow, collect your veil, etc., and leave the stage. Simply let the finale' come to an end, without concern if it continues to play a few seconds after your departure from the stage.
Have fun experimenting with the connection of your movements to the elaborations of the lead drum while constantly respecting the rhythm. Diversify your shimmies but try not to be too complicated, or you risk losing the connection with the music. You want the audience to be able to identify your movements. Don't forget, sometimes the most dramatic moments are the ones in which you don't move at all! Go for it!
If you love to dance, relax and let it shine. Not only will the audience appreciate your natural emotional expression, but also you will experience a high that is unparalleled.
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©2001 Jasmin Jahal