Long Live Egyptian Bellydance!
- Thread starter Erik
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Sophia Maria
New member
This is a great thread!
This performance will always be one of my all-time favorites.
This performance will always be one of my all-time favorites.
Farasha Hanem
New member
You can't call a thread "Long Live Egyptian Bellydance" without this clip. It's the law.
How much awesome is that?
Glad to hear it Erik.
The video has been removed. I can't even remember if I saw it.
Erik
New member
The video has been removed. I can't even remember if I saw it.
SuperErik to the rescue!
Belly dance Aziza music, mix Egyptian dancers by Rotana Zaman - YouTube
[And there went my chance to quit after 531 posts.]
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Farasha Hanem
New member
SuperErik to the rescue!
Belly dance Aziza music, mix Egyptian dancers by Rotana Zaman - YouTube
[And there went my chance to quit after 531 posts.]
YAAAAAY! Thank you for not quitting, Erik! Hugshugs!
Jane
New member
I posted a clip of Fifi Abdo to facebook and mentioned she is one of the top belly dancers of all time. I got this as one of the comments:
"I'm sorry, am I missing something? there are 100s of better dancers than her, and oh, please try another move sweetie, you've done that one a million times just in this video? (speaking to Fifi).........I've seen lots of videos of her and she's always doing the exact same thing....so,.........I don't get it, what am I missing?????? How about Rachel and Zoe? now those girls do moves one can only dream of!!!"
The stupid. It burns.
"I'm sorry, am I missing something? there are 100s of better dancers than her, and oh, please try another move sweetie, you've done that one a million times just in this video? (speaking to Fifi).........I've seen lots of videos of her and she's always doing the exact same thing....so,.........I don't get it, what am I missing?????? How about Rachel and Zoe? now those girls do moves one can only dream of!!!"
The stupid. It burns.
Erik
New member
Guessing this commentator means Rachel Brice and Zoe Jakes.
I can relate. I've had many moments like this while discussing films with people whom I thought were intelligent, and suddenly it devolved into something along the lines of....Hey, why would anyone watch "Citizen Kane" when "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II" is on? And what can I say to that? How can it be explained? I guess it's the same with real Egyptian dance and some of the new stuff that was invented in the West. Same planet, different universes.
I can relate. I've had many moments like this while discussing films with people whom I thought were intelligent, and suddenly it devolved into something along the lines of....Hey, why would anyone watch "Citizen Kane" when "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II" is on? And what can I say to that? How can it be explained? I guess it's the same with real Egyptian dance and some of the new stuff that was invented in the West. Same planet, different universes.
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Erik
New member
Yes, it is. After posting I checked YouTube to make sure I hadn't accused the wrong dancers. Not to be judgmental or say they were bad dancers or anything, but the kind of dance they were doing was not to my tastes. I found it depressing. Also, that commentator on Facebook could have tried to write a kinder reply but probably had no frame of reference on which to draw.
Jane
New member
I think she might have realized her post sounded very harsh. After I calmed down, this is what I replied:
"Not pissed off, I think we are different style dancers with different tastes. So you are an American style belly dancer XXXXXXXX? The clip I posted of Fifi is from a movie, so it's not her dancing high art raqs sharqi or even her folkloric baladi that she's also famous for. This was just an entertainment movie bit. I’ve posted other clips of Fifi before, and she’s world famous, so I didn’t think I needed to post her other styles. Fifi is Egyptian from Egypt and her style reflects that. Egyptian style belly dance is fundamentally different from Americanized belly dance, which is more rooted technically in American Jazz dance. The movements are generated very differently in Egyptian dance and applied to (strictly belly dance) music with a different aesthetic value base. Egyptian dancers sometimes use choreography, but most of the time they improvise. Improvisation is one of the hallmarks of Egyptian style. The emphasis is on tarab, the emotional connective state between the musician, dancer and audience. Fifi is an authentic cultural belly dancer with perfect technique, subtlety, and musicality. These qualities are what make her one of the most respected and idolized belly dancers of all time. You might also like to watch clips of Dina, Soheir Zaki, and Nagwa Fouad. If you are ever interested in studying Egyptian style belly dance or learning more about Arabic music, I teach in XXXXXXX."
"Not pissed off, I think we are different style dancers with different tastes. So you are an American style belly dancer XXXXXXXX? The clip I posted of Fifi is from a movie, so it's not her dancing high art raqs sharqi or even her folkloric baladi that she's also famous for. This was just an entertainment movie bit. I’ve posted other clips of Fifi before, and she’s world famous, so I didn’t think I needed to post her other styles. Fifi is Egyptian from Egypt and her style reflects that. Egyptian style belly dance is fundamentally different from Americanized belly dance, which is more rooted technically in American Jazz dance. The movements are generated very differently in Egyptian dance and applied to (strictly belly dance) music with a different aesthetic value base. Egyptian dancers sometimes use choreography, but most of the time they improvise. Improvisation is one of the hallmarks of Egyptian style. The emphasis is on tarab, the emotional connective state between the musician, dancer and audience. Fifi is an authentic cultural belly dancer with perfect technique, subtlety, and musicality. These qualities are what make her one of the most respected and idolized belly dancers of all time. You might also like to watch clips of Dina, Soheir Zaki, and Nagwa Fouad. If you are ever interested in studying Egyptian style belly dance or learning more about Arabic music, I teach in XXXXXXX."
Ahava_Melantha
New member
I am sure she could have just said " I prefer tribal dane" thank you. end of discussion
Jane
New member
Aniseteph
New member
Answer: "Why yes. Yes, you are."
Your answer is much better and much more constructive though.
I am also tickled at the idea of Rachel and Zoe showing Fifi how belly dance should be done. How much fun would that be? :dance:
Jane
New member
Yeah, it was a head-desk moment for sure. I wonder if anyone in Egypt or Turkey knows those dancers and what their opinions of American Tribal and American Tribal Fusion are. Most Near/Middle Eastern people I've met here in the U.S. (not that there have been many) are confused by it and think it's from Northern India.
Jaada al Johara
New member
Silly people...
That was very diplomatic of you to even honour that kind of remark with an intelligent response.
I've recently been doing a bit of soul searching and went to an intensive private study with a egyptian trained dancer to "get back to my roots" so to speak. There's so much information about this dance that people miss if they only expose themselves to western trained dancers and solely western technique. I really thought I was fairly knowledgeable on the dance form but what I learned about musical interpretation in that 10 days really opened my eyes and inspired me to see new ways in which I can grow. I may not commit myself to Egyptian stylisation for my own performances... but I think anyone should at least try to understand and respect the roots of where the early influences of the dance began. *sigh*
On a lighter note... One of my faves from Madame Zaki! And Tito!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfRATlwjxqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujkKEq9Zhpg
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HfRATlwjxqo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That was very diplomatic of you to even honour that kind of remark with an intelligent response.
I've recently been doing a bit of soul searching and went to an intensive private study with a egyptian trained dancer to "get back to my roots" so to speak. There's so much information about this dance that people miss if they only expose themselves to western trained dancers and solely western technique. I really thought I was fairly knowledgeable on the dance form but what I learned about musical interpretation in that 10 days really opened my eyes and inspired me to see new ways in which I can grow. I may not commit myself to Egyptian stylisation for my own performances... but I think anyone should at least try to understand and respect the roots of where the early influences of the dance began. *sigh*
On a lighter note... One of my faves from Madame Zaki! And Tito!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfRATlwjxqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujkKEq9Zhpg
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HfRATlwjxqo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Sophia Maria
New member
*tears hair* *beats chest* *weeps*
On a more positive note, Tahia Carioca!
Not gonna lie, half of the reason why I watch this clip so many times is because there's a guy mackin' on a lamp. And then crying. Poor guy