Naw Ruz
Associations---Iran Meditative prayer freedom earth
Tapes Found On---Camp 92
Origin---modern
Choreographer---Shaker
Notes
Long ago a BaHai friend gave me a tape of compiled music with this
song on it. This
particular song was so moving that for
years I listened to the song wishing to create a dance to it but
unable.
In search of a movement to align with the dance,
I asked various Persian people if they
knew of any dance forms in Iran. Most simply
answered that in Iran it is forbidden to dance.
Though one fellow told me of an old dance practiced
in a time when the Persians had been conquered by an oppressive foe. This
was a dance of a secret society.
.Finally, one fellow and his wife told me that the only common
dance in Iran was the street woman's dance from a while ago. And
they spread their arms and moved only slightly. I had what I had been seeking.
The dance of an outcast.
The story behind the music
of Naw Ruz is quite moving.
(see also the outer circle reference to this dance)
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These days I rarely teach the outer circle, though when it is danced
in the full form the circles harmonize beautifully with one another---now
in swirling countermovement, now in harmonious synchronized movement.
I usually teach just the inner circle's movement. It is quite simple
and, couple with the history of the music, allows people the opportunity
fully of the embodiment of harmonizing with the simple eternal truths told.
During part A (1) we are simply walking with one hand on our hearts
and one hand offering towards the center of the circle. When you hear the
word 'Qudus', turn to face the opposite direction and switch hands. Part
A(b) mirrors (1) except upon hearing the name 'Qudus', we turn and end
up facing the center, both hands upon the heart.
Part B is done to the four refrains of 'BaHaullah.'
This set of four repeats three or four times, depending on the
verse.
There are two very slow and conscious steps to each repetition
of 'BaHaullah'
The hands are, however, held differently for each of the pairs
of steps.
First, the Hands are held above, Heaven.
Second, the hands are held at heart level, the Beings of the Earth,
the People.
Thirdly, the hands are held below, Earth.
(This movement unites us with the meaning within an ancient prayer
form.)
Lastly, the hands rise delicately through all the three levels
and attune again.
The hands may be held. If possible barely touch the hands rather
than holding.
In this way each participant in the dance must ever be conscious
of the human next to them.
Often I will couple this dance with other dances that speak of
beings of the earth who suffered oppression for simply holding forth their
truth in the face of an intolerant and ethnocentric government.
Some dances that work with this theme are Nightwalking,
The Burning Times and EarthLove.
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