The Dance of Zar

Now and then we dance the Dance of Zar at Läkegården and the meaning of this film is to explain a bit about it.
At Läkegården we;
Start with sharing
I tell a bit about background and history (more than in the film)
We create the Altar and the stuff to put on it if you haven´t brought it with you.
We warm up and try traditional movements.
We dance! Most often to Egyptian Zardrumming and roughly for an hour if we don´t do a special big ceremony.
We land afterwards and share the experience.
Music by Hossam Ramzy and I have gotten permission by Believe music to use it.
Welcome!
Tekla

[@lucretiahoverter9486]

Thank you so much for this video! This is EXACTLY what I wanted to find to share with my friends to introduce them to the concept of sharing zar dance. Blessed be!

[@tekladrakfrende]

I am SO glad to hear it! Have fun!!!

[@cacapopo6698]

Thank you

[@hiddennugget9413]

I've only danced to the kar. Didn't know why I liked it so much until now..thanks.

[@selmiraPEIXOTO10]

Que maximo

[@arabinn]

WOW, very interesting video...thanks for uploading.

[@tekladrakfrende]

arabinn 2015 Thanks! If you want to know more - just ask! tekla

[@Boudanyoussefraqs]

Deep

[@user-mn2mb9bq7d]

الله الله

[@tekladrakfrende]

Translation anyone please

[@TRUTHTEACHER2007]

Zar is not a dance. I don't care what Reda Troupe dance instructor or Cairo Belly Dance festival teacher told you. This is a spiritual tradition and way of life. If you are not a part of that community, then you don't know anything about it. It's not something you can make a cute choreography of or do for fun. Would you take somebody seriously if they told you they were going to dance the Pentecostal, or do a Holy Ghost choreography? No. You'd look at them like they were stupid right? Because even if you're not a charismatic Christian, you'd instinctively know that was disrespectful. Well, this is no different. Like a Pentecostal or Evangelical service, it's a spiritual devotion and movement may spontaneously happen as part of the service. Same thing here. So can we please stop this nonsense and respect other people's traditions? Especially when you take into consideration how badly marginalized these traditions are by the mainstream religious establishments, both Muslim and Christians, and how marginalized the communities are who practice these traditions.

[@tekladrakfrende]

I agree. Zar is not a choreographed dance. In sweden we call them dances but they are so much more.

[@TRUTHTEACHER2007]

@@tekladrakfrende But do they alsovrealize that this is not something for them to participate in? Do they realize that this is a valid spiritual tradition that has rules, etiquate and structure and you can't just make yourself a pseudo New Age/Wiccan alter and throw on an ayoub and say you're doing a Zar? My point is, no one would throw on a Gregorian chant and say they're doing a Catholic. Or throw on some Gospel music and say they're doing a Baptist or Pentacostal or say they're doing Holy Ghost dance. That's the point. People don't get it. When Mahmoud Redda created his troupe he created theatrical numbers based on folkloric themes. He never claimed to be doing authentic folklore. But American Belly Dance teachers back in the 70s started trying to hook into this and doing choreographies. They went all across Europe teaching seminars. The same thing applies to Guedra, but that's another topic. Unfortunately, the Egyptians are no better. They're constantly looking for the hot new thing to teach so they have a new product to sell. They're not from those communities and know nothing about them. If they did, they wouldn't be doing it and giving false information in the process. Understand that these traditions, especially in Egypt now, come from extremely margianalized communities. Because of that, they don't share info with outsiders. They tell them what they want to hear because they have to protect themselves and their traditions. There are groups like Mazaher who perform the songs and that is a way of preservation, but they are sharing on their terms. It's not our olace to go out there and make it seem like anybody can do this as ling as they have the right respectful attitude.

[@kadijasomaya2069]

this relgion or dance came from oromos real arabs are black anyeay

[@tekladrakfrende]

The dance of Zar are danced in Egypt and further down in and east in the Africancontinent - it varies of course with the region. Love Tekla

[@dangterrat5684]

Yeah sure arabs were black 💀 stop being stupid those people are semites who live in the middle east

[@aoifghfbrbeaubidjksn3533]

@@dangterrat5684 Every group migrated from Africa so it's not stupid to say that the original arab speakers were black especially since the proto semitic languages started in East Africa. Even arabs will tell you themselves that the original arabs were black.

[@turnipsociety706]

All true Scotsmen are brave

[@cadencehashira]

Oromos did originate the practice. Arabs come from Black ppl but many r not Black themselves.