Belly dance stage names are often used by belly dancers in lieu of their real names. The tradition started in Northern America, Australia, and New Zealand, and the trend has now spread like wildfire throughout the world.

Do you have to choose a belly dance stage name? No, it’s not necessary. There are dancers who use their legal names, so it’s really up to you.

It may help to look at why dancers use stage names. Some dancers use stage names to remain anonymous when performing, some wish to make an artistic statement about themselves, while for others, it’s a business move to set them apart from the ordinary or to give them an authentic sounding Middle Eastern name.  For many dancers, choosing a stage name helps them feel more glamorous or larger than life, which can be helpful on the stage, especially if you feel insecure or reserved in your daily life.

Here are some things to consider before choosing a belly dance stage name:

• Do you plan to dance professionally or to start your own business? If so, will the name you choose now, be appropriate then?
• Do you want to use two names /a  last name?   Sahra Saeeda, Ranya Renee, Suhaila Salimpour
• Do you want an Arabic or Turkish name, which are most common among dancers?  Or do want to choose a name of Greek, Persian, Armenian, North African, or other origin?
• Do you want to use a name from mythology, science fiction, a book, or the Bible or do you want to invent a name yourself? Alternatively, do you want to use the name of a flower, a gemstone, or other names from nature?
• Who are you when you dance? What is it that you are sharing with the audience? What makes you unique?  Will the name fit your personality?  Is your stage persona an extension of the real you?
• For some dancers, they are given a stage name.  Do you want someone to name you? Your teacher, a mentor, someone special to you whom you respect? It’s really your choice.  Sometimes someone will give you a name without your request. It’s also your right to ignore this person. Just thank them for the idea, and go about your business of choosing your own name.

Now you’ll need to start searching for a belly dance stage name. Begin by searching the internet. You might begin by searching for “female Middle  Eastern names”  or “female Arabic names.”  Search for baby names of Middle Eastern or other origin. Take notes as you might not be able to find the website again. List the ones you like the most and include their origin, meaning, and any other information that’s given.  There are plenty of websites out there to keep you busy for hours, so you don’t need any recommendations from me.

When you have your list of belly dance stage names, consider these things:

• Is it easy to spell your name and/or pronounce it the way it’s spelled? It’s best if it can be sounded out the way it’s spelled, otherwise be ready for people to get it wrong.
• Is it a name people will easily remember?
• Be sure there’s no negative context or cultural reference associated with the name. You can find out by asking other dancers, asking an Arab or Middle Easterner and researching the name online.  Does it represent you accurately?
• Be sure it’s not a name that is currently being used by dancers in your local area. Is it a name of a famous or well-known dancer, alive or not? If so, could you add a last name to it or change it a bit to make it different?
• Look up the name in three dictionaries, an Arabic, Persian and a Turkish dictionary, to be sure it doesn’t have any negative meaning that you wouldn’t want associated with you. Does the meaning work for your personality and appearance?
• Take your time.  Try out the name for a bit and if it sticks, make it known!

Good luck finding belly dance stage names.  If this article was helpful, please leave a comment and tell me which name you picked!

For more info about the author, Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com

Belly dancer, Mellilah, at private party in Lake Chelan.

The post Belly Dance Stage Names appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

Every serious dancer should be familiar with classic belly dance songs. Sahra Saeeda advises everyone to learn at least 3 that you know inside and out. In Cairo there were four classic, top singers, including Oum Kalthoum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Farid al-Atrash. Many of the songs they composed and/or sung were romantic love songs, as well as patriotic and religious songs. Of course, you probably want to stick with the romantic love songs, so you’ll want to know the gist of what a song is about before dancing to it. Also, never belly dance with the voice of Om Kalthoum, although it’s okay to dance with instrumental versions of her songs and okay to dance during the parts where she is not singing. Most of these songs will be known by Egyptian bands, are the most well know in Cairo and the Arab world, and have become classic belly dance songs. When belly dancing to a live band, whether performing or just casually dancing along, it’s a lot easier when you are familiar with the songs they play.

A belly dancer knowing the most popular belly dance songs is like a photographer knowing his lenses or a writer knowing other authors. Well, here’s a great place to start. When looking for these songs, remember that there are many ways to spell these Arabic words and there is no right way. So, you may have to sound it out yourself and try various spellings.

Mellilah performs to the classic belly dance song, Alf Layla Wa Layla.

Classic belly dance songs sung by Oum Kalthoum:
Alf Layla Wa Layla (One Thousand One Nights) – opening piece
Lissa Fakir (Do You Still Remember)
Ana Fi Intizarak
Leylet Hob, Ente Omry, Fakarouni by Mohammed Abdul Wahab

Classics belly dance songs composed (or sung) by Mohammed Abdul Wahab:
Aziza – Opening piece
Leylet Hob – Opening piece
Zeina – middle of routine
Ente Omry- composed for Oum Kalthoum; great veil song
Nebtedi Mnein al Hikaya (Where do we begin our story)
Fakarouni

Classics sung by Abdel Halim Hafez:
Zay el Hawa by – Opening piece
Habena (Love Us)
Sawah (The Wanderer)
Nebtedi Mnein al Hikaya (Where do we begin our story)
Gana el Hawa (Love has come our way)
Bahlam Beek (I Saw You in My Dream)

Classics composed and sung by Farid al-Atrash:
Gamil Gamal (Beautiful Dancer)
Habena (Love Us)
Hizzy ya Nawaem (Shake it Little Delicate One) middle of routine

Other popular belly dance music:
Princess of Cairo or Banat Iskandria – Opening piece
Set el Hosen – Opening piece
Mashaal by Mokhtar Al Said – Opening piece
Batwanness Beek (You are always with me) -Made popular by Warda El
…..Gaza’iriya -Opening piece
Tamr Henna by Mohamed Fawzi – famous recording by Faiza Ahmad -
…..Opening piece
Hani – Opening piece
Ah Ya Zein – middle of routine
Nour el Ain (Darling You Are the Glow in my Eyes) -sung by Amr Diab -
…..middle of routine
Ayoub – song by Ahmed Fouad Hassan – finale
Touta -song by Mazen Salha- finale

Resources

Visit www.maqam.com for the most extensive list of belly dance classics which can be purchased as mp3s.

Dahlal has a collection of 14 songs every belly dancer should know, which includes many of the songs listed above. Dahlal lists CDs for purchase containing these songs.  Dahlal 

For a basic translation of many Arabic songs, visit shira.net

For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com

The post Classic Belly Dance Songs appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

The road to healthy, lifelong body alignment is a process of identifying problems and habits and improving muscle strength and flexibility. It’s also learning how to stand, sit, and move without causing undue tension or strain. Normal joint motion in the spine and other body areas, as well as balanced muscles on both sides of the spine are needed to achieve good alignment. Below, you will learn how to observe your body and to identify visible problem areas, learn about common postural problems, and learn ways to make improvements.

Don’t Listen to Your Mom: Many moms used to say, “Hold your shoulders back.” Sound familiar? Doing this often results in an excessive curve of the lumbar spine, which puts strain on the lower back. We do want our shoulders to fall back, not round forward, but we want this to be their default position because our chest muscles are flexible and elongated, not pulling shoulders forward, and our back muscles are strong, not over extended or hunched. When we think of “posture” most people want to instantaneously “hold” something in place, and too often this involves pulling the shoulders back and sucking in the stomach, which can cause tension, physical and mental pain, and other problems. Static posture is the alignment of your body when you are still, and dynamic posture is the alignment or your body when you are moving. In both static and dynamic posture, there are many components working together, balancing or equalizing the push and the pull from either side. Therefore, holding or focusing on only one area, like pulling the shoulders back, is most likely going to cause more problems then good.

The Frontal Plane (Front & Back View): Look at yourself in a mirror or get a partner to look at you, as you stand erect in tight fitting clothing. If you have a partner, have them observe you from the back, too. This is not a side view; just back and front. Notice any asymmetry. Is one arm or leg longer than the other? Is one shoulder lower than the other? Is your neck straight? Are your kneecaps aligned? Do your feet turn in or out? All these things will affect your alignment. For these issues, you may want to seek a specialist, such as a physical therapist, who can either help you or refer you to the appropriate specialist. These problems will only worsen in time and can result in less mobility as we age, so they should be addressed right away.

The Sagittal Plane (Side View): This is where we can focus our attention and help ourselves. Again, stand erect, as you would usually stand, and have a partner observe you. Is your ear over your shoulders, or is your head-protruding forward? Is your thoracic spine hunched (hunch back)? Do you appear to have sway back? (Sway back is sometimes difficult to observe due to differences in soft tissue.) Do your ribs stick out? Do your abdominals spill over? Take note of all these problem areas.

Your Life Style: Stress, fatigue, and poor sitting and standing habits can cause body alignment problems, as well as poor ergonomics at work and home. Wearing high heels, poor footwear, obesity and pregnancy can cause issues, too. As we age, without adequate exercise our bodies will begin to atrophy (lose muscle) at a greater rate, causing all kinds of postural problems. These things, along with poor muscle strength and flexibility (tight muscles), are all culprits. Unfortunately, poor body alignment seems to be affecting the very young, especially around the neck and upper back and shoulders, perhaps because of current lifestyle trends.

Body Alignment Check & Practice:

1. Stand with feet, toes and knees facing forward. Line up your knees with your toes. When moving think about keeping these aligned.
2. Slightly bend your knees, lengthening and taking pressure off your back, making it easier to isolate your hips. When you begin dancing you will sometimes need to straighten your leg/s for a pose or move, but most of the time, they should remain soft (slightly bent not extended).
3. Slightly tilt the pelvis forward (it’s actually a backwards pelvic tilt but most people associate this with tilting “forward”). Bring your pelvic floor closer to your belly button, just a little bit, like you’re zipping up your lower abdominals. Feel your lower back lengthening as you do this. You’re trying to find a neutral position for your pelvis, not too forward or too back. Some people may naturally have this alignment without doing anything but most people need to tilt a bit more forward. When you begin moving you will naturally move in and out of neutral pelvis alignment but this should be your home base. Unfortunately, if you do not have balanced muscle strength and flexibility on both sides of the trunk, it will be extremely difficult to sustain this neutral position. For now, dancers should work on finding it when practicing moves in place when you can focus on technique, and work on the stretches and strength training exercises recommended below to correct these problems.
4. Shoulders should line up with your hips from the side view. Avoid pulling shoulders forward and allow them to rest back and down. Begin by rolling them forward, up, back and then down…feeling them drop and relax, opening the chest. Extend and lengthen your arms towards the floor on either side. You’ll need to do some regular chest stretches if you have rounded shoulders. When you lift your arms or move your arms forward, do not allow your shoulders to come up or forward with your arms.
5. Armpits- Put some space under your armpits, slightly moving your arms away from your body. Again, pull shoulders downwards.
6. Chest should be slightly forward and slightly tilted downward to close the gap under your ribs. In other words you don’t want your ribs to stick out.
7. Steps 4-6 above work together, balancing the upper body. Pushing forward with upper erector spinae muscles and traps, while pulling in just under the breasts and opening the chest. It should feel equalized and strong all the way around, front to back.
8. Neck should be elongated. Think about the vertebrae in your neck as a small spring that you allow to stretch out and up through the top of your head. Feel your entire body lifting up and out through the top of your head as you stand and move.
9. Head -Your ears should line up with the middle of your shoulders. Avoid sticking your chin out. When you elongate your neck, your head should follow.
10. Weight Distribution- Rock from balls to the heels until you rest your weight into the middle of the arches of your feet.
11. The Peacock- We want to look confident and open, larger than life, like a peacock on the stage. We do this by following the steps above, pulling and pushing, equalizing the back, front and sides of the body so that we feel slightly contracted all over. Do not focus on only one side of the body but on all sides, which creates strong body alignment for dance, as well as for daily life. Feel confident (pretend if you’re not) and visualize energy coming out of your chest and fingertips.

For a video example, check out the “ballet alignment” link below in the “resources” section!

Common Problems with Body Alignment: 

• Kyphosis Lordosis (hunch back) – curvature of the thoracic spine, with rounded shoulders, sunken chest, head jutting forward, and/or neck hyperextension. To correct this, you’ll want to stretch your chest muscles and strengthen your upper/mid back muscles (rhomboids and trapezius muscles) with strength training exercises, and improve your poor postural habits. See my favorite chest stretch in the “resources” section below.
• Lumbar Lordosis (swayback) - This is when the natural curve of the lumbar region is slightly or dramatically accentuated, making the buttocks and abdominals stick out due to the anterior tilt of the pelvis. It’s sometimes seen in dancers who arch their backs, putting stress or extra weight on the lower back. Certain diseases can also cause this and other spinal issues. Too much belly fat and tight, shortened hip flexors from too much sitting can cause this, too. This condition can cause spine compression, tension on ligaments, and back pain as well. For most people, stretch the back extensor muscles, hip flexors (rectus femoris or quad and iliopsoas muscles, as well as the adductors), and strengthen the abdominals and hamstrings with strength training exercises. You may want to stretch the piriformis, too, which can shorten along with the psoas. Work on losing excess belly fat, too, with exercise and healthy eating. People who have lumbar lordosis usually have hunch back, too, so read that section if applicable. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to diagnose from just observation and palpation is needed. See the hip flexor, adductor, and piriformis stretches in the “resources” section below.
• Tight Chest Muscles – On most untrained people the chest muscles are stronger and shortened as compared with the back muscles, causing an imbalance. Stretch the chest muscles and strengthen the back muscles (trapezius and rhomboids). See my favorite chest stretch in the “resources” section below.
• Fatigue Postures- Many postural problems are caused by stress, lack of energy, muscle imbalance, and pain. As with all postural issues, if allowed to continue, the bones will adapt over time causing skeletal deviations that can be irreversible. Get plenty of sleep and efficiently deal with stress. Poor alignment can also cause fatigue.
• Muscle Imbalance- “Symmetry” Equal strength and flexibility on the right/left sides of the body is needed to maintain good body alignment. If one muscle group is too tight, it may pull the body out of the neutral position, creating an imbalance. Alternatively, if one muscle group is weakened, the body will fall out of alignment on the opposite side. Common example: Erector spinae muscles (back extensors) are stronger and shorter than opposing abdominal muscles, causing lower back pain. In untrained individuals the quadriceps are usually 2 times the size of hamstrings, resulting in an imbalance; thus hamstring strains are common.
• Irreversible Skeletal Deviations- Over time, all of these poor postural patterns can cause the bones to adapt resulting in skeletal deviations that can be irreversible. So, begin correcting the problem areas now.

Recommendations:

• Alexander Technique- Buy a book on this technique and/or see an AT trained specialist. It will help you identify and lose harmful habits and learn to move more freely. AT is popular among actors, dancers, singers and other stage performers.Ergonomics at Work/Home: If you ask, many employers will now provide an ergonomic specialist to help you create a healthy work space. Look below for websites that may help.
• Massage- If you can afford it, find a licensed and skilled massage therapist. Deep tissue and sports massage are great for people with postural issues.
• Myofascial Release- A hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the myofascial connective tissue that has become restricted, causing pain and impairing mobility.
• Strength Training- Dancing itself will improve muscular endurance and will improve muscle strength somewhat, but regular strength training is recommended, especially to improve core stability and correct imbalances.
• Stretching- Warm up and stretch daily, and at the least, stretch after each exercise or dance session, but only after you have warmed up the body. A warm up is gentle, dynamic movement (large/generalized movement) with full range of motion of all the major joints. This might look like gently marching in place with arms moving side/up/side until you begin to feel warm. Know your problem areas (chest? hip flexors?) and give these extra attention. Get a good book about how to stretch effectively without injury. Below are the best websites I could find on stretching that included pictures and that didn’t have erroneous information.

Body Alignment for Dance: When we dance, we are sometimes in a fixed position but more often we are moving. Therefore, we especially need to have a balanced, strong and flexible body. Strong core (abdominal, pelvic, and lower back) muscles are important, too. Any issues in muscles weakness, tightness or imbalance are going to appear in your dance, so address any of these problems right away. With a good instructor, your dance training should improve your daily body alignment; helping you prevent injury and pain, as well as helping you prevent unnecessary postural problems associated with aging.

Resources:
Adductor Stretches 

Alexander Technique

Ballet Placement & Postural Alignment A great video demonstrating body alignment for the dancer.

Chest Stretch This is my favorite chest stretch. You can use a towel, too.

Computer Ergonomics  and  Ergonomics.org

Hip Flexor Stretch Keep back straight. Lots of other great stretches are listed on the left side of screen, including back stretches and chest stretches.

Hunch Back Posture Problems

Lordosis: Assessment & Care Information on how to assess pelvis tilt with palpation.

Piriformis Stretch

Posture Problems This site says to stretch hams as the cure to swayback, but this is wrong according to ACE and other resources. The hamstrings need to be strengthened. Otherwise, all other information is great.

Stretching A series of safe, easy stretches.  However, the website labels these as “warm ups.” Remember that stretching is not the same as warming up! Always warm up the body first with some easy marching in place or similar activity before stretching.

Mellilah belly dancing at Carco Theatre in Renton, WA.

For more info about the author, Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com

The post Body Alignment appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

How do I know when to call myself a professional dancer? Am I there yet? …very common questions among belly dancers. As dancers we get so easily distracted when someone says, “Great job,” often thinking, “That means I’m there.” In contrast, dancers can get easily discouraged when they hear criticism. However, a compliment is a compliment, not a comparison, scale, or measure of your worth in the profession, and criticism should be given and used as a means to improve. I think a lot of dancers just want and need validation. Let’s accept compliments graciously and learn from criticism, and if you want to know if you’re “there,” ready to perform as a professional, or what you need to work on to get you there, pose the question directly and more specifically to a respected professional.

You may want to check out my article, “Become a Professional Belly Dancer.” It tells you the steps to take, how to practice and what to do to become a professional belly dancer with tips and advice.

Also, the great thing about belly dancing is that there are opportunities within the belly dance community for all dancers, like at haflas.

Good luck and happy dancing!

For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com

The post When Am I Professional appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

Belly dance with veil at Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle

Silk Veil Care for Belly Dancers
How do I clean my silk veil?

Dry-clean or hand wash your silk veil in cold water with a gentle detergent. If it’s a dark color, rinse and gently agitate with vinegar and 2 cups- gallon of water for 15 minutes to set the color. Iron with a cool iron set for silk, hotter if need be. To avoid static, you may spray it with a fine mist of water. Do not use a dryer silk viels. Also, you may wish to hang it in the bathroom while taking a hot shower to help remove wrinkles.

Here are some of my favorite places to buy silk veils:

• Nahari Silk Veils

For more information about the author, visit: www.mellilah.com

The post Silk Veil Care appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

• Wait a couple of seconds before clapping to make sure the artist is finished.
• Tipping is a typical way to show your appreciation of the dancer’s abilities. The audience usually tips as the performer dances up to the table during the last song. Fold a bill in half lengthwise and tuck it into the back or side of the dancer’s hip belt, in the arm band, or in the back of the bra strap. You should avoid tucking money into the front of the dancer’s costume. Also, you can come up to the stage and place a “money necklace,” bills connected together, over the dancer’s head, or throw money over the dancer’s head, called a “money shower.” However, you should know that the money from a “money shower” will often go to the band at the end of the show.
• If you wish, zagareet to show appreciation. A zagareet is a high pitched trilling sound that is produced by rapidly moving the tongue and uvula. In Arab countries it is commonly used by women to express celebration.
• Say only positive things about other performers when you are conversing at a show, as you never know who may overhear your conversation, especially in an audience. If you’re in the audience, you could be sitting next to someone’s husband/wife.
• Be authentic when complimenting others. Find something that they did well that you can stand behind. (Compliment their costume style/color, arms, footwork, turns, choreography if it’s his/her own, technique, tell how it made you feel to watch him/her, etc…)
• Purchase something, food and/or drink, if the show is at a restaurant or bar. Don’t just order water.
• If something happens to the sound, like you can’t hear it, you may help out the artist by clapping to the music.

Belly Dance Etiquette as a Performer:

• If you’re in the show, you should do your best to come to the beginning and stay until the end, to support others who are also performing. In other words, don’t just show up for your own spot and/or leave after you have performed. Of course, sometimes we have other obligations that are important.
• Make sure your costume fits properly. Use safety pins if necessary and make sure your costume wont reveal any parts that it shouldn’t. It’s usually a good idea to practice in your costume beforehand.
• Wear a cover at all times when not performing or change into appropriate street clothing.
• Wear stage make up and look your best.
• If you have to practice or warm up backstage, do so quietly and without disrupting others, as much as possible. You should bring a headset so others can’t hear your music while practicing. If you absolutely must play your music aloud so more than one of you can hear (for a troupe), ask permission from those around you first.
• Give credit to the choreographer. “Choreographed by…” Give credit when using choreography you learned from an instructional video, too. If someone helped you or coached you, it’s nice to give them thanks in your announcement but not required.
• We all get nervous. Just be careful that overly nervous energy doesn’t affect others. Ex: Talking excessively… not noticing when others need quiet time…or continually announcing how nervous you are.
• Keep talk minimal when speaking to someone who is just about to go onstage, especially if they are obviously trying to focus internally.
• Give credit to the music artist, CD etc… Check copywright laws when using music, even music from CDs
• When using music with lyrics in foreign languages, be sure you know the translation, so you can dance appropriately to the mood and lyrics. Some lyrics are inappropriate, too. The emotion expressed and felt is of extreme importance in Egyptian dance.
• Be careful with hand gestures; some may be offensive to Middle Eastern cultures. It’s easy to unintentionally make a gesture that is inappropriate to another culture. Learn about the common mistakes belly dancers make.
• Be prompt and have your music ready to go and labeled correctly
• Don’t put out your own cards or flyers or make announcements for your events at someone else’s private event without pre-approval.
• Perform at appropriate venues for your level. Appropriate student venues include amateur nights, haflas, recitals, and friends or family celebrations. Professional venues include, restaurants, nightclubs, parties, weddings, cultural events, often charity events or any venue that offers pay.
• Charge appropriate professional rates for your area and avoid undercutting other dancers.

Belly Dancer, Mellilah, at Sahra Saeeda showcase in Philidelphia

For more info about the author, Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com

The post Belly Dance Etiquette appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

Psychology of Dance by Jim Taylor & Ceci Taylor - Techniques & exercises to help dancers overcome mental obstacles. This one I finished and found to be really helpful in helping to set goals and manage insecurities and stage fright. Recommended to me by Nadira.

Serpent of the Nile: Women and Dance in the Arab World by Wendy Buonaventura history of female solo dancing in the Middle East.

Daughter of Egypt by Marjorie A. Franken – To purchase contact mafranken@earthlink.net – I just ordered by copy. I’ll let you know whow I like it.

The Voice of Egypt by Virginia Danielson Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century- Zulaika recommended this book to me, and I’m reading this now.

Badia Masabni, the Legend: Jewel of the Nile by Jodette – I cannot find a copy of this. Let me know if you have information.

Egyptian Music Appreciation by George Dimitri Sawa Comes with music CDs – Recommended by Sahra Saeeda and Zulaika

Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron- A 12-week program to help remove blocks that impede on your creativity

“A Trade Like Any Other:” Female Singers & Dancers in Egypt by Karin van Nieuwkerk

Blood Memory by Martha Graham – An autobiography about Martha Graham’s life as famous contemporary dancer. Sahra Saeeda recommended this one.

Wombs and Alien Spirits: Women, Men, and the Zar Cult in Northern Sudan by Janice Patricia Boddy - Book about the “zar” cult in northern Sudan

Arab Music and Dance an International Encyclopedia of Dance by R.J. Racy – Sahra Saeeda recommended all these books by R.J. Racy.

Improvisation, Ecstasy, and Performance Dynamics in Arabic Music, in In the Course of Performance. Studies in the World of Musical Improvisation by R.J. Racy

Music of the Arabian Desert in the Accounts of Early Western Travelers and Musiqá al-Badiyah fi Sijillat al-Rahhalah al- Ghardiyyin (translation by the author), al-Ma’thurat al-Sha’biyyah by R.J. Racy

Have fun reading these belly dance books and please leave a comment with more recommendations!

Legendary belly dancer from the Golden Age of belly dance, Samia Gamal.

For more info about the author, Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com

The post Belly Dance Books appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

Start Collecting

Search thrift shops, consignment shops, and garage sales for the following:

• Brass bangles and large hoop earrings
• Shiny/sparkly clothing of any kind- these can be used as is or if large enough, you can just use the fabric to create something new
• Mid-drift tops- yoga, exercise or other – they can be cut; sequins, coins or fringe can be added
• Large, flowing long skirts, preferably a half or full circle skirt
• Used rhinestone jewelry and beaded necklaces – broaches can be used as a focal point on a bra or hip belt. Necklaces can be worn as is or used as a drape for a bra or hip belt. Stones can be taken out of jewelry and glued onto fabric
• Well-made bras with full coverage- These can be covered w/ fabric and decorated w/ beading, sequins, stones, ribbon, etc… (FYI: There’s nothing worse than a bra that is left as is, augmented w/ only sequins, stones, and/or ribbon. It looks tacky in my opinion. So, please fully cover the bra w/ fabric, so people can’t tell you’re just wearing an undergarment.)
• Costume and Supply Stores- Sewing shops as well as costume and supply shops usually sell coins, beaded fringe and other types of trims. These can be added to the bottom hem of an exercise top or other mid-drift top. Beads and trim can be draped and attached to the top of a skirt waistband.

Glue

Forget fabric glue. You’ll want to get a tube of Amazing E-6000. They sell it at most fabric and craft shops. I use a drop of this to glue rhinestones directly onto the fabric of some of my $600-800 costumes. It works!

Accessories to Purchase

Don’t care to sew too much and just want to piece things together? I suggest checking out L. Rose Designs. They make beautiful skirts, tops, headbands and gloves in many colors and fabrics. You can add these to your homemade costume for a finished look. (I recommend the gauntlet gloves, and definitely pay the extra $2 and get them banded. There’s a big difference.)

Resources

You’ll want to learn from Dina the Costume Goddess. She’s written a few books on how to make your own belly dance hip belt, bra, and accessories.
—————————————————————————

Mellilah wearing her first handmade belly dance costume

Making a belly dance costume can be fun, and there’s nothing like the pride you’ll feel when you wear a costume that you created! I still have one of my very first homemade costumes. I’m not sure I will ever part with it. Good luck!

For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com

The post Making a Belly Dance Costume appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

Learning from Performance Belly Dance Videos:
-Pay attention to entrances/exits, technique, isolations, use of space/stage, musical interpretation (knowledge of rhythms/accents and transitions), stage presence, transitions, and stylization (Egyptian, American, Turkish, etc… as well as personal stylization)
-Listen to the music/instruments- how does the dancer move/interpret the different instruments?
-Pretend you are a judge and this is a competition. Use the above criteria to score the dancer. What did he/she do well? What could he/she do better?
-Personal stylization- Are there arm/hand, turns, or other movements that seem unique to this particular dancer?
-Choose something great from the dancer that you can incorporate into your practice sessions or into choreography of your own. Incorporating a move or a combo into your own dance is much different than stealing someone else’s’ choreography. Be aware of the etiquette around this and the importance of giving credit when it’s due.

Learning from Instructional Belly Dance Videos:
-DVDs are the best as you don’t waste time forwarding and rewinding
-Incorporate parts of your favorite DVDs into your practice sessions; start with a couple of easier things and graduate to the more advanced concepts
-Organize your practice time, delegating part of the practice session for practicing with a video. Just be sure this isn’t your entire practice session
-Try not to emulate the dancer’s personal style, charisma, and/or facial expressions. Be yourself and add your personality, even during practice sessions. It will take time, but eventually you will develop into your own dancer.

How To Choose a Quality Belly Dance Videos:
-Do some online research and learn about the dancer’s credentials first.
-Does the dancer teach only subjects in which he/she has a lot of experience and/or background in doing?
-Use what you know. Does this dancer appear to have good technique?
-Video production is sometimes an indicator of poor/high quality instruction but not always. Remember that anyone can pay to have a video produced.
-For the most part, stay away from YouTube instructional videos. Unless it’s a trailer, if it’s free, it’s most likely not worth your time. This is the number one place for erroneous information in regards to dance instruction.
-Learning to belly dance cannot be achieved from any “one” DVD/video. Anyone that claims you’re going to be a pro at Saidi, sword, cabaret, etc… by watching their video, is most like presenting erroneous material. Belly dancing takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Study DVDs, take lots of private lessons and classes, practice, watch dancers perform live, and do your research.
-Ask for recommendations from the teachers you respect.
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Mellilah’s Favorite Belly Dance Videos and DVDs:
(Check back for updates – More coming soon!)

Sahra Saeeda I recommend any performance or instructional videos/DVDs by Sahra Saeeda for her authentic Egyptian style and excellent historical and practical knowledge of Egyptian style dancing.

Hadia I recommend Hadia’s “Oriental Belly Dance System” for technique and knowledge of warming up, stretching, and body mechanics that all dancers should know. Hadia also has a series of choreography DVDs that will help reinforce good technique. Every dancer should own these!

Ranya Renee’s “Belly Dance Egyptian Style- The Baladi” – Ranya has definitely done her research, and this DVD contains two discs for the price of one. She teaches you the parts of a traditional baladi progression, introducing you to the instruments and rhythms you will hear. She breaks down belly dance moves appropriate for each section and provides improvisational drills. (For excellent references to which muscles are being used for moves I’d see Hadia’s DVDs for this.) I love how she drills each section of the beledi separately. All and all, Ranya’s is a remarkable DVD. Although some of the moves may be difficult for beginning dancers, it’s definitely appropriate for all, beginning through professional.

Aziza – Aziza does a great job, too. Her “Hands, Arms, and Poses” DVD is well organzied and appropriate for all levels.

Yasmina Ramzy’s Belly Dance Technique Volume 2 – I really like how Yasmina breaks down the movements, making it easy for all levels. In this DVD she uses mostly a Gawazee 3/4 shimmy (up down up) with the exception of chapter 9. I prefer the Hagala myself for a more Egyptian look, but it’s easy enough to make that switch yourself. A definite plus was how she performed the variations of each movement with the band so you could see it applied in a performance setting, and there are a lot of interesting ways in which she layers a 3/4 shimmy. I’m looking forward to reviewing more of Yasmina’s DVDs. Even if you don’t buy here DVDs, you should check out her school and performances!

“The Legends of Belly Dance (1947- 1976)” – Performance footage; an excellent collection of the most prominent belly dancers of the past. A DVD every dancer should own.

“Leila presents Bint al Belad”- A performance DVD with Leila of Cairo and her band. Contains post modern Egyptian style dancing. Her music CDs are excellent, too!

Bellydancers of Cario – Not an instructional or performance DVD, but rather a look at the current dance scene in Cairo from a few dancers’ perspectives. I found it very interesting. Available on Netflixs. Article about the production of the movie.

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Additional Reading:
You will also want to read this excellent article about the subject written by Yasmin. To Buy or Not to Buy – A Guide to Mass Market Belly Dance Instructional DVDs
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For more info about the author, Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com

The post Learning from Belly Dance Videos appeared first on Everything Belly Dance.

From what I have learned up to this point, throughout the Arabic world, men were historically seen performing dance while impersonating women (cross dressing) at times when women were not allowed to dance in public. Today, this is still commonly seen, and of the Middle Eastern countries, it is most tolerated in Turkey. However, not all male dancers impersonate women. Arabic men have also performed folkloric dances, like the Tahtib or stick dance, and have danced informally at parties and family gatherings and still do today. Particularly in the Western societies, men have taken to cabaret style dancing, the style usually seen performed by women, sometimes cross-dressing and sometimes not. In 1959 soloist, choreographer, and director, Mahmoud Reda, started the first Egyptian folkloric dance company, The Reda Band. His efforts helped shape the dance we know and love today, Oriental Dance (Raks Sharki) or belly dance. Today, Tito is famous in Cairo, Egypt, performing for tourists at major hotels, performing oriental raqs sharki (belly dance) and folkloric dances. He is particularly loved and respected by fellow belly dancers throughout Western countries for his performances and instruction.

Video Examples:
Tito of Cairo
Amir Thaleb
Tito performs Tahtib, stick dance
Tito Performs Raqs Sharki and Folkloric Dance
Tito performs Raqs Sharki / belly dance
Mahmoud Reda (Fast forward to 3:00 on the counter for his performance.)
Nath Keo belly dance
Nath Keo belly dance
Mohamed Shahin folkloric dancer

For more information about Mellilah visit www.mellilah.com

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