G U E S T S T O R I E S
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Belly dance Competitions: Through the eyes of Ahava"And if you're really serious about your dancing... your art, you'll take those constructive criticisms to heart. I always look at those remarks as a motivation to improve on the areas that they saw as weaknesses. I look at the competitions as a means to grow... as a dancer. Winning, of course, is nice..."
Reyhan Tuzsuz; our gift of Roman dance""Roman without passion is not roman at all" Reyhan says, as she instructs me on what this dance is really about. She defines its energy in the form of three nouns; "Strength, Freedom, Pleasure", also a reflection on the philosophy of a roman life..."
Hadia Speaks... on the Dance""The market of belly dance is not saturated; it is completely oversaturated, has been for some time and is getting more so every year! There are billions of instant new stars who have millions of instant workshops and great marketing strategies. They are attempting to..."
bELyVIS! The King dances""The people enjoyed the day, but the big question was "Who is bELyVIS!?" I had put Mark's act next to last to make sure people didn't leave early. Then, the time had come. The music blaring from the speakers was "Burning Love" and out comes Mark dressed as Elvis Presley with..."
Hollywood Music Center""They're quite different. I enjoy producing the DVDs more because we love working with the dancers. Producing performance DVDs is like a non-stop party. Anyone who has been to one of our video shoots can tell you about the excitement, cheering and endless zaghareets - not to mention..."
Fitting a Belly dance costume "off the rack""However, many common fitting problems can be easily solved with a few simple sewing tricks. Several common problems and their solutions are featured below. A one-piece belt gaps on the sides and/or back because it is not cut with a curve. Tip 1: Stretch and sew a piece of 1/2" or 3/4"..."
Saidi Dance"Stick fighting has been used to settle disputes between members of rival families, mostly in the Egyptian countryside. The men's stick dances are very dramatic and manly dances - not to be confused with the coquetry of the women's dance. Tahtib is a favorite dance at any..."
Oriental Dance in Japan"Japan has many international events which always have belly dancing by one or more groups. As already mentioned, the Habibi shows are very popular and bring dancers from other countries (Tito of Egypt, the male dancer is coming this November) as well as the best dancers from Japan. Bob..."
Oriental Dance in France"Because oriental dance is a beginning popular movement, its practice is not structured yet in France. The State supervises the teaching of all dances with diplomas, but not oriental dance yet. The only other dance which is not subject to any control is "hip-hop". May I also add that there are not any important..."
Oriental Dance in Turkey"Over the last ten years the number of belly dancers who dance with live musicians have declined tremendously, due in most part to economics. Having a performer at a party without a live band naturally costs much less. So, belly dancers started to dance to CDs featuring their favorite collection of music..."
The Nile Group Festival, Part 1"Still in Athens, leaving tonight for my first trip to Cairo, Egypt and the Nile Group Festival. I am SO excited but at the same time freaking out (just being me). My lunch with Rhea (yes the Rhea!) and Belinda, who are also leaving for Cairo the next day, relax me. As I leave, at 1am from El. Benizelos airport in Athens..."
The Nile Group Festival, Part 2"That night I went to Cairo to meet our own OrientalDancer.net forum member Outi. She is from Finland and has worked in Cairo under the name Dunya since last summer. Such a sweet girl, we had coffee and spoke about how it is to be a dancer in Egypt. We met at the metro Giza and I was soooo surprised..."
An amazing weekend of Belly dance and fun with Dina"I couldn't say much about Dina until I went to this workshop. All I knew about her before that was what I had seen in video clips, and what other people had said about her. After meeting her, I realized that she is an extraordinary, authentic Egyptian BELLY DANCER, who created and dances in her own style..."
Belly Dancing at the King Tut Exhibit"For one of my performances, I had a large television crew following me around with their lights, cameras and microphones. I was told I was being filmed as part of a National Geographic documentary! It will appear on an International special about "King Tut and the Golden Age of the..."
Amr Diab Concert"On Saturday, March 11, 2006, I performed in one of the most memorable concerts of my entire professional career. The venue for the concert took place at the beautiful Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, NJ in the prestigious arena showroom. It was a sold-out concert with over 5,000 excited fans..."
Getting Rid of Negative Self-Talk"There is probably nothing more self-destructive to a dancer's success than the constant flow of negative self-talk that goes through her mind. There is the obvious: I'm too fat, my hair looks awful, my accessories are all wrong. There is the insidious: I'm not as good as the other..."
Male Student, Now What?" You're not quite sure how it happened. You've been Belly Dancing for several years, been teaching for a few, are loved by your students, admired by your audiences, and watched enviously by your peers. Then one day your entire world is seemingly turned upside down..."
Can I Take your Picture"Since more and more photos are appearing on the web, and people are getting more litigious it is a point worth considering. It is also a point worth thinking about at haflas and performances. All those enthusiastic snappers are each capturing an image that belongs - not to the dancers..."
The legal issues of photography"This article covers what you should know and understand about photography and the use of your image. These points apply when going to any photographer. Though I am not a lawyer so please don’t take what’s said here to be legal advice..."
Are We Losing Our Essence to the Mainstream?"I understand the reality of business, but how am I supposed to go back to my student and say, “Sorry sister. You can’t dance with us this time because you’re too fat, not pretty enough or are too old”? That flies in the face of all we are taught to believe about belly dance being good for..."
Ahlan Wa Sahlan 2003 Closing"The child is dressed in a skimpy band top and straight skirt in a dark color, and her movements are appropriate for a grown woman but not for a little girl. I have no problem with them learning the more folkloric styles, but little girls should not be dancing with this kind of sensuality..."
Ahlan Wa Sahlan 2003 Opening"The first dancer of Raqs Sharghi was Soraya. Hala informed me she is Brazilian. Soraya is quite Egyptian in her styling and has a very perky and darling stage personality. She is a playful dancer who frequently uses, quick, tiny and very feminine movements. She is a good interpreter of..."
Buying a Doumbek"This article is geared towards someone who is buying their first drum... something to learn and explore on. There are many different styles of doumbeks. I'm going to explain the pros and cons of each. The word "doumbek" is actually an American name. The Turkish call it "darbuka" or "dumbelek..."
What is Phrasing?
"In order to fully understand the answer to the question that titles this article, we must first answer another question: what is belly dancing? There are people who have been dancing for years who are not entirely sure what they are trying to accomplish when..."
A dancer's Very Incomplete Guide to Arab Music"Rai music is in some ways, in my own humble opinion, somewhat like American country/western music in that it has gone through a phase of themes based in loss. Many songs have lyrics that basically say, “My girlfriend left me so I’m going to get drunk and have sex with..."
"Texture" as a Concept in Raqs El-Sharghi"Call attention to the instrument of your choice for the audience and interpret its essence through movement, then do the same thing with another within the same measure of music. This can be done by using soft movements followed by sharp accents or vice-versa. The eyes and..."
A Comparison and Contrast of American and Egyptian Belly Dance"One of the identifying elements of essence in contrasting American and Egyptian styles is that in American dance, we find an essence that is often based in intellectual foundations. This means that the dance will often be choreographed in a way that creates a feeling of symmetry..."
Dance as Celebration"My mother was one of nine children in her immigrant family. When she was alive, I asked her about the Lebanese weddings she attended while growing up. The families were all from working class neighborhoods yet the celebrations lasted several days with food and parties aplenty...."
My Waking Dream Comes to Life"I realize now that the spirits in my dream are the people I play with and for today. That same feeling comes back when you hit those special moments in the present, usually playing for a dancer. I call it being in the Temple. Being in the moment, with synchronisity in the music..."
Egyptian Weddings"We met Adel, a young Coptic man, in a papyrus shop. He invited us to a wedding in his village outside Aswan and we ended up in a court filled with people. As it is the custom, I joined the women while my boyfriend disapeared somewhere in the crowd of men..."
Free Music Download"The age of technology brings many wonderful gifts, among them access to a plethora of music. You can search, download and play music of any genre from the convenience of your computer. If you are not entirely computer literate it's easy to feel lost on the world wide web..."
Gypsies -- Tramps and Theives"There are many Gypsies who would gladly, and rightly and reasonably, improve their economic and social position through any means offered them by governmental or charitable organizations. But at a deep level, this trend toward viewing the Rom as one of society's pitiable..."
Tattooed Cabaret Dancers"While there may be some truth in the statement that more heavily tattooed dancers tend to gravitate towards the tribal-style, it is incorrect & narrow minded to assume that there are no successful Oriental-style belly dancers that are tattooed. I am offended because I am living..."
Belly Button Ring"Belly dancing and belly button rings may find each other coincidentally, or a dancer may seek it out for the look it lends in a costume, or for many other reasons. In any case, I did some research on care and related information that may be of help if you are considering a belly button..."
Bare Necessities - Make-up for Belly dancers"It may seem like a small thing, but organizing your make-up is one of the best things you can do for your beauty regimen. Knowing what you have and how to access it will make your make-up process much faster and easier. When you've streamlined your products and your process..."
Your Make-Up Kit - Make-up for Belly dancers"When picking a brush, if you can, rub the bristles against your skin. Good make-up brushes will always feel soft against your skin, whether they're made from natural hair or synthetic. Keep in mind - liquid make-up, like foundation, concealer, etc., are best applied with a brush made from synthetic..."
Choosing the right foundation - Make-up for Belly dancers"I have found that the choosing and application of foundation is the step that most women get wrong - sometimes horribly wrong. There are few things more unattractive than a face covered in foundation so heavy that the person looks like a wax figure or seeing that a woman's face is an entirely..."
Eyeshadow Techniques - Make-up for Belly dancers"This design is the one known as the "wash" of color. It means that you apply a thin layer of soft color over the complete eye area, from lashes to brows. When applying a wash of color, take care not to leave any hard lines. It's nice to fade the color..."
Eyeliner - Make-up for Belly dancers"Eyeliner is meant to give depth to one's lashes and make them appear thicker. You can line just the top lid for a cleaner, more subdued look; however, it's usually not the best to line just the bottom - it can make you look tired. To really make your eyes stand out, line all the way..."
African American Beauty - Make-up for Belly dancers"As a Black woman, I am well aware that it is almost impossible to generalize about the best beauty tips for Black women because we run the gamut of skin tones and shades. Black women can have great, glowing skin and should use that natural bronze beauty to their advantage. Also, sometimes..."
Asian Beauty - Make-up for Belly dancers"The first step to celebrating the unique beauty of an Asian woman is to make sure that you are using yellow-toned concealer, foundation, and powder. Yellow-toned foundational make-up works for most women of color, regardless of whether you are fair or darker in shade..."
Hispanic Beauty - Make-up for Belly dancers"Once again, don't try to change your skin color with foundation! You will look the most naturally beautiful when you work with your unique beauty, not against it. If you are a light-skinned Hispanic beauty, choose soft pinks as your best blush choice. If you are a..."
Beauty in Your 20's - Make-up for Belly dancers"The twenties are when lots of women feel that they are their most physically fit and beautiful. Of course, it's true that many women in their twenties don't have the level of self-confidence that more mature women have, which can detract some from one's physical beauty..."
Beauty in Your 30's - Make-up for Belly dancers"When a woman reaches her 30's, she begins to feel established and easier in her skin. The 30's are the decade when many women begin to do the "superwoman" thing - balancing family, career and personal time. You may begin to see the first signs of aging ..."
Beauty in Your 40's - Make-up for Belly dancers"Women in their forties may start feeling the pressure of aging. However, many women in their forties begin to appreciate their individual beauty attributes and cater to themselves. Now is the time to make your peace with what you can not change about your ..."
Beauty in Your 50's - Make-up for Belly dancers"Nowadays, thankfully, a woman in her fifties is not considered old. A woman in her fifties is just reaching the prime of life! A fifty-something year old woman can be incredibly sexy and fabulous. If you've neglected yourself before, it is not too late to start exercising..."