Natalie Borg - Dancing Cymbalist

My work as a Dancing Cymbalist focuses on Middle Eastern dance and music as an expression of personal identity. It is rooted in the aim of 'improvisational creative embodiment' aiming for a synthesis of improvisation in music and movement and embracing intercultural connection.

 

Mixed Heritage

I have been unconsciously focused on a search for my distinct identity for most of my life as a person of mixed heritage. Seeking an 'cultural and artistic' viewpoint from which I could make sense of myself and the world around me.

 

Born in South West London and now settled in Edinburgh. I am of Scottish and Anatolian Greek heritage with genealogical influences from all around the Mediterranean.

 

Scottish Side - Turnbull/Connelly

My maternal family is Scottish, my mother is from Edinburgh and my grandparents where born in Grassmarket and Motherwell (just outside Glasgow.) Further back on my grandmothers side the family were Irish. On my grandfathers side Scottish from the Turnbull Clan close to the borders with one strand of the family from Barga (known as the most Scottish town in Italy) who then settled in Portobello.

 

Anatolian Greek side - Borg/Lazaropoulo

My paternal family is ‘Anatolian Greek’ from Pera in Istanbul. Going further back my ancestors on my grandfathers side were majority Balkan Maltese and there are also connections to Sicily. Given Malta's close proximity to North Africa I have ancestors who have arabic names in one of the tree branches. My grandmother was also Istanbul Greek although I have been unable to trace her family any further back. 

 

History

As a result of the British overseas evacuation policy during the 2nd world war Balkan Maltese subjects living in Turkey were evacuated and faced an 8 year journey in transit before being re-settled, with my direct family coming to the UK and other members settling in Cyprus and Australia. 

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There is a dissertation written about that journey by Bridget Mary Deane

Misplaced-British-Subjects-Balkan-Maltese-in-Transit-1941-1949-B-M-Deane.pdf

 

My interest in different places and cultures has stemmed from the brief stories told to me through the childlike eyes of my father from that journey and that interest informs my inspirations in dance. From finding emeralds in the desert in Africa, to getting stung climbing trees for honey in India and paintings at home of olive trees.  Although there was much hardship and discrimination faced at the time the stories filled me with wonder for these places that exist outside of the current time and space. It created a longing for the ethnicity of my shared cultural backgrounds which was buried or hidden as an attempt of safety and 'fitting in.'

 

Interculturalism

Having been brought up proudly in a multicultural society my focus with my work now is to promote interculturalism. Not just different cultures co-existing peacefully with each other but also intermingling and celebrating our different and shared human experiences.

 

Collaboration

I look to collaborate with others to provide experiences where people can connect with different cultures through the arts, dance and music. I feel that this is especially important in the world's current political climate when political and media fearmongering can create a rise in xenophobia, racism and systemic discrimination.

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Process

I work in ‘Studio Cybele’ an artist studio I hire in East Lothian. My process involves aiming for  'improvisational creative embodiment.' I don’t view my dancing and my playing of the cymbals as two separate things. I want them to co-exist so that I am able to freely improvise within my dance style and freely improvise on the cymbals at the same time. 

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Visual Aesthetics

My visual aesthetics are influenced by vintage Egyptian dance movement styles from the golden era of arabic dance 1940s-1970s and also by the ottoman influence in costuming, textiles and jewellery. I’m interested in the materiality of the items I perform in, no doubt influenced by my upbringing above my father's antique shop where I developed a love for beautiful items and materials that have a history to them.

 

Instrument Collection

I have a collection of over 30 pairs of different finger cymbals which are also known as Sagat (Egypt) or Zills (Turkey). Every pair of cymbals has different pitch, resonance and tonality. They include several Egyptian sagat including from DarbuckaCat and Mustafa Siina and toura (large cymbals the musicians play.) I also have vintage cymbals from Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. I also have several pairs of Saroyan Cymbals, Turquoise International and a pair made by Sulyman of Sirocco/El Coyote; all made in the USA.