Greek male bellydancer Prince Kayammer

[Maria_Aya]

Hi all
Altho many might have seen Anastasios = Prince Kayammer dancing at the Oriental Soul for Kids video's I would like to make a proper presendation for him, since I respect and admir much his work.
He is only 22, been raised with arabic music from kid, and I can trully say that his style is total arabic which is kind of rare for male bellydancers outside of arab world.
He is one of the most professional's i've seen, work very hard, teaching 8 hours every day !!! and dancing everynight at restaurants and hotels at North Greece.
Unfortunately we live 500 km way other way I would be a bug to him all the time lol
Enjoy him at Enta Omri, and more video's to come (you got to see his amazing cane work)

YouTube - Oriental Soul Kids - Prince Kayammer Male bellydancer

 

[Safran]

He is very cool, very "flowing" and in the music. And he uses quite a few little elements I haven't seen before, like the hands above the head movement at approx 2:35. Is he based at Thes/niki?

Maria, I do get the feeling that you are the glue of the Greek BD scene :clap:

 

[Alexandros]

Giasou Maraki,

Very very nice i dont know him personally but he is nice and its very rare for a Greek bellydancer to dance rak sharki as far as i can remember give him my personal greetings and one advise as friend and Greek to work a little bit more with his arabsque!

Love you all
Alexandros

 

[chryssanthi sahar]

Anastasios is a great dancer and also a great and modest person and he is working hard to become even better, because he is seriously in love with the dance (I know because we are good friends). For me he is the best male belly dancer in Greece and one of the best I've ever seen at all (although he is still young and he surely has some more things to learn). The most important thing is that he has the right feeling for the music, he interprets the music excellently and his moves are fluent and gracious (and very Arabian ).

 

[janaki]

He dances with soul and the moves go along with this!!! He is fabulous!!!!
good luck to him!!!!

 

[Tarik Sultan]

He moves very well, but he looks shy and reserved emotionally he's holding back. HE needs to project more confidence and take command of his space. Also for the music he's using he needs a more dramatic feel. Amir Taleb is a good example of these qualities. But I hope he continues and improves.

 

[Aisha Azar]

Dancer

Dear Aya,
He is VERY good and he retains the feminine essence of the dance!! I agree with Tarik that he needs to loosen up a bit and he also could use to not follow such a strict choreography if he wants to look really Egyptian/ Arab. He is, regardless a wonderful dancer and he really gets it!! I want to see him 5 years from now!
Hugs,
A'isha

 

[Recnadocir]

He moves very well, but he looks shy and reserved emotionally he's holding back. HE needs to project more confidence and take command of his space. Also for the music he's using he needs a more dramatic feel. Amir Taleb is a good example of these qualities. But I hope he continues and improves.

I strongly agree with these comments, echoed by A'isha Azar. My two cents worth otherwise:

Pluses: He has a nice softness, somewhat fem, footwork is clever at times and his rib cage and hip work, though not spectacular and lacking in variety, seem precise.

Needs more work: His arms droop on his entrance, and this problem recurs throughout his performance. Perhaps as he is long limbed, he is self conscious about it? He needs to learn that long limbs can be a beautiful asset in dance- it's all about expanding the kinesphere, baby! This will help intensify his performance which again, is too withdrawn, as if he is practicing the movement most of the time, not really dancing it, full out.

 

[Tarik Sultan]

He's a good dancer, but like I said, he needs to project a more confident vibe. If he is not gay or an effeminate man by nature, then he also needs to project a more masculine essence. Femininity may be a part of the dance for women, but since men are NOT women, they need to project the energy that is apropriate with who they are as men. However, as I said, if he is by nature effeminate, then that's who and what he is and so be it, but that image is not one that should be held up as the standard for all male Oriental dancers to copy. Let a woman be a woman and a man BE A MAN! Doesn't mean we are superior, but neither shoul we be apologetic about who we are and celebrating the physical and emotional qualities that makes us beautiful and a compliment to our sisters.

PERIOD!

 

[Aisha Azar]

Dancers, etc.

Dear Group,
While this man has feminine essence in his dance, he is not overly feminine. There is a difference between expressing the essence of femininity and coming across as weak or "gay", which he does not. He is more free floating in his sexuality. He does not need to macho up, however, he could be more assertive emotionally and add more actual texture to his dance for effect. From a teacher's standpoint I feel that he has not been dancing long and it is something he will grow into as he gains experience as a professional dancer. As i said before he is very good, and I believe he will get even better!
Regards,
A'isha

 

[Aisha Azar]

Dancers, etc.

Dear Group,
While this man has feminine essence in his dance, he is not overly feminine. There is a difference between expressing the essence of femininity and coming across as weak or "gay", which he does not. He is more free floating in his sexuality. He does not need to macho up, however, he could be more assertive emotionally and add more actual texture to his dance for effect. From a teacher's standpoint I feel that he has not been dancing long and it is something he will grow into as he gains experience as a professional dancer. As I said before, he is very good, and I believe he will get even better!
Regards,
A'isha

 

[Recnadocir]

Okay then, A'isha,
On a scale of 1 to 10, if 1 is "sissy boy" or "girly man" and 10 is "hard man" like "The Rock" where do you rank him?

 

[janaki]

In my opinion he is doing all the RIGHT THINGS to this dance form. He is only 22 guys!!! With experience comes the maturity and confidence. I think he is pretty good. I can't see anything negative in him. There is always room to grow. Learning dancing is a life long process. Is there a dancer that is perfect???

He is definitely expressive. Some are more aggressive and some are less!!! With time his dance, confidence and expression will mature too!!!! I think he is doing everything fine!!! God bless him!!!

 

[Aisha Azar]

Dancer

Okay then, A'isha,
On a scale of 1 to 10, if 1 is "sissy boy" or "girly man" and 10 is "hard man" like "The Rock" where do you rank him?

Dear Rico,
To put it in the language of the Geiko Caveman, "Yeah, I have a response.... What?????"


Dear Janaki,
I agree. He is doing all the right things in the right way and needs only time and experience, as you say.

Regards to you both,
A'isha

 

[Tarik Sultan]

I agree that he is very good, but unfortunately for guys the world is very unforgiving. Shyness and a lack of confidence is usually interprited as gayness or femininity. No he is not overly feminine and he doesn't need to macho up by adopting stereotypical affectations. Like I said, if he is naturally effeminate, then so be it, he is what he is. If he is not however, and its a matter of a lack of self confidence, then he needs to over come that.

The fact that I mention it is not out of spite, this is the kind of constructive criticism all dancers need. I would not be the dancer I am now if various people didn't pull me aside and say, hey, you need to work on your stage presence, you need to work on your posture, you look nervious and self concious. Did I have technique, yes, did I have talent, yes, but I needed to know what I needed to work on. It was years before I found someone will ing to be thaqt honest with me. For years I coasted by on the novelty of being a male dancer and the fact I could actually dance. Had I have had this type of feed back, I would have developed much sooner and I would be much further along than I am even today.

Remember something, we are the dance community, not the glodal community. We can recognize and appreciate aspects of the dance that others can't and we are more accepting. All male dancers will inevitably encounter negative criticism and people who will call our manhood and sexuality into question. I'm not a feminine dancer by any means and I still get hate mail occasionally from people on these points. All men in this dance need to be a wre of this fact so they can develope the emotional strength to deal with it when it comes. HE does need to project more of his masculine essence in the dance. Its not something he needs to tear his hair out about. If he is aware of it, it will develope naturally, or rather, he will become comfortable enough with himself to let what is there come out. But if no one ever gives a dancer honest feedback, and only tells them you're great, you're wonderfull, they will never grow.

Rico I would rate him a 7 on your scale. I think he has great potential and I look forward to seeing him years from now when he's come into his own.

 

[janaki]

I think a dancer like him needs both, applause for the all the good stuff he is doing and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism so that he can see where he needs to grow.

I see maturity in his dancing. I see knowledge and understanding of music in his dancing. I am sure he is aware of his problem areas in his dance!!!

For me he is a joy to watch!!!!

 

[mikex1337]

He's a good dancer, but like I said, he needs to project a more confident vibe. If he is not gay or an effeminate man by nature, then he also needs to project a more masculine essence. Femininity may be a part of the dance for women, but since men are NOT women, they need to project the energy that is apropriate with who they are as men. However, as I said, if he is by nature effeminate, then that's who and what he is and so be it, but that image is not one that should be held up as the standard for all male Oriental dancers to copy. Let a woman be a woman and a man BE A MAN! Doesn't mean we are superior, but neither shoul we be apologetic about who we are and celebrating the physical and emotional qualities that makes us beautiful and a compliment to our sisters.

PERIOD!

This is the best post in this thread.

 

[Aisha Azar]

Male

Dear Tarik,
Shyness and a lack of confidence is not interpreted as gay or feminine. If that were the case, female and gay dancers who are not shy or lack confidence would be, ....what butch or masculine? Shyness and a lack of confidence is usually interpreted as a person being shy and unconfident, as in being new to what they do, being a student, not quite being sure of what they are doing. He performs as being a newish dancer who has not yet come fully into his own self as a dancer. What of females who are shy and unconfident? Are they gay and feminine,? Femininity is not in any way unconfident or gay, whether inherent in a female or male. Femininity in fact is a pretty good strength for any person to have, just as masculine qualities can be exhibited in both men and women as positive.
Many people think any male who dances belly dance is gay, no matter what his personal masculinity quotient. Masculinity or lack thereof has nothing to do with the general perception. In fact, many gay men are ultra masculine.
Regards,
A'isha

 

[Zorba]

Dear Tarik,
Shyness and a lack of confidence is not interpreted as gay or feminine. If that were the case, female and gay dancers who are not shy or lack confidence would be, ....what butch or masculine? Shyness and a lack of confidence is usually interpreted as a person being shy and unconfident, as in being new to what they do, being a student, not quite being sure of what they are doing. He performs as being a newish dancer who has not yet come fully into his own self as a dancer. What of females who are shy and unconfident? Are they gay and feminine,? Femininity is not in any way unconfident or gay, whether inherent in a female or male. Femininity in fact is a pretty good strength for any person to have, just as masculine qualities can be exhibited in both men and women as positive.
Many people think any male who dances belly dance is gay, no matter what his personal masculinity quotient. Masculinity or lack thereof has nothing to do with the general perception. In fact, many gay men are ultra masculine.
Regards,
A'isha

Thank you for saying this. This "BE A MAN!" nonsense is just that, nonsense. I'd say "BE YOURSELF!"

 

[Tarik Sultan]

I think a dancer like him needs both, applause for the all the good stuff he is doing and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism so that he can see where he needs to grow.

I see maturity in his dancing. I see knowledge and understanding of music in his dancing. I am sure he is aware of his problem areas in his dance!!!

For me he is a joy to watch!!!!

No argument from me on those points at all.