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Articles
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DANCING FEET - HEALING HANDS
A two part series by Beatrice Parvin & Amel Tafsout
Part 1 - DANCING FEET - Beatrice Parvin
Feet are perhaps one of the most neglected parts of our anatomy when learning Arabic dance yet they are one of the most important.
I first went to a class in Arabic and Maghreb dance taught by Amel Tafsout, and was surprised at the emphasis she made on the placing of my feet. I did not realise then the complex role feet have in this dance — assuming like many outsiders to this art form that the vital and maybe only important focus is the torso and hips. How mistaken this view is, I later began to discover and that, rather than an after thought, the feet are actually key players. They are in fact the foundations of the movements and control the balance and shift of weight in the upper part of the body.
Unlike other forms of dance the feet are not the obvious visual focus. The hands, arms, head, chest and hips take centre stage, eclipsing the gentle steps and glide of the feet. They are, if you like, the directors of the body or hidden conductors, as they are never allowed to take the applause. They orchestrate the muscular choreography of the dancer in a subtle and supportive way that differs from other dance forms.
In two other related dance forms, Flamenco and Kathak, the feet are not only used as a percussive accompaniment, but also serve as a visual focus in the performance. One of the first images you have of these dances is that of the black heeled crossbar shoes of the Flamenco dancer hammering into the floor or a Kathak dancers’ layers of ankle bells creating a stream of sound in perfect time to the rhythms of the tabla.
In Arabic and Maghreb dance, the eye is drawn to the colourful coins and scarves strewn around the dancers’ hips. The feet are often hidden by a long skirt or are just in sight at the end of a pair of voluminous trousers. They may be adorned with henna patterns or a few slim ankle bells may rest there, but these are not essential.
The intricate subtleties of each foot can be seen with a movement such as the camel. I had great difficulties at first with this. It is much easier for instance, to move your feet in a waltz where it is just a matter of putting your feet in particular places around the dance floor in time with the rhythm. The feet have no responsibility for the rest of the body. The body is just taken whither and thither as the feet make patterns with swirling steps.
The camel movement, which can be done on the spot or can be used to move the dancer to another, demands a lot more of the feet. Not only do they have the job of moving the body geographically they also have to co-ordinate the muscular waves in the pelvis and torso. The arms also have to work with the feet to create balance, and the whole movement must be seen to be effortless and constant with no jerks or pauses along the way. Before this movement becomes second nature it takes a great deal of effort and control which is mostly focused on the feet. If you step on the whole of the sole, or only on the toes; or with both feet on tip-toe or only one, you change the movements in the upper body.
Amel teaches us to step lightly with the front foot with the toes and shift the weight to the back foot. This shift of weight indeed increases the curve of the torso. Putting the weight on the front foot tends to make the movement heavier and loses the lilting sway of the camel. There are, I’m sure, many other ways to perceive the camel and this is only one movement where the intricacies of the feet and their vital importance can be seen.
Through learning this dance I was able to see feet differently. My own pair, which had never seemed particularly interesting, became a world unto themselves as I started a course in Reflexology.
In Reflexology, different parts of the feet are associated with different parts of the body - the feet show the body’s complex arrangement of tissues in microcosm. During a treatment, if a reflex point in the foot is slightly painful it could indicate an imbalance in the related area of the body. Reflexology is particularly beneficial for those suffering from stress, and the myriad of complaints that spring from this contemporary problem. Throughout the treatment each and every organ will be treated so that equilibrium can be restored to the body, helping circulation, detoxifying and re-energising the body’s systems.
Feet are, according to Greek legend, the symbol of the soul. There are many allusions in ancient scriptures and illustrations to feet as important areas of spiritual and physical healing throughout the world. One of the earliest and most quoted examples is from a wall in an ancient Egyptian tomb of Ankhmahor dating back to 2330 BC. It depicts a man receiving a treatment from another with hieroglyphics translating as "Do not let it be painful", and the practitioner replying, "I do as you please".
There is almost nothing more satisfying in the world than lying back and having your feet massaged. Furthermore a treatment can help restore well being and renew the mind and body leaving you feeling calm and relaxed.
Touching another person’s feet can sometimes expose the receiver’s sensitivity and allow them to free painful emotions. In our country feet are mostly covered up and neglected and you can feel quite vulnerable while having them massaged and given attention for the first time. The giver also can receive benefits. The act of giving in such a symbolic and humble way with slow languorous strokes is rewarding and positive.
I have found there are many parallels between Arabic dance and Reflexology. They both encourage healing by seeing the body as a whole. There is no part ignored by the dance, from your fingertips to your toes — each has their role to play.
The spine in Reflexology is located along the inside of the foot from the base of the big toe to below the anklebone. As your fingers follow the curve of your foot you can almost count the corresponding 33 vertebrae in your spine. From there radiate all the nerves to our major organs, so this is a very important area to give attention to and it is the easiest to do by yourself. Similarly with the dance all movement radiates out from this central axis. The more you are aware of this the better your balance and fluidity of movement will be.
At the beginning or end of a session a reflexologist will press on your solar plexus. This is a powerful point that encourages immediate relaxation. On the foot it is located between the second and third toe below the ball of the foot. This corresponds with the nerve centre below the centre of your chest behind your diaphragm. It is a very common area to store tension. When we dance it is important that this area is open and giving and free of defensive emotions as from here radiate the movements of the arms which should turn from the body in a soft continuous flow. Our feet connect us to the earth. As we dance barefoot we are unconsciously massaging each and every part of ourselves through our feet.
The resulting feeling of ‘oneness’ is similar after both a massage and an intensive dance session. Both can be relaxing and stimulating without risking any damage or involving invasive methods. So, I urge you please to value and look after your feet, as this is where all movement and healing begins.
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Part 2 HEALING HANDS - Amel Tafsout
I always have been fascinated by hands. Even as a child I used to watch how women in my family used their hands to communicate with each other when they did not want other people to understand what they were talking about. At weddings I love watching Algerian and other Arab women dancing, especially women dancing Andalusian style. Their hands have a soul of their own. They are snakes, become birds, change to flames and finish being a flowing river.
Hands are the part of the body which differentiate us from animals .We use hands in so many various ways: we eat, wash, write, play music, pray, sew, weave, communicate and express ourselves with hands. We use hands more than any other part of the body for most actions whether ordinary, religious or magical.
Hands in Dance
In Berber dances, hand movements enable the contact between Mother Earth and the Universe. In the Mevlevi Sufi order the dervishes start their spinning with their hands crossed, then during the turning they direct one hand toward Mother Earth and the other towards the Universe. In Indian Dance there are about 250 hand poses but how many of them are used in any dance depends upon the theme of the story for the dance. There are 67 essential poses - 24 of one hand, 13 both hands and 30 of dancing pose. In Flamenco, the female dancer uses mostly the movement of hands and fingers, the very essence of the feminine dance. With the palms of the hands facing downwards, the hands move flexibly from the wrists in a circular motion in either direction, both slowly and fluidly. The fingers can be placed together or in exagerated positons, very similar to the Algerian Andalusian hand movements.
I could spend all my life studying hand movements and their meaning. The Silk Road [Marco Polo’s route through Central Asia to China] left an real influence on the hand movements of different dance cultures. I am fascinated by the use of hands in Persian, Uzbek, Armenian and Turkish dances, not to mention the beautiful slow and fluid dancing hands of Chinease , Japanease and Javanease dances.
Sign Language
Another important use of hands is the sign language - I can watch it for hours and intend to study it.
Power and Blessing
The hands have been regarded as a symbol of power. In Semitic cultures an attack by a ghost on a human being is called "The Hand of the Ghost". In Scotland where many ancient traditions still survive, invocation by the hand of a father or grandfather meant invocation of their power. In the Bible and the Qur’an, the expression "God’s Hand" means "God’s Power".
Gods and heroes are often represented with arms and hands to signify their power: In Buddhist sculpture the downcast hand means renunciation, as represented in the gigantic figure of Buddha at Kyaikpun. In Ancient Egypt, the Ra, or sun disk, is represented with numerous rays each terminating in a hand.
In Jewish times, each of the fingers of God’s hand was regarded as having a special meaning, and oathes were taken by holding up the right hand as this was considered more important than the left. The Arabs today will not allow the left hand to touch food, as the left is regarded as unlucky.
Among the early Greeks the hand formed the symbol of significance and the Romans used it as a special ornament on many household ornaments, and in their handles and knockers for doors.
The hand is universally used as an instrument of blessing.
As a sacred symbol, the hand was reproduced in early Christian art in mosaics, in tombs. It was used to represent the Trinity. A hand is depicted emerging from clouds which were supposed to conceal the brightness of the invisible Almighty "which no man could behold and live". When superimposed on a cross, the ‘Divine hand’ was regarded as one of the most remarkable charms used against the "evil eye". We also can see pictures of a hand sending down rays of light to express the Divine beneficence shed upon The Mother Earth or on a person. It is shown as a blessing in two positions called the Greek and Latin benedictions - the Greek attitude consisted of the middle finger bent and the thumb crossed upon the third finger forming the first Greek letter of the name of Christ; the Latin position was when the two first fingers are extended while the other two bend inwards, an attitude often seen in pictures of the Saviour.
The use of the open hand is almost universal and its meaning is to avert or to ward off or to protect, like the hand of the traffic policeman extended to stop the traffic.The open hand was largely used as an amulet in the Middle East and North Africa as a charm to avert negative energies. It is often called the "Hand of Fatima" (the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed, called "the Mother of all Believers") but in Arabic we call it "Khamsa" which means five, as five is a magical number.
The Khamsa
In the Maghreb, of all parts of the body the hand (with the heart and the eye) has the most significant symbol - the hand of protection , also called "kef Meriem" (Mary’s Palm). The symbolism of the hand raised, palm outwards, to repel some threatened evil, is obvious and the five fingers are believed to represent the five pillars of Islam or the five most sacred persons in Islam: The prophet Mohammed, Ali his cousin and son in law (Fatima’s husband), Fatima (the prophet’s daughter), Hassan and Husain (Ali and Fatima’s children). Nowadays the "Khamsa" represents North African identity and is often used by the so called "Beurs" (second and third generation children of North African immigrants in France) and also by North African artists, musicians, singers and performers. I personally love the "Khamsa" as a jewellery because of its symbol for healing and protection. On my trips to America I was very surprised but also thrilled to notice that American people are more connected to the "Khamsa" than British people. I did enjoy buying some to add to my "Khamsa" collection!
Hands are used for praying whether they are joined (in Christian religion), palms up and open (in Islam), or with the right hand on the top of the left.
The custom of wearing jewelled rings on the hand was related to magical powers, as each precious stone was supposed to possess special virtues.
In some countries, the hand was regarded as a symbol of justice. The uplifted hand is used to command silence. In religious rites the laying of the hand on the head signifies blessing, as if it communicates some unseen power to the person on whom it is laid.
Healing
Since Humanity began the touch has been used for magical and healing purposes. The practice of "Healing by touch", even nowadays we call it "hands on", can be traced back to a very early period and was probably a survival of a rite performed in ancient societies such as Ancient Egypt and Babylonia. It is thought that certain people had special healing powers, a very good example would be Jesus. The energy coming from the hands of some people can be felt very strongly. Many possess such a degree of personal magnetism that they can relieve pain of nervous origin. The finger-tips of the hands of some people afflicted with blindness are so sensitive, that they have almost a visual sense and can even distinguish colours.
Healing is using healing energy which is psychic energy, channelled through the healer and released through the heart and the hands into the patient’s energy field. She (the healer) has to allow that channelling of energy to happen: The energy channels itself, the healer is just a vehicle through which it moves.
In Algeria, my family used healing on a daily basis. My grandmother was known for her healing power but she never used it with anyone outside the family. My parents used healing on us children. Healing was very natural and obvious as we believed in its power. When I grew up, my father gave me the so called "healing hands", which meant that I could start to heal. This was like a ritual that stayed inside the family. When I came to live in England I never thought to use my hands to heal people here as they did not belong to my family circle. One day I met a woman who was studying spiritual healing, she gave me a brochure about a specific healing course. I enrolled for the course, studied spiritual healing and finished my accreditation as a healer.
The Chakras
Before I begin a session with the patient , I need to align myself with the highest energies available, to clear and charge all my chakras to allow the energy to come into my hands.Well balanced chakras or energy centres will create a well balanced person.The seven major chakras are related to specific colours:
1. Base or root chakra: Basic colour red ,linked at the region of gonads. It is the connection with the earth and physical reality.
2. Sacral or sex chakra: Orange. Located between the base and solar plexus and controls the lower digestive system and the well being of the adrenals.
3. Solar plexus chakra: Yellow. Linked at the area of the pancreas this centre is concerned with the person’s individuality. Fear and anxiety register here.
4. Heart chakra: Green. Located at the region of the thymus gland above the heart, it is the link between the physical and spiritual aspect of the person ,reflecting the emotions and revealing how we relate to others and to nature.
5. Throat chakra: Blue. Located at the region of the thyroid gland to which it relates. Here we can see how a person expresses his whole being. Physically it shows up vulnerabilities around the throat.
6. Brow or third eye chakra: Indigo. It is linked at the pituitary gland which is the master gland of the endoctrine system. An important centre where past memories are stored.
7. Crown chakra: Violet. Linked at the pineal gland which the Greeks called "the seat of the soul". Our appreciation of art, religion and beauty are reflected here.
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