Dance Softly -- and Carry a Big Stick!

A friend recently asked me about the "stick dance" Anthony does as part of his solos and several of our troupe performances. Dancing with a stick derives from tahtib, a type of martial art that originated in Egypt. In tahtib, men use a large, heavy stick to protect themselves or kill an attacker. This has developed into performances between two men, often accompanied by music. Although there's music in the background, the performances are focused on warfare, not dancing.

Dancing with the stick is called al-assaya. Typically, men dance with a large, heavy stick, while women dance with a smaller stick or cane. The sticks Anthony's dancing with in today's picture are quite heavy and long, so it would be difficult for me to use them a dance. I prefer using a cane; the stick gives a sense of "I've got a stick, and I know how to use it!," while the cane is more playful, even flirtatious.