What is Fusion?

By Michelle Morrison

I've heard the term "fusion" bandied about for quite some time, and it seems that there are a couple of interpretations with very different meanings.

The pairing of Middle Eastern Dance moves to non-Middle Eastern music is one example. Flamenco or Spanish-style music is often used and the progression to this pairing is quite logical, given the ties of Moorish Spain to the Middle East . Many bands who play Middle Eastern music have also fused their rhythms to Spanish-style songs (listen to Gypsy Caravan's Migration track 11 and Moon Over Cairo's Amayaguena). The result is certainly pleasing and allows for a wealth of interpretive movements.

There is also the pairing of belly dance moves to North African music such as Algerian and Tunisian. Then there is the fusion of the styles of Middle Eastern dance within the regions of Middle Eastern music. For example, Egyptian movements performed to Turkish music. I used to dance with a Jordanian drummer who didn't like that I used music from Mezdeke (Turkish), even though he approved of my dancing. Likewise, I spoke with a Lebanese dancer who thought her movements were vastly superior to the Egyptian style of dance even though she used Egyptian music. Along the lines of this definition (although it could be argued that this is yet a third definition of fusion), is the pairing of Raqs Sharqi moves to Raqs Balady music and vice versa.

There has long been a tradition of a Raqs Sharqi (or Oriental) dancer paying homage to the dance origins by including a move or two of the folkloric in her routine. I am enamored of Troupe Salamat from Arizona who, while American Tribal in their style liberally borrow Oriental moves to incorporate into their routines. With the spread of technology even the Ghawazee of Egypt, I recently learned, are gaining more access to dance videos and are adopting moves not traditionally in their repertoire.

Perhaps what this whole question comes down to is this: What are the boundaries of Middle Eastern Dance and Music? When I wrote the first sentence above, I could have answered you definitively, yet as I wrote of my experiences with various dancers and musicians, I realized that as this dance grows in popularity, its borders are dissolving and it is becoming a world dance. I realize many purists will cringe at this idea but I contend that we will not lose the authenticity of Egyptian/Lebanese/Turkish dance because these styles are so beautiful and have survived for so long. We will simply have that much more opportunity for expression and learning. And we will have that many more CDs and videos, and costumes to buy (oh dear!).

Farfesha Belly Dance © 2004