Photos and videos from selected past events
 

Henna Party
January 4, 2008

Halaa
Choreography by Kay Hardy Campbell
Danced by Cassandra and Jawaahir Dance Company

When Cassandra asked me to choreograph a Khaliji dance for Jawaahir, I was really honored. The CD "Miami 2005" by the Kuwaiti group "Miami" has several fantastic and danceable tracks. I finally chose Halaa because of its humor and high energy, the upbeat message of the song, as well as the rhythm shift from 6/8 to 4/4. I also love the traditional sounding section in the middle of the piece when all the instruments drop away except for drums, leaving just singers, clapping, drumming and zaghareed.
 

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Click to start video, 320x240, 2:14

The changes in the music suggested several miniature dance tableaux - of people dancing in pairs, in lines, randomly (as if they were doing the dance in its traditional 'social dance' form), and even with a Busby Berkeley inspired section where the dancers are in a star formation. I had three days to teach it to the Jawaahir company. "No problem," Cassandra told me. And she was right. The company learned it quickly and voila, there it was on stage at the Southern Theater! What a dream it was to be asked to do it, and to be able to teach it to a great dance company that could bring it to life so beautifully.

The song itself is a 'greeting' to the whole world. The refrain says, "Hello to everyone, no matter where you are, what time it is, day or night, no matter what color you are." The word "Halaa" is an informal way of saying hello. Kind of like,  "How you doin'?" or "Hey man."
 

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Sugar Dolls
Southern Theater