Recommended for Grades K-12
In this resource you will:
- Learn about the Saidi rhythm used in South Egyptian music
- Explore the different drums commonly used to create Saidi rhythm
- Create the Saidi rhythm using a drum or your own voice
In this resource you will:
Vocabulary You Will Learn:
Materials You Will Need:
How to Create Your Own Sa’idi Rhythm
In this video, Karim teaches us to create the Saidi rhythm using our bodies, voices, and a drum. If you want to go even further, think about these questions:
Accessibility
Don’t forget that you can turn on “Closed Captioning” to view the YouTube video with English captions
More about the Teaching Artist
Karim Nagi (he/him) is a native Egyptian immigrant to the USA specializing in traditional Arab music and dance. He studied with primary sources for decades, and has become an established teaching artist and culture bearer. His Arabiqa program has visited more than 400 schools across the country. Karim’s goal is to share the beauty of Arab culture, dispel stereotypes, and create interpersonal harmony among people of different cultures. For more information, visit:.
Teaching Artist
Karim Nagi
Curriculum & Media Development
Kennedy Center School and Community Programs
Content Editor
Laurie Ascoli
Revised
October 20, 2023
As a follow up to Karim Nagi’s video, Saidi Rhythms from the South of Egypt, learn the movements that compliment traditional rhythms from his native country, Egypt. In this video, Karim teaches a southern Egyptian dance called Raqs Assaya, otherwise known as the stick dance. This dance can be done with anything from a stick to a pool noodle to a Pringle's can; just make sure you have an open space and permission from an adult.
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