The Required Qualities of Dancers

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Summarized & Translated by George Dimitri Sawa

 

George Dimitri Sawa has translated the following text from the document "Oration of the Geographer Ibn Khurdadhba" (from 911 CE) in front of the Caliph al-Mu'tamid of Bagdad (in 892 CE), as reported in "The Meadows of Gold" by Al-Mas'udi" (dated around 957 CE). Al-Mas'udh was a historian and a traveler, and became known as "the Herodotus of the Arabs". The Dancer needs certain qualities in his/her natural disposition, in his/her physical constitution and character, and in his/her performance. Natural Disposition: What he/she needs is grace and charm, good innate sense of rhythm, and to joyfully seek creativity in his/her dance. Physical Dispositions: What he/she needs is a long neck and long side burns, coquetry and flirtation, good nature, ability to sway the sides of the body, narrowness of waist, sprightliness and agility, good body proportions, floating girdles, circular shape of bottom of dress (while turning), good breath control and rest, patience in enduring the process to reach a long goal, graciousness of feet, suppleness of fingers and mastery over fingers movements in the various types of dances such as the camel and horse dances, suppleness of joints, speed of motion during turns, suppleness of sides of the body. Performance: What he/she needs is the knowledge and mastery over a large repertoire of all types of dances, turning around well while feet are in control during the rotation, left foot motion must be similar to right foot motion. The setting of the feet on the ground and the raising of the feet off the ground is done in two ways: one follows the iqa' (rhythm) and the other one lags behind it. What is better and more perfect, is the one which follows the iqa' (rhythm) because it relates to love and beauty; as for the one that lags behind, what is better and more perfect, is that in which the foot leaves the ground with the iqa' (rhythm), but touches the ground lagging behind it.