KCRF Romani (Gypsy) dance - Kashlimah

Kashlimah: a dance of strength

This dance is performed by the Romani (Gypsies) Dance Group of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. The dancers herein have been kind enough to share this dance to educate, entertain, and aid in its learning.

Disclaimer: In reality, these people are not Romani, nor make any claim to being such. The dance is theatrical, choreographed to reflect a desired theatrical presentation - as far as I know it is not meant to emulate any real dances. The Gypsies at the KCRF are presented as a highly tolerated and generally liked entertainment group, something which everyone will admit freely (out of character, and elude to in-character) is historically inaccurate. If you are curious, I encourage further reading on the historical and current disposition of the Romani.

If you wish to use the dance, images, or music here in some way other than personal reference or entertainment, please contact the Kansas City Renaissance Festival (http://www.kcrenfest.com/ - they are nice folk who mostly are interested to know where and how it is being used). Inquiries for live demonstrations and/or performances by the Kompania Boleyn (also known as the Gypsy Boys of the Kansas City Renaissance Faire) can also be directed to the contact above.

This video was posted with the consent of the dancers and drummers herein, and the consent of the KCRF.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• KCRF
• Kansas City
• Renaissance Festival
• Renaissance Faire
• Renaissance
• Faire
• Festival
• Dance
• Gypsy
• Performance
• Romani
• Roma

[TheWizardAlexander]

This fascinates, watching comments over time. The pervasive point made seems to be "this is not what real Romani dancing looks like", with Tsigano (is my Google-fu bad, or is your name an Italian word meaning Gypsy?) helpfully providing search parameters. Too, the continuing questions seem to be "why is this being done" and "why do they mean such disrespect / offense".

Trying to answer: Offense is not meant, they/we just don't know any better. It fills a theatre niche with best info avail.

[Tsigano]

Looks like white people rehearsing for some Aladdin pantomime. This isn't Romani (Gypsy) dancing. It isn't even remotely like it. I am confused why white middle class people of western Europe and America feel the need to take up evening dance classes of dancing and name it to an ethnic people even when they obviously know nothing about these people or it seems even know how we actually dance. Its the same with belly dance. Romani don't and never have belly danced. Its crazy why people say we do

[TheWizardAlexander]

@Tsigano - Call it romanticizing an idea. This is a performing group for a Renaissance Festival, an event that is itself a sanitized, simplified, and romanticized event. That being said, I would be very interested in you pointing me toward video(s) showing real Romani dancing.

[ravhynejb]

What's with the shaking video? Is there no tripod?

Anyway, great dance group.

[gypsywichitamarksboy]

umm lol gypsys dont dance like that lol i shud no cuz im a gypsy lol

[JohnBolender]

@Tsigano "I am confused why white middle class people of western Europe and America feel the need to take up evening dance classes of dancing and name it to an ethnic people even when they obviously know nothing about these people"

It's not that hard to understand. Nearly everything ethnic and colorful was washed out of middle America. That leaves people with a hunger for folkloric things, and a desire to reconstruct them. Allowing in more immigrants might be a better way, though.

[Tsigano]

@Promthanius For real Romani performers type

"Roma Fest, Gypsy Dancers at the Paléo Festival"

"Romafest Gypsy Dance Theater - Verbunk"

"Live de Joaquin Cortes - Martinete (Parte 2 de 2)". For the record Joaquin Cortes now works as an ambassador for the Rromani people in Spain.

[Tsigano]

@Promthanius Another thing. If you know some much then how come you say "Rom dancing"? Rom is the title for a "married and respected man within our community". Roms (plural) in Romani is "Roma". Roma is also a name used by a subgroup of Romani people who mainly live in southeast Europe. It is a new & ignorant trend amongst Gaje (non-Romani) to start to call us as "Roma". Most groups of Romani do not recognize the word "Roma". In our language we are "Rromane", but in English are Romani / Rommany

[Tsigano]

@Promthanius Your question is not important to the fact a whole ethnic people are being insulted by this daft video and nothing has been done about it. I was told about belly dancing by a tour guide whilst in Turkey on a visit to Ephesus & Pamukkale. It is the common belief of many people of that part of the world. This does not change the fact that my culture is not a show piece for non-Romani people to feel the need to insult us. How dare you say you have "studied" my people.

[Promthanius]

@Tsigano I do know that Rom music and dancing is. I said I have been studying it for some years now. But you are ignoring my REAL question.

[Tsigano]

@Promthanius As for where I think the Romani come from then I am Romani & know where I come from - India. Language, culture and DNA testing confirms this. As does our music & dancing then this also confirms it. Even flamenco is on the Indian 12 beat.. Romani in Spain (Gitano / Cigani / Kale) broke away from Romani (Sinti) in the Holy Roman Empire in around 1410ad. Records show hey left Flemish lands & arrived in Aragon in Spain in 1425ad. The Spanish valued them for their music even then

[Tsigano]

@Promthanius if u think this then u obviously know nothing about or even what Romani music is. Romani music isn't from all parts of the world. Traditional Romani music is of Indian origin & has greatly influenced many other musics (especially latin). Romani music of western Europe is centered on the guitar (from India geet=song & tar = string) & like all Romani music is uses clapping, raised arms & tap dance. In the east Europe Romani have the Dhouli drum (like Indian Dhol drum).