TAXIM

by Jasmin Jahal, January 2000 (back)

In a dance routine or long piece of music, "taxim" (tahk-seem) refers to a short segment of music performed primarily by one instrument (sometimes accompanied by a ‘quiet’ drum in the background). It is performed by any instrument in the band other than the drum and percussions, such as an organ, accordion, flute, violin, kanoon and oud. The taxim offers a break from the steady rhythms and recognizable melodies. The musician plays improvisationally, expressing emotion and varied levels of intensity, according to however he feels. There is no melody and little repetition.

It is impossible to choreograph dance steps to a taxim that is to be performed to live music. Both the dancer and the musician are performing spontaneously. The best performance occurs when both artists are so attuned to each other that the movements and the music become one. In other words, the dancer visually expresses the music that is played as a reflection and inspiration of her movements. Even though the dancer has no idea what she will hear next, she simply flows with the sound, but not without the musician’s keen attention and response to her dancing.

Of course, recorded taxims allow the dancer the luxury of becoming familiar with "what’s coming next." Yet, it still takes repeated listening in order for you to begin to remember its irregularities. Also, there is an element that is lost in recorded music, which is especially pronounced in a taxim. That element is the fact that there is no ‘two-way’ interaction between dancer and musician. The pre-recorded music was not created ‘with’ the dancer, but ‘for’ her.

However, this does not mean a taxim within a taped routine should be avoided as ineffective. On the contrary, it can be an exciting transition from one melody to another, one type of rhythm to another, one type of mood to another. For example, a routine may begin with a beledi, move into a taxim, followed by a drum solo, and then conclude with a finalé. The emotions throughout bring the audience full circle and may even tell a story:

• Beledi: Happy, ‘hello,’ lively, earthy, giving freely to your audience;
• Taxim: Soft, sinuous, dramatic, internal, dancing for yourself, expressing inner feeling;
• Drum Solo: Fiery, exciting, fast, sharp, surprising, impressing the audience with isolations and the ability ‘not to miss a beat;’
• Finalé: Restoring the beledi’s happiness and giving (you give your performance to the people as a gift), and now it’s time to bid farewell.

The taxim may appear at the beginning of a routine, but most often it lies within. It is never performed as the finalé or alone (that is, without following or being followed by another piece of music). It is the contrast to the other parts of the routine that make the taxim so effective. Also note, you will seldom, if ever, see a taxim performed by a troupe. It is meant for the soloist.

Following are my suggestions to help you ‘choreograph’ a taxim:

1. Listen repeatedly to the music until you think you ‘know’ it.
2. Try to decipher the phrases (e.g., say the primary instruments is a flute, when does the musician take a breath? Where are the pauses? How long are the pauses?). You want to move to the phrases, even if there is a drum beating in the background. The only time you move to the drum is if the beating gets loud enough to ‘take over’ for a moment.
3. Identify the primary instrument. The type of instrument may help you determine the kind of movement to make:
   • VIOLIN: String instrument in which vibration makes the sounds, implying any kind of shimmy. Also, the sounds are usually smooth, sometimes haunting, and may suggest a liquid type of movement, like a turn or a slinky walk. You might even do the slinky walk combined with a steady hip shimmy. Or, if you envision the bow sliding over the strings, you might choose to sway with it. There are times when the strings are plucked, as if droplets of water are falling into a smooth pool, causing you to do sharper movements or accents. For the most part, the violin implies liquid, water.
   • OUD, KANOON: These are also string instruments. The oud (ood) is in the guitar family and the kanoon (kah-noon) is like a zither. As with the violin, the strings vibrate in order to produce sound, vibration denoting shimmies. The strings are strummed with a pick, so your movements may exemplify the strokes. Also, the strings can be plucked individually, suggesting locks, and they may be plucked in a series, so that you might do a shimmying hip circle. The oud and kanoon make flowing sounds like the violin, but generally the sounds are deeper and heavier. As the violin implies a flow of water, the oud and kanoon imply the flickering flames of fire.
   • ACCORDION: An interesting instrument because it produces heavy sound by an expanding and contracting air flow. Your movements could reflect this with, perhaps, a hip shimmy performed while your upper body and arms form expanding and contracting motions. Or you might do large slow undulations that stress the stomach contraction followed by a release. Think of the waves of a sea relentlessly rolling in to caress the beach, then receding. Water is the best analogy for an accordion, yet it is a different kind of feeling than the water of the violin.
   • FLUTE, NEY: The shape of a flute or ney (nay) is masculine, yet the way it is played and the notes that it makes are clearly feminine. This combination is expressed in sensual movements. Yet it is not an earthy sort of sensuality, but an ethereal one. As a wind instrument, your movements should be light, airy, flirtatious, yet luxurious and elegant, like a floating piece of sheer silk. The upper body should stay lifted and the arms should ‘breath.’ Think of an enticing scent of incense. The flute is associated with air.
   • ORGAN: Earthy yet smooth, the organ offers rich blends. As the flute suggests a light piece of sheer silk, the organ suggests a heavier piece of smooth satin. The instrument itself is grounded, not held by the musician, implying earthiness. Your movements should be smooth yet earthy, as are figure eights, hip circles, ummies, camelwalks, undulations and backbends. The key to your movements is to stay grounded, with feet flat or heels slightly off the floor. With the organ, keep the earth in mind.
4. Imagine a slow-moving kaleidoscope, beautiful patterns that are ever-changing and blending. This is the image you want to create in your taxim.
5. Keep the movements controlled, usually slow, and very much internal, as if in this portion of the routine you are dancing only for yourself. There is little acknowledgement of the audience. Consider them lucky to witness such a private moment. Thus, avoid directing your movements, especially your gaze, at the audience.
6. Play with the taxim. Move spontaneously to it and make note of what appears. After all, this is the best way to perform the taxim, the way it was meant to be performed. Imagine the musician is in the same room, watching you, and that each phrase he plays is because of what your dance is inspiring. Improvise. Do what feels right

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©2000 Jasmin Jahal