A Case of WaterPot Identity
“It was an Egyptian folkloric workshop that inspired the step for the WaterPot, however it was a Rajasthani folkdance workshop that helped crystalize the vision of the final product”
That sentence is Megha’s introduction to the WaterPot as seen on FatChanceBellyDance® Tribal Basics Volume 7: Creative Steps and Combos, the DVD of steps we consider our “Modern” movement vocabulary.
Today I wanted to share the origins of the WaterPot, while I had always felt pretty confident about the origins, I felt like I was missing something. Especially considering she mentioned an Egyptian folkloric workshop.
The Rajasthani folk dance inspiration made total sense to me because we all know how much Megha loved it and how much most of what Devyani did was inspired by all things India.
In fact, we’d even taken Rajasthani folk dance classes together and learned fun, bouncy, swirling steps like this one:
But what about the Egyptian Folk influence? I was surprised to hear about her taking Egyptian Folk Dance classes. I suppose it’s similar to realizing that your parents had life experiences before you were born.
Wait…what? Megha took other styles of dance before I met her?! heehee
The details about the inspiration wasn’t something that I remember us talking about in a lot of detail. I knew about the Rajasthani influence and could clearly see it in the step. That’s the influence we mostly focused on. I was going to have to do a little more digging on this one.
So I did what I always do when I want to talk about Devyani….I texted Liz.
Liz and I put our Sherlock Holmes hats on! Read on as we solve the Case of the WaterPot Identity:
On Saturday March 2, 2002 between the hours of 9am and 15:30 Megha excitedly entered the Magnolia room at the Pickwick Conference Center in Birmingham, Alabama. A city that was all too familiar to her since she grew up just 10 miles from there.
Jo Anne Zingo, also known as Zada Al Gaziyeh entered the conference center where she proceeded to teach a room full of enthusiastic dancers a series of Egyptian folkloric step combinations, zils and a Saidi style choreography.
Liz found these documents proving the time, place and instructor. Plus, several witnesses saw Megha AND Zada Al Gaziyeh enter into the same conference room that very day.
Megha, a dancer who unknowingly was on the cusp of making dance history, was suddenly overjoyed upon seeing Zada Al Gaziyeh demonstrate an 8 count whirling style movement that changed direction every four counts.
While mesmerized by the spiraling movement, Megha’s enthusiasm only grew as she realized that the teacher’s arms were alternating from up to down and back again.
We know exactly how Zada Al Gaziyeh entranced Megha with this movement because we found this clip of her mesmerizing a crowd with the exact same step 13 years later.
With so much exhilaration and inspiration, Megha knew she must create something from this magical step. But what? The dance style she was currently fascinated with, American Tribal Style, had very specific posture and aesthetic. She knew that whatever she created needed to fit into this framework.
Megha sat with this idea for some time until approximately one year later, she once again found herself in a folkloric workshop. Only this time, it was Rajasthani. dun dun dun
We know Megha loved Rajasthani dance because we found this clip of her and Colleena dancing Ghoomar Karachi with Helm. Plus, we already know the same Rajasthani workshop inspired other steps like the Resham-ka.
The imagery of a woman with an upright posture to better balance a pot of water on her head was the missing piece!! Megha finally had what she needed to fit the movement that still whirled in her mind into the aesthetic of her chosen dance style.
Therefore, it’s elementary my dear friends, that Megha was clearly inspired by these two sources in her creation of a new step called the…WaterPot.
Well that was fun!! If you want to learn more about Jo Anna Zingo you can also check out her dance company’s facebook page.
I’m sure the Rajasthani folk dance class had a little more influence like the defined foot positions and overall feel to the movement, but we were so happy to finally find the missing Egyptian piece!
OK, now that I have released my inner Benedict Cumberbatch, let’s move on shall we?
The WaterPot is one of those movements that dancers either love or never use. I understand…it can feel a little strange. I mean, some people’s joints just don’t bend that way and what the heck is happening with the feet?!
As a member of Devyani I have practiced, been corrected and drilled the hell out of this step in front of Megha more times than I can ever try to count. I also have many happy memories attached to this step. This means I tend to pull this one out whenever the song and mood calls for it.
While I won’t get into technique here, join me on Thursday for the Sculpt Your WaterPot workshop where I’ll get into all the details!
If you feel inspired to take a folkloric dance class, join us Saturday with Nawarra as she teaches the Main and Popular music and Dances of Morocco and the Regions they Derive from.
Seriously, we have SO many exciting things happening this week including a HUGE reveal live on our YouTube channel on Friday at 12pm pacific.
It’s a week full of inspiration and dance! Let’s have some fun!