Main Mistakes in Trying to Recognize Rhythms
Why do you keep hearing the wrong rhythm in songs, and can’t recognize them properly even despite you learned them?
Ok, you took time and finally memorized all the rhythms, their names, basic patterns... but it’s still super difficult to recognize a rhythm whenever it is played in a song. Here is the main mistake all dancers do in the beginning of their music-dance study.
Often we are trying to GUESS the rhythm: “Oh, is it Saidi now? Is it Maqsum?” We are listening to the song with that question in our mind, and guess what? Our brains will deliver what we want to hear! Our mind is a master of transforming reality according to our expectations, and interprets it in a way we wish to hear/see/feel.
However, the goal is to learn to listen to the music without any presumptions. Learn to hear what you are actually listening to! Crazy yes?! But sometimes it is so difficult! Find first all Dums, then all Taks, then put them together, and only THEN try to match the structure with the name of rhythm! Not in the opposite order: Oh, it sounds like Saidi. Doesn’t it? - I can assure you that with such “guessing” you most likely will hear Saidi even if they are playing Masmudi!
Also, remember that there is no shame in not knowing yet, and still be in a learning process. Nobody would chop off your hands if you take a few extra moments to listen to the music more carefully, instead of naming the first rhythm that came to your mind. It’s not a competition on who will guess first, it’s a learning process that will be different for each person.
Dive deeper into rhythms exploration with a special intensive at the Iana Dance Club: Identifying Rhythms.
Do you struggle with recognizing rhythms in belly dance songs? Share in comments, so that I know if you want me to write more posts on this topic.
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Author: Iana Komarnytska
Photographer: Pedro Bonatto
You can learn rhythms easily: find information on the Internet and memorize the basic structures. But does it guarantee that you actually understand rhythms? That you are able to recognize them in songs, and know what to do with each of them? Check out special intensive Identifying Rhythms that focuses on helping you identify rhythms and build your confidence around the most important belly dance beats! It includes dance tutorials to get the beats in your body, writing exercises to memorize rhythms, lectures and articles to understand them, drumming quizzes to check yourself, song breakdowns to develop your listening skills, and other creative assignments to help you conquer this task. Find more information HERE.
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About Iana
Iana Komarnytska is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and passionate content creator helping dancers navigate their dance lives.
She is a graduate from the professional dance program at York University (Canada), host of the Belly Dance Life podcast, creator of the Iana Dance Club, author of numerous articles, and winner of Star Bellydancer Canada 2014 among other international competitions.
Along with belly dance, Iana performs and teaches Persian Classical and Turkish Romani dancing. She is the first choreographer to start using Triple Isis wings, and since 2012 this is one of her style signatures.
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