A place to chat about the SWANA music we love to dance to!
Setsuna
Drawing from the concept of a book club, we will get together to talk about the songs that
inspire us to dance. The meetings are a place to exchange knowledge, learn from each other, and share our ideas through games and informal conversation. As the club is new, our
direction will largely be determined by the interests of the group. But, some future meetings
may include specialist guest speakers on maqam, crowd funding lyrics interpretations, and
deep dives into the use of certain instruments (and how to interpret them in your dance).
We welcome dancers at all levels of SWANA dance styles (SWANA = Southwest Asia &
North Africa). Whether you are deeply knowledgeable about SWANA music or relatively
new on your music journey, we can all learn from each other. Our conversations will not only
focus on musical knowledge, but also how the songs make us feel! That means you will
always have an expertise to contribute, because we can grow collectively from hearing the
diverse ways that a song creatively inspires each of us.
The information shared during club meets will be stored on a repository that members can
access. We hope to grow a resource of various references and materials such as playlists,
song recommendations, info on active musicians and composers (including those available
for hire), interpretations, music genre histories, music editing software, and so much more!
If you are interested in joining the song club, please register your interest on this sign-up list.
Or email setsunadances@yahoo.com
Song club details
A new song every meet. Meetings 45mins – 1.5 hrs (depending on how much there is to
discuss). Lots of connection. Lots of information sharing. Let’s enjoy the emotion of the
music that we dance to, learn new songs, and play games!
Concept:
Runs just like a book club, but for music.
When/where:
The plan is to hold the first song club meeting in July 2025. Meetings will be spaced out, so
as to accommodate people’s busy schedules! Meetings take place online. Exact time and date will be announced closer to July.
Cost:
Song club will operate on a collective care model. If something comes up that requires
funding (for example: hiring a guest speaker or lyrics translation), we will collectively fund
it. If the club amasses a very large membership we may need to place a suggested donation or other contribution (such as admin support), but for now, there is no monetary cost.
Why just one song per club meet?:
So we can do a deep dive. We also will enjoy music-based games and conversation, allowing
us to learn from each other and share information that develops our knowledge of SWANA
music and our sense of musicality in dance.
What kind of SWANA music?:
Music that we dance to in genres such as Raqs sharqi, chaabi, and oryantal
The purpose of the club is to:
Bond over our love of SWANA music and dance
Talk about how music inspires us creatively and emotionally
Expand our understanding and appreciation of SWANA music in an informal environment
Exchange/share knowledge and personal experience related to dancing to SWANA music
Setsuna Dance bio:
Setsuna is a dancer and dance researcher that has practiced Raqs sharqi for over 20 years. She teaches, performs, and studies regularly, and is committed to presenting her art to the best of her ability. Setsuna also holds an MA in Community Dance and is currently a PhD candidate in dance studies, focused on dance and social sustainability. You can find her on instagram or facebook at setsunadance
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