Let discover the "Flamencoriental" : Merger between Oriental dance and Flamenco

Myrto KAUKIAS is a true passionate artist who has been practicing and evolving in the field of oriental dance and other dances for several years. Filled with savoir-faire and unparalleled knowledge, she explains in details the merger "Flamencoriental" which she dances and teaches regularly.

How was this desire to give workshops with the merger Bellydance and Flamenco born?

I love dancing. Of course my main dance, the one I perform on stage in and teaches is the Oriental dance. But I show an interest in and I’m passionate about other kind of dances. I practiced Flamenco for several years, attending lessons and workshops and going to lots of shows and concerts as well... I also practiced the ragga-dancehall and Afro-urban dances (training with Maimouna) but also the hip hop, yoga, singing...
As far as merging is concerned, I started to take regular Tribal Merging classes about fifteen years ago, opening up new horizons to my dance.
I danced for the first time a Flamenco and Orientale merger onstage as a guest for Lolie’s show "Soirs d'Orient" in 2007, on the most somber and tragic style in Flamenco, the « Siguiriya», with just a "cajon" percussion rhythmic and voices (the guitar arriving at the end), in a tight and simple red dress.
In 2010, I organized with my friend and great Parisian Flamenco dancer Aurelia Vidal, a show with students and professionals "Flamencorientales" and with danced mergers in pairs: one flamencoriental on Baladi music, and one flamencoriental with shawl and veil on Flamenco music.
Some years later, I started to schedule mergers in various styles during my bellydance summer workshops, and of course without doubts Flamenco came to mind.
The merger flamencoriental was very successful with my students so I decided to have this kind of merger at least twice a year.

In your opinion what are the particularities of Bellydance on one hand and the characteristics of Flamenco on the other hand? What is your goal by merging these 2 dances?

Oriental dance is a very complete and complex dance, with a large diversity in the domain of technique and movements: the work of the hips is what comes out first but it’s the whole body which works: chest, arms, hands, back, neck, from the head to toe... "8", undulations, circles, accents, shakes, moves in space, flow, strength, the combinations of these movements, energies and rhythms allow endless changes, and all this vocabulary allows the expression of emotion with all our body.
The Flamenco is also a very complete and complex dance which calls for the whole body from head to toe: proud way to hold the head and posture, strong arm work and the way you hold them, very distinct and accurate, and sometimes lighter and more aerial, the movements of hands well-worked and flowing, the striking of the feet and hands. The movements of hips, swaying, circles of pelvis, « 8 » are also used, but more or less depending on the dancers, especially in the rumba style which I find more focused on the hips. But it’s not on the hips that the dance is mainly focused. The dance is anchored to the ground and the movements can slide and flow but there are no demi-pointes, the very energetic changes of axis and directions are full accents, often more strongly marked than in Oriental dancing. It is a dance of great strength and intense emotional energy, of profound passion... the whole range of human feelings is represented by the different rhythms.
High heels allow the feet to produce complex and varied rhythms, the "zapateado": the kick is an instrument in itself, which marks the rhythm and has its place as a soloist in the musical piece.
Merging these two dances is a very interesting job, which makes it possible to work on the similarities and the differences, as much in the movements as in the energies... The choreographies I create mix the 2 techniques and tell a story, the accent is on the emotion. So far I have only used pure flamenco music, without "merging music".
I like placing the Bellydance movements ("8", undulations, shakes, accents…) on Flamenco music, on the rhythmic or guitar solo, or on the song and the phrasing, for example to shake on the vibrations or quavers of the voice or guitar, make an eight or a circle with the pelvis when the note stretches out… I add to this the Flamenco’s vocabulary and attitude, the way they hold the arms and the hand’s work, the proud and passionate attitude, sometimes more "serious" than in the Oriental one, the specific movements and twirls, the way to keep a pronounced posture... The hands in Oriental and Flamenco seem to belong to the same family and besides I often add to my “non merger” choreographies, hands that are more "flamencas".
For the moment, I have not represented the footwork or palmas "clap of the hands" in my merged choreographies.
Placing the Oriental movements on this music and mixing them with Flamenco, allow me to take on a different energy in my dance, another creativity, approach, which can enrich my dance, open up new paths, get off “the beaten track”. The work on similarities but also differences, the different ways to place the movements or accents, moving, stressing the rhythms on the music can help one think and develop his/her musicality.
But also to feel and show that cultures and dances communicate together (we need to remember that Flamenco feeds on Oriental, Western, and Gypsy cultures).
The vocal exercises in Flamenco as an introduction of the cante jondo remind me the mawal in Orientale music, the guitar... the oud and the rhythms’ rises in intensity and accelerations... the progressing building of the baladi, for example.

What is the point of this "Flamencoriental" merger?

In my eyes, the advantage of this merger is to express different things and differently from the usual choreographies, extend the musical listening will enrich one’s dance and feelings, to make other emotions come out, and sometimes understand the more classic style better by going back to it, but also open up other perspectives and release different emotions, it is also sometimes difficult for some people to change their musical universe and adapt to it.
The work on the posture, the « prouder » side of Flamenco, allowed me especially, to improve my technique at the beginning of my learning.

What is the perfect dance costume, and the type of music suitable for practicing this merger? Can you give us some titles?

I don’t wear a 100% Flamenco outfit for my mergers, I like mixing styles, starting with a modern oriental outfit. For example recently, a dress in tulle over leggings, liven up with a Bellydance belt in strass over the hips, or a brassiere with long sleeves showing the belly worn with a skirt (or leggings) and a silk veil fitted at the waist which gives it the look of a skirt...
My last workshops were pure Flamenco; I didn’t really use a mix of Flamenco and Oriental music, but why not in the future? For the moment I’ve preferred to create a merger in dance rather than starting with merging music.
The rumba flamenca style or tangos (rhythms in four time) are usually well known and most used for mergers but I often offer more complex rhythms in 12 times like Alegria, Solea, Buleria... I find interesting to use different and more complex rhythms which allow you to work on different things in dance and develop another way to listen to music.
The Siguiriya or Solea styles, sober and more somber with which you can approach emotions that are less used or explored in Bellydance, in class, or on stage.
Some examples of songs I used for my Flamencoriental mergers: "Adios Tristeza", "Cantinas del Marinero" and "Permita Dios" by la Macanita, "Escandalo" and "Toma Ese Punal Dorao" by Carmen Linares.

Where do you teach and especially this "Flamencoriental" lesson? Do you offer other original mergers?

My bellydance lessons take place in Paris in 3 schools of the 14th arrondissement from a beginner to an advanced level. Whether they are focused on "intensive technique" or choreographic, the technique always has the best part in my teaching. I also offer private coaching from a beginner to a pro level.
Currently I’m teaching the « Flamencoriental » merger in workshops, throughout the year or in summer session, but I’ve recently been asked to have these workshops more frequently, so I’m thinking of having regular workshops in the future.
These are other mergers I offered these past few years: RnB-funk-soul merger (on Prince, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Bruno Mars), electro and dub step merger, dancehall merger, one on African percussions or international music...
In addition, the beginning of my Bellydance lessons, my warm-up is always done on music different from the Oriental one: soul, funk, international, afrobeat...

What’s your dance background?

My passion for dance started when I was around 10 through Prince's music videos and concerts, he was a great dancer, and I liked to imitate his dancers and their hip-hop, funk, jazz choreographies which always made me dream. Also it is thanks to his dancer Mayte that I discovered Oriental dancing. Her true oriental solo had an important place in the concert (veil, finger cymbals, floorwork...) and I already liked Prince’s merger on funk, rock, and soul music.
I did not know the Oriental culture at all and little by little desire and curiosity motivated me in trying a course; I was 14. At the time, it was very difficult to find a school in Paris offering Bellydance lessons, so I thought I'd start with Mia Frye's class at the Center du Marais, but I ended up trying out Fatima Chekkor’s course who won me over right away. An exceptional woman and dancer with charisma, warm and with a sense of humor whose lessons offer very thorough technical work (she never let go until we succeeded in making a movement!), beautiful choreographies, but also the freedom to find your own style without copying the teacher, especially by promoting improvisation.
It is thanks to this Oriental dance pioneer in France, her big heart and generosity that I was able to debut first in the stage shows and solo animations, and then in courses. At first, I filled in and assisted her in the bellydance lessons for children, and later I gave lessons in the school she founded. I have always been very shy and I would never have done it on my own without her help and support and this since the beginning. Dance has always helped me express myself, has been and always will be a form of therapy...
It is also Fatima Chekkor who encouraged me to go to the 1st Oriental Dance Open (first national competition organized by Leïla Hassan and Divan du Monde in 2002). I won 2nd prize, which enabled the public and Oriental dance community to know me better.
I’ve been training up to this day with great dancers and exciting international choreographers: Yousry Sharif, Mohamed Shahin, Randa Kamal, Tito, Mercedes Nieto but also Americans Jillina, Amar Gamal... and I discovered Tribal dance Merger Fusion thanks to the teaching of Rachel Brice and Sharon Kihara (the dance technique and preparation combining yoga and Pilates had a great influence in my dance and teaching).
Solo bellydancer for twenty years, I’ve performed in private parties and restaurants, but also on Parisian stages, across France and abroad, especially in major international festivals.
I was the main dancer of the legendary restaurant La Casbah for many years and this several evenings a week, and I was able to perform in front of different audiences, develop, and improve my own style, thanks to the trust of the restaurant’s management and this since the beginning, and to the freedom I had to offer shows combining entertainment and animation.
I’ve been teaching bellydance in Paris since 2002, in group classes, workshops and amateur or pro private coaching. For ten years, I’ve also offered workshops throughout France. I like performing as much as teaching. Classes have always brought me a lot at the personal and relationship level and have also enriched my dance. I like sharing technique and feelings with my students, to help them blossom or just have fun, but also create for them and with them, because, maybe they do not know it, but it inspires me to watch them dance.
I improved my dance and teaching with other disciplines. Since 2007, I’ve attended Maïmouna workshops in dancehall / Afro-urban "BootyTherapy" style, she’s taught me a lot on the technique of the basin, letting go, and release of my emotions, thanks to her unusual energy which makes you perform at your best.
Véronique Murillo singing lessons for 8 years also brought a lot to my dance, as much on the musicality, technique, as on the breathing and stage expression.
Since 2011, I’ve been the artistic Director in the Zekrayet association, and I organize special weekends and festivals around an international Bellydance or merger guest (Mercedes Nieto, Mohamed Shahin, Sharon Kihara, Amar Gamal, Ahmed Refaat...). Some shows can be "multi-dances". Recently I’ve launched the project of troupes created around a featured artist, which gather French and foreign dancers and the guest artist in special choreographies on stage, some this year have been used again in various international festivals and events.
Dance allows people from all over the world to meet and gather around the same passion, and this is what I love most.





Discover Myrto in a video:

Leave a comment

Login to post comments