“YaHalaly Yamalay” is a dance song, an energizing Arabic party tune that you may hear at a wedding while dancing the dabke.
In our classes we take “YaHalaly Yamalay” out of the wedding hall and use it, conceptually, as a window into Arabic rhythms. Noting that Arabic music features fascinating time signatures, with rhythms that could bring any number of beats, we count any number — 5, 12, 19… — then, just to get the feel, stomp or clap along. Because 7 is a lucky number, when we say 7 we say, “YAY!” Since 13 is unlucky, when we hear it we BOO. An exception — at points in Egypt’s history, 13 was considered lucky because it aligned with the number of Gods. So, when we say, “13 in Egypt,” what do we say…? YAY!
Tag Archives | Dabke
Masters of the Dabke!
Masters of the Dabke!
The most beloved folk dance in Lebanon is surely the dabke, which hasn’t lost its luster even though it is centuries old. No one really knows the dabke’s origins, though one tradition explains that the dance began in a region where houses were built of stone walls but had roofs made of wood, straw and dirt. Workers and neighbors would stomp the dirt with their feet to compact it, singing “Let’s go and help.” This helpful, communal verse developed into a song called, “Ala Dal Ouna” and formed the backdrop for the dance. In this video watch the Masters of the Dabke show you what’s what.
