Style Saturday: Guedra

Guedra (pronounced gee-dra with a hard ‘g’) is a Moroccan folk dance that is particularly associated with the southwest of the country, and the “blue people” of the Tuareg (they are blue because of the dye they use in their
clothing that ultimately rubs off onto their skin).

There is a lot that can be said about Guerda, but I think Jasmin Jahal says it best in this article from 2001:

Guedra Dance of Morocco

The article explains the rhythmic nature of the blessing dance that may last for hours and can induce a hypnotic state. When one dancer finishes, another takes her place.

Naturally, when the Guedra is performed for modern audiences, the dance doesn’t last for hours, but as you see and hear the rhythm is very repetitive and hypnotic. Imagine dancing for even 10 minutes like this.

(and before you ask, I have absolutely no idea why someone chose to post this video to YouTube with their own picture inset in the left hand corner)

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