20th April 2013 at Royal Festival Hall (Clore Ballroom), London SE1.

Part of Alchemy Festival (free event).

Country: India. Style: Sidi Goma.

Lineup: 5 x dancers, 3 x drummers.

The Siddi (or Sidi or Sheedi) are of East African origin and have lived in India and Pakistan for centuries. They are mostly Sufi Moslems, and those (like this ensemble) from Gujarat have preserved their African traditions in the Goma (or Dhamaal) dance form in honour of their Sufi saints. One Sidi Goma troupe has been regularly touring the UK and other countries since 2004. This group was a different one as according to the announcer it was their first time in the UK. It consisted of three drummers (one playing a long vessel drum the Mugarman and two playing medium sized cylindrical drums the Musindo) and five dancers (several of whom also played instruments e.g. Damal (small cylindrical drum), Nafir (conch shell trumpet), Mai Mishra (coconut rattle). I only saw the first of the ensemble’s two performances (there were workshops in between). This was a truncated version of a typical Sidi Goma touring performance (the starting call to prayer and trance-like dancing in white kurta robes were omitted). There was only the usual second half of peacock feather costumes and painted faces (these are a relatively recent innovation) with dances imitating a variety of animals. Ending as usual with coconut breaking (the fruit are tossed in the air and broken on the dancers’ head).

Tags:   World Music India Sidi Goma Sidi Goma Dhamal Ensemble Dancers Alchemy Festival Southbank Centre

© All Rights Reserved

20th April 2013 at Royal Festival Hall (Clore Ballroom), London SE1.

Part of Alchemy Festival (free event).

Country: India. Style: Sidi Goma.

Lineup: 5 x dancers, 3 x drummers.

The Siddi (or Sidi or Sheedi) are of East African origin and have lived in India and Pakistan for centuries. They are mostly Sufi Moslems, and those (like this ensemble) from Gujarat have preserved their African traditions in the Goma (or Dhamaal) dance form in honour of their Sufi saints. One Sidi Goma troupe has been regularly touring the UK and other countries since 2004. This group was a different one as according to the announcer it was their first time in the UK. It consisted of three drummers (one playing a long vessel drum the Mugarman and two playing medium sized cylindrical drums the Musindo) and five dancers (several of whom also played instruments e.g. Damal (small cylindrical drum), Nafir (conch shell trumpet), Mai Mishra (coconut rattle). I only saw the first of the ensemble’s two performances (there were workshops in between). This was a truncated version of a typical Sidi Goma touring performance (the starting call to prayer and trance-like dancing in white kurta robes were omitted). There was only the usual second half of peacock feather costumes and painted faces (these are a relatively recent innovation) with dances imitating a variety of animals. Ending as usual with coconut breaking (the fruit are tossed in the air and broken on the dancers’ head).

Tags:   World Music India Sidi Goma Sidi Goma Dhamal Ensemble Dancers Alchemy Festival Southbank Centre

© All Rights Reserved

20th April 2013 at Royal Festival Hall (Clore Ballroom), London SE1.

Part of Alchemy Festival (free event).

Country: India. Style: Sidi Goma.

Lineup: 5 x dancers, 3 x drummers.

The Siddi (or Sidi or Sheedi) are of East African origin and have lived in India and Pakistan for centuries. They are mostly Sufi Moslems, and those (like this ensemble) from Gujarat have preserved their African traditions in the Goma (or Dhamaal) dance form in honour of their Sufi saints. One Sidi Goma troupe has been regularly touring the UK and other countries since 2004. This group was a different one as according to the announcer it was their first time in the UK. It consisted of three drummers (one playing a long vessel drum the Mugarman and two playing medium sized cylindrical drums the Musindo) and five dancers (several of whom also played instruments e.g. Damal (small cylindrical drum), Nafir (conch shell trumpet), Mai Mishra (coconut rattle). I only saw the first of the ensemble’s two performances (there were workshops in between). This was a truncated version of a typical Sidi Goma touring performance (the starting call to prayer and trance-like dancing in white kurta robes were omitted). There was only the usual second half of peacock feather costumes and painted faces (these are a relatively recent innovation) with dances imitating a variety of animals. Ending as usual with coconut breaking (the fruit are tossed in the air and broken on the dancers’ head).
In this photo: Four dancers go over the top of the fifth moving in the opposite direction on the ground.

Tags:   World Music India Sidi Goma Sidi Goma Dhamal Ensemble Dancers Alchemy Festival Southbank Centre

© All Rights Reserved

20th April 2013 at Royal Festival Hall (Clore Ballroom), London SE1.

Part of Alchemy Festival (free event).

Country: India. Style: Sidi Goma.

Lineup: 5 x dancers, 3 x drummers.

The Siddi (or Sidi or Sheedi) are of East African origin and have lived in India and Pakistan for centuries. They are mostly Sufi Moslems, and those (like this ensemble) from Gujarat have preserved their African traditions in the Goma (or Dhamaal) dance form in honour of their Sufi saints. One Sidi Goma troupe has been regularly touring the UK and other countries since 2004. This group was a different one as according to the announcer it was their first time in the UK. It consisted of three drummers (one playing a long vessel drum the Mugarman and two playing medium sized cylindrical drums the Musindo) and five dancers (several of whom also played instruments e.g. Damal (small cylindrical drum), Nafir (conch shell trumpet), Mai Mishra (coconut rattle). I only saw the first of the ensemble’s two performances (there were workshops in between). This was a truncated version of a typical Sidi Goma touring performance (the starting call to prayer and trance-like dancing in white kurta robes were omitted). There was only the usual second half of peacock feather costumes and painted faces (these are a relatively recent innovation) with dances imitating a variety of animals. Ending as usual with coconut breaking (the fruit are tossed in the air and broken on the dancers’ head).

Tags:   World Music India Sidi Goma Sidi Goma Dhamal Ensemble Dancers Damal Drums Alchemy Festival Southbank Centre

© All Rights Reserved

20th April 2013 at Royal Festival Hall (Clore Ballroom), London SE1.

Part of Alchemy Festival (free event).

Country: India. Style: Sidi Goma.

Lineup: 5 x dancers, 3 x drummers.

The Siddi (or Sidi or Sheedi) are of East African origin and have lived in India and Pakistan for centuries. They are mostly Sufi Moslems, and those (like this ensemble) from Gujarat have preserved their African traditions in the Goma (or Dhamaal) dance form in honour of their Sufi saints. One Sidi Goma troupe has been regularly touring the UK and other countries since 2004. This group was a different one as according to the announcer it was their first time in the UK. It consisted of three drummers (one playing a long vessel drum the Mugarman and two playing medium sized cylindrical drums the Musindo) and five dancers (several of whom also played instruments e.g. Damal (small cylindrical drum), Nafir (conch shell trumpet), Mai Mishra (coconut rattle). I only saw the first of the ensemble’s two performances (there were workshops in between). This was a truncated version of a typical Sidi Goma touring performance (the starting call to prayer and trance-like dancing in white kurta robes were omitted). There was only the usual second half of peacock feather costumes and painted faces (these are a relatively recent innovation) with dances imitating a variety of animals. Ending as usual with coconut breaking (the fruit are tossed in the air and broken on the dancers’ head).

Tags:   World Music India Sidi Goma Sidi Goma Dhamal Ensemble Dancers Damal Drums Alchemy Festival Southbank Centre

© All Rights Reserved