Having extensively studied and worked with Mahmoud was one of the most treasured gifts my Life has given me. Our relationship is beyond the regular teacher-student matter as well as assistant-artist. It goes way beyond it in ways words can hardly express.
Having assisted him while he choreographed some of his pieces - to teach all over the world at the age of 84 years old!:) - was eye opening and the ground breaking kick for my own choreography challenge - an ever growing passion filled with hate/love notes.
Here are some of the gems I got from Mahmoud and always hold on to when I am choreographing a new piece:
1. Just do it. Don´t think about it so much and believe in the power of ACTION. Even if you don´t feel much inspired today: do it. Simple as that. Then you can change whatever you´re not satisfied with - later on. Don´t wait for a "moment of inspiration". Create one - many, hopefully - by ACTING upon it.
It was Pablo Picasso who once said: "inspiration exists but it has to find me working." That´s IT, basically. MOVE it. DO IT. Do not wait for angels and stars to fall from the sky so that you "feel" inspired to move ahead. Nike sports brand created the brilliant slogan and this is all about subscribing it: JUST DO IT.
2. You don´t need to start choreographing from the very beginning of the music. You can grab any part of the music that is more appealing to you and choreograph that bit, then returning to the beginning, end, whatever. It´s like a movie shooting: you can go from filming the first scene and ahead or start in the middle, then the end and - finally - the beginning. Art is flexible - also - that way.
3. Use your mind-intellect-rational thinking - whatever you wish to call it. I know that being a naturally instinctive dancer is my own territory - therefore I had a huge trouble (still have) on this issue. "Use your head" - Mahmoud would tell me.
"What do you mean: use your head?!" - I would answer, exasperated.
"Don´t trust just in your instinct. Dare to think about it. Your mind can also help you in the creative process - not only your heart." - He would add.
I was resistant to this until I realized it by myself: a Dancer - and a choreographer, even more than a dancer - MUST gather all sorts of qualities. Instinct is not enough as well as Rational activity is not enough; emotion is not enough, as well as soul is not enough. It´s the union of all these sides of the human being that make a COMPLETE dancer and choreographer.
If you dance and choreograph ONLY through instinct you will tend to be totally unaware of what you´re doing (which can be good and/or bad) and the vocabulary and ideas you will apply will mostly be the ones your body has already assimilated - and not more than that. This is why you see a lot of dancers repeating the same movements again and again giving birth to a dance that is coming from the heart but poor in dance vocabulary, combinations, dynamics, ideas and variety. They trust their instinct and presume that will be enough. Guess what?! Mahmoud was right. It is NOT enough.
4. Don´t go for the obvious and more predictable way of listening, grabbing, feeling and choreographing a music. There are MANY ways of translating a sound and adding something human to it. Be daring and - once more - Intelligent in the choice of movements and combinations that better express a music´s originality. Go for a slow movement when the music is fast (IF the music allows it) and dare to stop when the music is going nuts on speed and intensity. Of course this requires the same old rule: BEFORE YOU BREAK THE RULES YOU MUST - DEEPLY - KNOW THE RULES.
Warning: don´t try this at home if your base on Oriental Dance is not strong.:)
Regarding to this issue Mahmoud told me another true story that happened with the genius composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab. Many years ago, egyptian newspapers used to print upcoming songs from famous singers and composers even before the songs were released (so the melody correspondent to those lyrics was not known for some time). One of Mohamed Abdel Wahab´s songs had a phrase with a single disarming word: "Nagachi". All the music fans, critics and intelligentsia went nuts over it- wondering how complex it would be the music for that word. When the music was - finally- released a lot of people were in shock to find out that the polemic word "Nagachi" was not even sung: it was spoken as coolly and umpretentiouslly as a "sabah il kher" ("good morning" in egyptian dialect). The composer-singer-actor simply said it, dryly and plainly: "Nagachi". Done; no fuss, no muss.
Sometimes, simplicity and unpredictable solutions that come from a new perspective of looking at Life/Art are the Magic Keys*.
5. Don´t be afraid to pose, pause, be still, use the space in smooth and even SILENT ways. Then again this is the kind of thing only a professional or mature artist is able to totally grasp or put into practice but here remains the tip*.
6. Don´t use ALL you know in a single choreography. Give It in small doses and know when "enough is enough".
7. Do a bit of the choreography every day - within a work discipline very similar to the one I used to have in my childhood classical ballet studies.
8. Be yourself. NEVER copy others. Let them copy you - if that serves them. But NEVER copy them. If you are more worried and focused on what others are doing - opposite to what your heart, energy, personality and soul can create - you will be turning yourself into a copies patchwork (a little bit of that dancer, then another bit of another dance and so on: NOT good).
Mahmoud told me a story of a time when he met Om kolthoum (yes: "il ustaza OM KOLTHOUM" ) at a theatre gig (using the word "gig" when applied to Mahmoud Reda and Om Kolthoum seems almost offensive but here we go: I have the best intentions).
Both of them were performing alongside with other artists (including Abdel Halim Hafez and another folkloric troupe). When Om Kolthoum caught Mahmoud sneaking a pick at the other folkloric troupe´s show from behind a stage curtain she whispered in his ear:
-Mahmoud: let them see YOU; you don´t SEE THEM.
Of course this is extreme and came from a highly competitive Diva (aka My Lady); it sounds extreme and even arrogant but it has some Truth in it.
Sure you ought to be other dancer´s work but "not too much"; not to the point that you are attached to what they´re doing and forget what´s your own UNIQUE path.
9. Search for Beauty and Inspirations everywhere (and I mean: EVERYWHERE). In the good and the bad (totally relative notions according to the eyes and mind of who perceive them); in the dirt and in the cleanness; in the sun and in the night; in richness and in poverty. The duty of the Artist is to continuously search for the Beauty exposed or hidden in the most unexpected places in the world and share it with people through his/her Art.
Ideas for a new choreography can arise from a moment of deep despair or the sight of a flower dancing with the wind. Having eyes with "beauty radar" in them is the privilege - and maybe curse - of those who were born with Talent.
Hope these tips inspire you for Happy and Constructive ACTION. Bless our inspired ACTIONS, STEPS and already won challenges.
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