What styles of dance are we interested in learning?

Aisha Azar

New member
Dear Group,
As an instructor, I am always interested in knowing which dances people want to learn. I teach a variety of dances, including Egyptian belly dance, American style veil dance and double veil, Egyptian , Palestinian and Saudi and Gulf folkloric. These dances are my main areas of knowledge, but I continue toi be interested in learning other forms.
My main love is Egyptian belly dance, followed closely by dances of the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, and I feel that I have a good grasp on these dances, but I keep learning all I can. Right now, I am attracted to learning about Turkish Rom, Turkish belly dance and have a new interest in Lebanese belly dance. What dances are all of you particularly interested in learning?

Regards,
A'isha
 

Maria_Aya

New member
Are we speaking in general dances or specific for oriental dance styles?

Well I had today my Flamenco lesson and i loved it !!!

Tango Argentino

From Oriental dance, I would like to explore Gulf dances, Moroccan and Algerian.
My plan is to be very good at various styles of Dabke (i'm just good enough now) as i'm teaching folk cretan dances that are similar 20 years.

I've done a bit Iranian and it was magic, but there are no instructors in Greece and not many serious workshops around (Europe).

Maria Aya :)
 

Mark_Balahadia

New member
I'm very, very interested in learning more about dabke. I plan on going to Lebanon sometime this fall/winter and taking several classes with folkloric teachers. I already know quite a bit but I need some additional training on the theatricalized version which is more suited for stages/nightclubs.

Currently, I'm doing some research on the Kawliya dance in Iraq which has some similarities with Ra2s Khaleeji but has some obvious differences. Some day I hope to actually get in touch with dancers of this style (whether in Iraq or in Jordan/Syria).

I'm also very interested in the folkloric dances of bedouin especially the sword dances. And there's always drag melaya leff :)
 

Moon

New member
I'm learning mainly Egyptian bellydance now (and some Turkish bellydance and occasional lessons of Turkish Roman dance) and I would like to learn more about Egyptian bellydance and Turkish Roman. And I want to learn Samba (which I'll probably learn by the end of this year or next year at ballroom dance class).
 

Shanazel

Moderator
I'd jump at a chance to take anything new- the only drawback to living in God's Country is that God hasn't imported a lot of belly dance styles, and I have to travel a long way for workshops, which aren't the same as taking regular classes, anyway. I'd love to take Egyptian and Turkish both, and I've always wanted to learn Flamenco (great for those of us with bum knees, hmmm?)
 
Hi Everyone, Well among Middle Eastern styles I would like to learn more about the true folkloric dances from the Saidi region of Egypt and the Sinai. But I'm especailly interested in learning Nubian dance styles and music. I would also like to learn more about Turkish style since it seems to be the closer precursor to American style.
Other global dances I would like to learn and dance to are West African(Nigerian, Ghananian and from Togo), Caribbean &Cuban dances. 've just deeloped a fascination for Flamenco as well. Oh boy where will I find the time?;)
Yasmine
 

teela

New member
I am primairly interested in Egyptian but jump at the chance to do Lebanese, Turkish ( the older type with the earthy feel), and Turkish Rom dancing. As for other types, I'd love to do Hula, Tahitian, and Flamenco
 

KuteNurse

New member
I am pretty new to BDing, but the classes I had last spring with the mean ole lady were Egyptian. I did like that style of dance. I started a new class this week with a wonderful, kind and sweet teacher. It is what she calls western belly dancing? The class was great fun and I look forward to next weeks class already. I would like to learn Turkish and I am open to pretty much anything that comes my way:)
 

Mya

New member
well, we don't have any instructors in Trinidad that teach any one of the styles in particular. I believe we do AmCab at my studio, but my instructor will never cop to it (i love her anyway).
I'd love to learn Egyptian and Lebanese style in Oriental dance.
I've also done some Flamenco and i still do Tango, i'd love to learn more of them both.
 

Miranda Phoenix

New member
Definitely interested in Latin and Rythmn dances, as well as Waltz (currently taking Bronze Level lessons in Rumba, Samba [my fav!], Cha-Cha, Swing, Hustle, and Waltz), and AmCab and Tribal BD (I think my classes would fall under AmCab).

I also love country dancing; partner, line, heck, all of it! :dance:

I'm just a dancing fool. :rolleyes::dance::lol:
 

Kiraze

New member
I am interested in any form of belly dance whether it was Turkish, Egyptian, Lebanese, American, European etc as my preferences are more about music used in dance than of any specific style. As I myself tend to lean to Turkish and classical Arab music those naturally have also strongest influences on my style. More and more I have also wandered into wide world of fusions and what an interesting, colorful and challenging world I have found there but this area is also the most difficult as being able to fuse something the particles need to be understood first.

Outside Middle Eastern or Middle Eastern influenced dances I love also flamenco and Central Asian and Indian folkdances which I would love to learn more... to learn Indian here in Singapore could be lots of excellent choices so perhaps that is an area where I would like to step next.
 

Zurah

New member
Egyptian fascinates me, but I doubt I'd ever be much good at it, though I'd still like to learn for myself. I love Turkish Oryantal and it seems like it would suit me much better, but unfortunately there seems to be no one around my area who teaches this style. I'm also very curious about Greek Tsifteteli, Lebanese (my very Cabaret teacher is rather enthusiastic about this style), and Gulf dances. As for other non Middle Eastern dances, hmm... the way things are lately I'd rather not think about more new hobbies that I cannot even consider taking the time for :( My secret hope is that decades of bellydancing will keep me in reasonable shape for when I'm an old lady and finally free to do the things I've always wanted to do ;)
 

sedoniaraqs

New member
I do mostly Egyptian orientale right now.

I would love to to learn Turkish oriental. I have taken a couple of workshops and a private session with Artemis, but it just doesn't seem to stick in my head at all -- the footwork, the weight changes and nuances of body language. Movements I could do side by side with her were just gone by the time I got home to practice them. I need multiple lessons over a period of time with a teacher and unfortunately I don't have access.

I would also like to learn Tunesian shaabi with the big swingy twisty hip movements. I bought music and instructional video of A'isha Ali, but again, given that I know the learning process, this just doesn't cut it. The music is way different from anything I'm familiar with.

Sedonia
 

sedoniaraqs

New member
Oh, the other problem with me trying to learn Turkish oriental is the abysmal lack of a videography of native dancers.

This is one of the primary ways I finally "got" Egyptian -- immersing myself in to just watching Egyptian dancer videos and trying to absorb every aspect of how they move.

But who do I watch for Turkish? Didem, who dances to Arabic music and copies American dancers' choreographies, and does floor work to Om Kalthoum? The Mezdeke dancers? (blah).

Sedonia
 

Salome

Administrator
Dear Salome,
What is raks al nashar? I have never heard of it and I am curious.
Regards,
A'isha

Raqs Al Nasha'ar, I thought that meant Khaliji dances... am I wrong?

I'd love to really have time to learn Fazeni in more detail too - actually first and foremost. Can't believe I left that out!
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Raqs Neshat?>

Raqs Al Nasha'ar, I thought that meant Khaliji dances... am I wrong?

I'd love to really have time to learn Fazeni in more detail too - actually first and foremost. Can't believe I left that out!


Dear Salome,
Might you mean Raqs Neshat (pronounced Nesh AUT)? The dance is called that in some places in the Gulf. The dress is called Thobe Neshel sometimes, too. I have only spoken with one person from the Gulf or Saudi Arabia who claims to know what the word means, and I am not sure he is correct, because I have never had it confirmed. He said the word "Neshel" means "embroidery". I have learned over the years to take everything with a grain of salt until I get confirmation. No one has ever been able to confirm what he said, and I have asked a lot of people from Saudi and the Gulf.
Nevertheless, the dance is sometimes called Raqs Neshat, regardless of the meaning of the word!
Regards,
A'isha
 

Mark_Balahadia

New member
Dear Salome,
Might you mean Raqs Neshat (pronounced Nesh AUT)? The dance is called that in some places in the Gulf. The dress is called Thobe Neshel sometimes, too. I have only spoken with one person from the Gulf or Saudi Arabia who claims to know what the word means, and I am not sure he is correct, because I have never had it confirmed. He said the word "Neshel" means "embroidery". I have learned over the years to take everything with a grain of salt until I get confirmation. No one has ever been able to confirm what he said, and I have asked a lot of people from Saudi and the Gulf.
Nevertheless, the dance is sometimes called Raqs Neshat, regardless of the meaning of the word!
Regards,
A'isha

I orginally learned this dance from Saudis and so I've learned to call it Rags Khaleeji although it's has different names in other Gulf countries. Confusing no?:think:
 
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