Saidi Dance
Saidi is currently a very popular folkloric dance, performed by men and women at festive events, such as weddings. Saidi music uses the mizmar, nay, rebaba, and tabla. A long galabaya (dress) is worn by both men and women.
More information.
Here are some examples of Saidi:
Mahmoud Reda dancers performing “Raks Baladna – Saidi”
Yasmina of Cairo
Orit
Leila
Mohamed Shahin
For more info about Mellilah, please visit www.mellilah.com
Dance for the love of it and forget the rest!
Dance for the Love of It and Forget the Rest!
Written by Mellilah
“The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.”
- Vincent Lombardi
My dear friend, a fellow dancer, asked me the other day, “Why do you dance?” I know why I dance. I dance because it’s my way of expressing that which I cannot put into words. My body moves in a way that I’ve now claimed as my own, a gracefulness and fluidness I may never have found had it not been for belly dance. I feel feminine, sexy… beautiful. The music and movements bring about joy, love, tenderness, bittersweet pain, and ecstasy. For me, dance is healing; it’s my elixir. The music moves me like no other, and although I may need to work on more balance in my life, when I’m not performing, all I really want to do is watch a good belly dance show. Then why fret about it so much?
I find myself constantly striving to learn this or that, disappointed when I see how much is still left to master. Searching for that end in sight in terms of “mastery,” not to compete with others but to compete with myself. But the reality is that it’s the journey I love. It’s not the end result; it’s the music, sensations, and the love of it.
My advice for myself and those reading: Don’t give dance too much importance. Release yourself completely and utterly, forgetting about any expectations from yourself and others, and just dance because you love it. Don’t give those with negative energy even a second thought, remove them completely. Practice technique, listen to your music over and over again, practice transitions and where to do certain moves, but then throw it all out the window and just dance, in both practice and performance. That’s what I’ll be doing!
I’ll let you know how it goes… to be continued.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Belly Dancing vs. Erotic Dancing
Belly Dancing vs. Erotic Dancing
Written by Mellilah
Why does the general public sometimes get erotic dancing confused with belly dancing? This happened to me just the other day while telling a stranger what I do. I will try to explain from my point of view and discuss ways that I feel we (dancers) can work to eliminate this confusion in the future.
Although belly dancing is ancient art form, it’s gone through a metamorphosis and still is, incorporating many cultures, techniques, stylizations, etc… It’s only in the most recent past that belly dancing has morphed into a more refined art form. However, the dichotomy is that belly dancing is also more experimental than ever. We have an art form that has become more refined, and at the same time, more experimental.
Ballerinas never seem to get mistaken for strippers. Why is that? Is this because ballet has a universal vocabulary and technique, standards? Ballet has been classified as a fine art form and has been for years. There are schools of ballet and although there are differences in philosophy and pedagogy, the end result follows a standard or norm for that art form. In my opinion, “fine art” follows standards, making it more refined. I found this, most appropriate, definition of “fine art” on dictionary.com: [Something requiring highly developed techniques and skills.] That is not to say that art is any less respected or regarded if it doesn’t have standards. In my opinion, the general public has less confusion around what ballet is, or is not, as compared to belly dance, because of these reasons.
I used to be a soprano vocalist, an opera singer, and I constantly found myself pointing out the difference between a classically trained vocalist practicing the “fine art” of singing and a pop singer. A pop singer does not necessarily need to practice technique following a pre-existing standard. A pop singer doesn’t actually have to be a good singer as defined by the fine art of singing. Therefore, there’s a lot more variation and diversity between pop singers; it’s experimental. If we want belly dancing to have less variability, less experimentation (when defined as belly dance), than do we need to work towards standards? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Maybe we can have both.
I can respect those who choose to perform burlesque and other alternative forms of dance. And I respect our fellow belly dancers that choose to experiment with their craft because that is art. We should respect every artist’s right to express his or herself and cherish the fact that we can do as we wish in the US. However, the issue doesn’t lie in whether or not the art being presented is appropriate for a given venue and the issue doesn’t lie in whether or not you think erotic dancing, burlesque or other experimental dance is tasteless or inappropriate. In contrast, the problem exists only when labeling these art forms incorrectly. If the general public is ever to understand what belly dancing is or is not, than it should not be confused with other forms of dance. That’s not to say that there aren’t belly dancing moves being used in erotic dancing. We use jazz and ballet moves in belly dance! However, how much can be tweaked before it becomes something else entirely? Of course art is subjective and so are its labels. I think we need to use judgment, and if it’s experimental than label it as something else; make a new label, call it “free-style dancing,” “experimental dance that incorporates belly dancing movements.” Aren’t we confusing the public by labeling other dance forms or experimental dance as belly dancing? There is no “dance police.” However, as a belly dance community, we can choose to support a standard when referring to “belly dance” and we can choose to educate our audiences as we share our various art forms. We can also choose to experiment with belly dance, providing our own unique dance experience. To do this, we need to encourage and educate all those around us, students, teachers, performers, and the general public to use the label “belly dance” appropriately and as a prerequisite, to understand it in it’s purest form first. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be a belly dancer and a dancer of other forms. We just need to educate ourselve and label each individual performance as accurately, and with as much consideration, as we choose each individual costume and routine to meet the needs of the venue.
Of course there’s more than just the label. As a belly dancer, I never undercut other dancers, I make sure if I’m “belly dancing,” that it’s family friendly, and I dress and act with propriety before, during and after the show. I labeled myself as a student and didn’t pose as a professional until my teachers and I reached consensus that I had reached a professional level. As students, teachers, and lovers of belly dance, each of us can take steps to help belly dance grow. If we work on becoming better belly dancers, educate ourselves about the music, history, costuming, etc… and put time into how we present ourselves to our audiences, I think there will be less confusion over time. Experiment but label it accurately and belly dance will be an impetus behind creations we haven’t even dreamt of yet. But respect and understand it’s history and development, too, and label “belly dance” for what it is.
On a positive note, I receive more praise and respect when I tell people I’m a belly dancer, than I receive misinformation or disrespect. Yes, I still run into people who are confused as to what belly dancing is or isn’t, but I accept these incidents as opportunities to educate.
November 11, 2010- Since I published this article three years ago, I have learned a lot more about belly dance through researching, teaching and performing. I would never want a move towards standardization, not that I think that’s what I was saying in my article. It’s not that simple. But I do want dancers to learn and be taught with intention, which can only be acheived with a knowledgable instructor. We, as dancers, need to understand the styles that have existed and that exist today. Understand when and where the dance was influenced. Know what is contemporary and what is traditional. I am still disheartened when I see dancers who identify themselves incorrectly. I do think more education is needed. The dance constantly evolves and branches off and we need to know what our purpose is when we perform and label has appropriately as possible with all the subjectivety that lies in doing so. I have written another article which I think is relevant to this topic. Read the “Styles of Belly Dance” on my Blog.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Belly dancer fees? Why do they charge what they do?
Why do belly dancers charge what they do?
A quality, professional dancer spends hundreds, and even thousands of dollars on costumes, make-up, hair, jewelry, props, etc… For example, most professional costumes range between $500 and $1000 each. Additionally, time and money is spent on websites, advertising, gas and more, just like any other business. Like other performing artists, he/she most likely has spent thousands of dollars on training to get to the professional level and more on continued professional development. Hundreds to thousands of hours are spent practicing, too.
Before arriving at your party/venue, the dancer has to prepare his/herself by selecting and editing music, burning a cd, preparing the dances he/she will perform, selecting the right costume/s and props, applying performance make-up and traveling to your event.
Actually, the cost of a belly dancer is usually under that of other performers, like clowns, jugglers, magicians, and dancers of other art forms, although it takes the same or often more time and/or money to be a professional belly dancer. Fortunately, belly dancers across the nation are working hard to lessen this gap, which is one reason for the uprise of belly dance forums and union-like groups for belly dancers.
Do belly dancers have different rates?
In most communities throughout the nation, professional belly dancers have come to a general consensus on how much to charge, a minimum fee for given situations. Should you find a dancer charging less, most likely, you can expect the individual to have lower than professional standards – buyer beware! These dancers may be students or women who have not received adequate training. In our dance communities, it is generally frowned upon for novices/students to charge for their services and/or to present themselves as working dancers, selling their services to the public. (However, there are other outlets for students/novices to perform, such as: haflas and student recitals.)
Although there is usually a set minimum, some dancers may charge more. These dancers may be more in demand or may be choosing to limit their hours, only catering to higher end clients. Additionally, dancers in the “higher end” may offer unique specialties or may simply have more tenure. Of course, a higher fee doesn’t guarantee higher quality, but it’s a good rule of thumb.
Many dancers will list their prices on their websites. This is usually the minimum base fee, and most dancers will adjust these fees, adding on for extraordinary travel time, additional use of props, additional costume changes, a longer show, size of the audience, holiday shows, etc.
The frequency of performances will also affect pricing. For example, if a restaurant hires a belly dancer to dance on a weekly or monthly basis, a dancer is able to accept less for his/her performance. In most areas, there is also a set minimum for these types of recurring performances.
For a list of recommended venues in the Greater Seattle area that host belly dancing, visit www.mellilah.com/venues
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Khaliji Dance History
Khaliji Dance by Mellilah
Belly dancers use the term “khaliji” to refer to the style of dance and music from the Persian Gulf or Arabian Gulf region, the “Khalig,” including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The dance is largely improvisational, performed by pairs or groups of women for their own entertainment at special celebrations, such as weddings. The dance is most commonly performed to a hypnotic 2/4 rhythm with two heavy beats and a pause, called the saudi, khaliji, or adany rhythm (from Yemen). It should be noted that there is not one khaliji rhythm but hundreds, as this dance represents many countries of the Gulf area. The khaliji rhythm most commonly used by belly dancers is similar to the ayoub rhythm except it has a more lighthearted feel with accents on the upbeat. Additionally, it is different from the fellahi rhythm in that it is characterized by two heavy distinctive dums surrounded by lots of fast teks.
In Saudi Arabia and Qatar the dance is called Raqs Khaliji (Dance of the Gulf); in Kuwait it is called Samri (Saumri); and in the UAE it is called Raks Al Nasha’ar (pronounced “rocks all nuh SHAH ar”), which may be referencing the woman tossing their hair to the rhythm. As the word Khaliji is not an English word, you will find various spellings of the word, including khaliji. khaligi, khaleegi, khaleeji, and khaleegy, (pronounced “kuh LEE jee”).
The dancers wear bright, oversized overdresses called the thobe or thobe nasha’ar, worn without a hip belt. The dress is used as a prop, too, held up in front like an apron to catch the wind while the dancer dances to a R-L-R, L-R-L floor pattern. Also, the sleeves are often used flirtatiously as a veil or held up like a hood to frame head slides. 
As noted above, the dance features a R-L-R, L-R-L stepping pattern with a gliding, limping feel, one foot on the ball, the other foot flat; but without the bouncing found in Nubian style dance, which has a similar stepping pattern. The flat foot falls on the heavy beat, with the other foot on the ball, slightly behind the leading flat foot, moving in the direction of the flat foot. Of course the style will probably change depending on the area in which it is from.
Although further research is probably needed, I have read from a couple of sources that the women are very proud of their long hair and so the khaliji dance often includes the tossing of loose, long hair from side-to-side, like the “shaking of water out of the ear.” In performance, when the music reaches a climax, the hair tosses are usually performed in a kneeling position and can build up to the point that the dancer’s hair creates figure eights.
Besides footwork and hair tosses, chest and shoulder movements are highlights of this dance, as well as lots of spinning, head slides, soft hand movements and shoulder and hand shimmies. The index finger is sometimes placed on the nose, with palm of hand towards the nose and again this may depend on the region where it is being performed.
One anthropologist who married into a Kuwaiti family, Melinda Smith, believes that the movements and gestures of the dance may have originally represented the Arab pearl divers in their everyday activities. The floating, rolling motions of the dress imitated the action of the waves. The dancers touched their finger to the side of their nose to mock the pearl divers decompressing, and their hair was tossed to mirror the seaweed floating on moving water. This may especially be true of the tribes that originally lived along the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In contrast, the Central area (Saudi Arabia) would most likely have had different traditional movements.
My article is based on my research online, and I am not an expert on this subject. It’s very difficult to get a complete and clear picture of this dance form, as the dance will most likely vary from country to country and even within the different regions of the same country. Hopefully, this article will shed just a little light on the subject and encourage others to delve deeper.
Khaliji Video Example – Laila Abd al-Aziz i 1980’s
Another clip of Laila singing with dancers
These videos were found thanks to Kay Hardy Campbell! To read more about each clip, please visit Kay’s site.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Baladi Dance (Raqs Beledi)
Right now I’m currently in love with the baladi style of belly dance. I’ve talked to many people and seem to get a lot of different perspectives. For my own benefit, I’m going to attempt to put it all together. Please feel free to comment if you disagree or think I’m missing a major point. I will most likely revise this as I learn more.
Raqs Baladi
The Arabic term baladi (beledi) means “of the people.” It represents the everyday life of the people, their culture. The term itself is quite confusing as there are several contexts in which this word is used, including:
1. To represent a particular rhythm found in almost all oriental music, recognized by the structure of accents, the “dums” played on the tabla. However, it should be noted that it’s purely an American practice to associate the term baladi with this specific rhythm, the masmoudi sagheer. In other words, if you went to Egypt and asked the band to play a baladi rhythm, they probably wouldn’t know what you were talking about. Variations of the baladi rhythm include maksoum and saidi.
2. To represent a central part of the oriental dance routine known as the taqsim baladi (baladi awad or baladi tet). This is also called a baladi progression.
3. To loosely label what is currently popular (of the people)
4. To represent a common style of dance found in Egypt today. It’s the style of dance people use at haflas, weddings, at home and in dance clubs. The Egyptian people use this style when dancing to all sorts of music, including Al Jeer (pop) and Western music.
5. Raqs baladi (baladi dance) is used to represent a folkloric style of Egyptian dance, which is very grounded and earthy. Raqs baladi includes saidi, fellahin and bambootia dance. Baladi dancers wear an ankle length, baladi dress with a hip scarf. 
Baladi is the most ancient form of Egyptian solo dance. Raqs sharki or oriental dance, more commonly known as belly dance, is a by-product of this original style of Eyptian dance.
Video footage taksim baladi:
Sohair Zaki
Fifi Abdo
Fifi Abdo
Orit Maftsir
Orit Maftsir
Yasmina of Cairo and Mohamed Kazafy A beledi song, not a taksim beledi or beledi progression
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Dances of Tunisia
Dances of Tunisia: Written by Mellilah
The traditional dance of Tunisia is characterized by sharp, horizontal twisting movements of the hips with flowing upper bodies, danced almost entirely on demi-point (on the toes) with arms held in a “w” shape. This dance is seen at weddings and parties, and in the southern islands of Kerkennah and Djerba, the dance is often performed with a clay water pot balanced on the head.
These dancers wear a blouse, a “khamisa,” underneath a large rectangular wrap, a “melia,” fastened at the shoulder with two large pins, with a belt of woollen yard around their waists. Additionally, married women wear a “khul-khal,” a famous Tunisian ankle bracelet, to ward off snakes with its rattle-like noise. (Unmarried virgins are believed to have inherent protection from snake bites.)
The Tunisians have another dance called the Stambali, a true trance dance, which is performed in sanctuaries and in people’s homes as a therapeutic remedy. This dance accompanies the sacrifice of an animal and is performed in regard to Sidi Saad, their patron saint.
As I am not an expert on this subject, I recommend further research on this subject.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Brief History of Belly Dance
A Brief History of Belly Dance: Belly Dance Origins by Mellilah
Seen as an ancient dance form, belly dance evolved through various ancient dance traditions throughout North African and the Middle East.
Baladi means “country” or “folk” and refers to a particular style and costuming. Primarily in the US, baladi is also used to represent a specific rhythm, the masmoudi sagheer. Prior to the twentieth century, when performed, baladi was performed primarily for weddings, outdoor festivals, coffee houses and private residences. The baladi style was performed in small spaces and was improvisational, utilizing movements of the shoulders and hips. Traditional instruments accompanied Baladi dancers, including drums, wind or string instruments, and tambourines, and their costumes consisted of an optional headscarf, a floor length dress, and hip scarf.
Although today belly dance is practiced all over the globe, the Golden Era of belly dance rests in the mid-twentieth century in Egypt. In 1926, Badia Masabny, Lebanese dancer and actress, opened “Casino Badia,” a nightclub in Cairo that was modeled after the cabarets in Europe. Casino Badia featured Eastern as well as Western entertainment, which both European and Middle Eastern audiences found appealing. Similar nightclubs emerged in Beirut, Algiers and throughout Cairo. It is at this time, that the evolution of baladi to raqs sharki, the sophisticated art form that we know today, began.
Baladi was transformed into a refined art form, utilizing more sophisticated movements, veils, and encompassing a larger stage area, as well as embracing ballet inspired arms, posture, and foot placement, on the balls of the feet. Dancers wore bedlahs, two-pieced, sequined costumes, inspired by Hollywood, and for the first time, dancers reached celebrity status and gained prestige. Products of this period are famous dancers Tahia Carioca and Samia Gamal.
The translation of Arabic term “raqs sharki” is “dance of the East” or “oriental dance.” It has been said that French travelers referred to raqs sharki as danse du ventre (dance of the belly), as what they witnessed was bizarre to them. The terms belly dance or raqs sharki are widely used today.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Leila ~ You’re the best!
Leila is one of my favorite post modern Egyptian style dancers, and you have to admit that she’s drop-dead gorgeous. Besides this, you have to respect her tenacity. Originally from the Northwest, north of Seattle, she quickly became one of Seattle’s most loved and regularly booked dancers. Determined to make a name for herself, she moved out to Cairo in 1999, studied with the best Egyptian instructors, learned Arabic, and quickly moved on to dancing at the top 5-star hotels with her own band, becoming one of Cairo’s most sought after belly dancers, as well as a well known Egyptian actress and model.
Leila and I have similar body types, which is another attraction for me. I find that there are some definite benefits of learning from people who are of the same/similar body type as you (that is once you get to a certain level). Long arms take longer to move through space, and I have a lot of real estate to move around! I have found that petite dancers sometimes have a hard time relating to this. Moves that look good on a petite person aren’t going to look the same on me. Also, as we wear the same size, when she’s visiting Seattle, I can always count on picking up one of her hand-me-down costumes! : ) 
Leila’s dancing is elegant yet commanding, beautifully Egyptian, and mesmerizing to watch. See for yourself. Video Footage of Leila below:
Nile Group Festival Opening
Saidi at Nile Group Festival
Nile Group Festival
Nile Group Festival; Tabla solo & finale
Bint al Belad A sample of her first video
Leila w/ Singer
Cairo Belly Dancing
Raks al Assaya This clip was probably filmed
around 1999-2000.
Leila as Actress
Leila often visits Seattle. Be sure to catch her workshops when she does! You won’t be disappointed.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
I wish I had learned zills a long time ago!
I really, really wish I had learned the zills when I began dancing!! Unfortunately, when I learned to dance, most of my teachers didn’t use zills (finger cymbals) in their classes. Because it wasn’t used in class and I never took the initiative to teach myself, I danced for years without them, and now my zills are not up to par with my dancing. It’s taking a lot of discipline to make myself use them, but I know it will pay off in the end.
I think it’s never too early to begin learning zills and really want my students to learn early on. However, I’ve decided that I will begin teaching zills in my Level 2 classes due to the nature of my Level 1 classes and the various objectives people have for signing up for the class.
Where do you buy zills? Saroya is the best place for purchasing zills. If you click on “Students & Advanced Dancers” you’ll see cymbals that are mellow toned and lightweight for students at around $15 a set. (You can read about the history of zills here, too.) 
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Styles of Belly Dance
Styles of Belly Dance (Middle Eastern Dance)
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“Belly dance” is a common term used to represent past and present styles of folkloric, cabaret, and contemporary dance, originating in the Middle East. The term is used so broadly that a more specific title is warranted in order to properly represent the dance. Of course there is subjectivity in placing belly dance into categories, as there are often commonalities rather than hard rules, but I believe that in attempting to organize the information we can better understand it.
Folkloric Dance (Raqs Baladi): Folkloric dances are the various regional dances of the people, performed by the general public at celebrations or by professional entertainers. Folkloric dances differ from country to country, as well as within a country. On the stages of past and present times, folkloric dances of the Middle East were, and are, performed in their original authentic forms as well as in a theatrical form for the stage. The theatrical forms of “Egyptian” folkloric dances were influenced by and introduced to the Egyptian theatre by Mahmoud Reda, who studied the authentic regional dances of the people throughout Egypt in the 1950s and then modified the dances and costuming for the theatre. Some examples of folkloric dances you may see performed include Saidi, Khaliji, Malaya Luff, Raqs Baladi, Ghawazee, Nubian, Hagala, Tunisian, and Turkish Rom.
Cabaret (Raqs Sharki): What we think of as “cabaret” or “raqs sharki,” often performed on a stage with fancy bedlahs, sequins and beads, evolved over time and was originally developed through combining the many styles of “raqs baladi” (the home style dance of the people from various regions), as well as influences from many cultures and/or dance styles, like ballet, the influences of Mohmoud Reda’s theatrical productions, and even Hollywood. Badia Masabni is credited as the original pioneer of the cabaret style. In the mid-twentieth century, she was the first to perform on a European-like nightclub in Cairo, fusing existing dance styles for the stage. Since then, cabaret has spread like wild fire all over the world and with advances in technology (internet, travel, etc…), the stylization of cabaret has branched off and evolved even further, making it even more difficult to define.
Contemporary: As the dance has reached almost every corner of the world, belly dancers have experimented with the art form by incorporating western influences to a greater degree and adding their own unique artistic “twist,” while keeping some aspects of folkloric and cabaret styles. “Belly Dance Theatre” may be another good name for this type of creative expression. An example of a contemporary style is Tribal Belly Dance, which became popular in the US and can now be seen performed in other nations, too. Improvisational, Tribal Fusion, and American Tribal are well known sub-categories of the tribal belly dance style.
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Cabaret Styles in Greater Detail (Video Examples Included):
EGYPTIAN ORIENTAL
Egyptian Oriental, also known as Egyptian Cabaret or Egyptian Style Belly Dance is the dance style that is most true to the past and present dancers of Egypt, mainly Cairo. The style tends to be fluid without much isolation and is rich in emotion and music interpretation. The style can be further subdivided into three categories, Classical, Modern and Post Modern. As present Egyptian dancers begin teaching abroad and foreigners have begun performing in Cairo, you begin to see native Egyptian dancers using current Western stylizations. Therefore, the present day trends of Cairo are more difficult to pinpoint.
Samia Gamal Classical
Mona al Said Modern Eygptian
Sahra Saeeda Modern Egyptian
Randa Kamel Post Modern Egyptian
Leila Post Modern Egyptian
Sohaila Includes dialogue about the style.
AMERICAN RESTAURANT / AMERICAN CABARET
This is the most common form of belly dance seen in the US. Although the cabaret style began as fusion and dancers continue to fuse, in the US and other non-Arabic countries, dancers will more commonly and freely add jazz and dance elements from other dance styles. Additionally, drum solos seem to have more importance in the American style than in the Egyptian style, with the added theatrics of pops, locks, lots of layering and even kicks. Chest rotations, isolated chest lifts and drops, and more isolation of body parts is typical of American Cabaret. Dancers in America, as well as abroad, often label it as Egyptian Cabaret or Egyptian Style, but there is a significant, yet subtle, difference that is difficult to recognize and quite subjective. No one can better notice these subtleties than a native Middle Easterner who is familiar with the dance and music.
Video Example Bellydance Superstars
Video Example
RUSSIAN CABARET STYLE
In Russia, dancers tend to be classically trained in ballet, which leads to a uniquely Russian style.
Russian style
LEBANESE CABARET STYLE
I haven’t studied this style to be able to speak about it but here’s a clip of Amani, famous Lebanese dancer. I do know that Lebanese dancers are known for wearing heels.
Amani Jabril
There are other Cabaret Styles that are not noted here.
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Contemporary Styles in Greater Detail:
U.S. TRIBAL Belly Dance
This style can also be broken into three sub-categories, Improvisational, Tribal Fusion, and American Tribal
Unmata- Improvisational Tribal Style
Unmata- Improvisational Tribal Style
Fat Chance- American Tribal
Rachel Brice- Tribal Fusion
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Of course you will find many more styles belly dance, which I have not referenced here.
More Information:
For an historical video reference, visit Mellilah’s Favorite Dancers, which shows a progression of Egyptian dancers through time.
Hossam Ramzy Historical information on the stars of belly dance
How to Analyze Dance Styles by Meissoun A great article!
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For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Western Songs with Middle Eastern / Asian Beats
Below is a list of Western songs that use Middle Eastern or Asian Beats/Effects: (I just found this info Online and I’m not so sure how accurate it is.) Let me know your thoughts.
Me Against the Music (Rishi Rich Mix) – Britney Spears
Baby Boy, Beautiful Liar, and Naughty Girl – Beyonce
Danger and Stranger – Hillary Duff
In My Pocket – Mandy Moore
Desert Rose – Sting
Wait For You – Nelly Furtado
Isaac – Madonna
Outrageous – Britney Spears
Kiss Kiss – Holly Valance
Get Ur Freak On – Missy Elliott
Pump up the Volume – MARRS
Toxic – Britney Spears
Tattva – Kula Shaker
Whenever, Wherever- Shakira
Ever so Lonely – Monsoon
Buttons – PCD
Like This – Kelly Rowland
Songs by Shakira
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Middle Eastern Music vs. Western Music
—Middle Eastern (M.E.) The complexity of the rhythm and the purity of the melodic line are most important in this type of music. In contrast, Western music has a harmonic framework and a beginning, middle and end. M.E. music has an ebb and flow, a continuous development and endless repetition with embellishments and variations.
—M.E. music uses quartertones, a pitch that is half way between a white and black key on a piano
—Western music uses chords (harmony) while M.E. music does not. There’s only one melodic line.
More reading about M.E. music:
Arabic Maqam World – Great site!
Describes type of M.E. music, structure of the music, and instruments used
Zehara’s Site More in-depth description of structure
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Mellilah’s Favorite Dancers – Video Clips
Here are some of my favorite dancers. The clips are placed in some historical order; so it’s also an historical reference, showing how Egyptian dance evolved and changed as it progressed through the 30s, 40s and 50s (Classical), into the 60s-80s (Modern) and the most current Egyptian style (Post Modern). Note there are also clips of American and other foreigners which do not all depict the Egyptian style as it is and has been represented in Cairo, specifically. Putting dancers into categories is somewhat subjective, and the semantics of doing so should be considered. Please note that I do my best to apply what I have learned from master instructors when categorizing dancers and do so for the purpose of studying and learning from these examples. There aren’t many black and white rules when defining the styles of belly dance, and I like to think of the similarities as “commonalities” or “tendencies” when referring to syles.
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LEGENDS (Classical & Modern Egyptian style):
Tahia CariocaConsidered the 1st Star of Raks Sharki in 40s; Classical style
Samia GamalConsidered the 2nd Star of Raks Sharki in 40s; Classical style
Naima Akef Star of 50s
Suheir Zaki Star of 60s & 70s
Nagwa Fouad Star of 70s
Mona Said Star of 70s
Fifi Abdo Star of 70s & 80s
Aida Nour Star of 70s & 80s.
CURRENT PERFORMERS:
Lucy Modern Egyptian style
Sahra Saeeda Originally from Los Angeles. Danced in a Cairo’s 5-star hotel from 1989 – 1995; Modern Egyptian style.
Randa Kamel, Post Modern Egyptian
Randa Kamel
Orit Masftir From Israel
Dina Cairo Superstar; Post Modern Egyptian style
Leila of Cairo Originally from Seattle, WA; Post Modern Egyptian style
Aziza Mor Said I just discovered this dancer; from Brazil
Hadia of Canada Modern Egyptian style
Evgenia Kopteva Russian style
Sohaila Located in SanDiego, CA; Modern Egyptian style
Daria Mitskevich Just added! I just discovered this amazing dancer.
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
Music for Beginning Belly Dancers
When purchasing music, there are a few things to consider:
You’ll want to find songs with a medium tempo. These are easiest for practicing. Even when practicing shimmies, I’ve found it’s way more productive to practice with medium tempo songs, building up to faster tempos. Discipline is the key. Think of your shimmy as a metronome, it should be even and steady with the tempo of the music.
For practicing drills, Egyptian pop is great because it’s more repetitive than Oriental. For beginners, Egyptian pop is also easier for improvisation.
You should find music that you enjoy, after all, that’s why we’re here, for fun. Hollywood Music Center This site allows you to listen to some of the tracks on each album, and they have a large selection to choose from.
Here are some of my personal recommendations for beginner/intermediate dancers, specifically for practice:
*Sunshine Arabia 2006 or one of the other volumes- Compilation of Egyptian pop and other; lots of medium tempo songs for practice
*Hakim – Any albums by this artist; Egyptian Pop; easy to dance to
*Bellydance Superstars,” Volumes 1-5 – Most people love these songs; You can buy directly from “Bellydance Superstars.”
*Sahara Groove – Variety of artists, medium tempo songs for practice
*The Orient Beats Back, One Thousand & One nights – Remixes by Said Mrad, fast songs with heavy beats, great for shimmy practice
*Tapestry of the Dance by John Bilezikjian and Var Daghdevirian- Turkish, Greek and Persian music; contains a full belly dance routine and other songs
*Kenza by Khaled – Moroccan rai music; easy to dance to
*Dellali by Cheb Mami –Moroccan rai music; easy to dance to
*Arabic Groove and Sahara Lounge by Putumayo World Music – Great listening music and practice songs
*House of Tarab -I can’t end without mentioning H.O.T., based in Seattle! They have two excellent CDs which will introduce you to some belly dance classics and provide you with a good range of various types of songs, including slow taqsims, drum solos, and more…
Also, read my article, “Egyptian Music All Serious Bellydancers Should Know”
For more info about the author, visit www.mellilah.com
