What styles of dance are we interested in learning?

Aisha Azar

New member
Raqs Khaliji

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:

Dear Mark,
In fact, the first article I ever write about Gulf dance was called "Are We Confused Yet?" I use this article and another, and sometimes another one that is not on the site when I teach Gulf or Saudi dance. It can be found in my website library at Raqs Azar. The unpublished article deals with Raqs Najdi Hadith, which is a female couples version of the dance that Leila and I introduced into the U.S. It is basically an interview with Leila about the social and cultural customs of the dance as it is done in central Saudi Arabia. It makes better sense in context of a class and that is why it is not published.
Love,
A'isha
 
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Yasmina

New member
Cool thread :)

I adore Egyptian bellydance and Egyptian folk dances and those are the main (or actually only) focus in my study of dance now.

My second love is Turkish Rom (Moon, PLEASE tell me where in the Netherlands you follow classes of this style), but until now I haven't had the chance to follow classes...
 

Moon

New member
It's not that I really have classes in that style... I have like 2 or 3 lessons per year in that style in Wageningen but I often don't know in advance when that is :(
 

Erina

New member
At the moment I am doing Egyptian and learning Turkish moves too; but I'd like to learn some tribal dance, and incorporate Latin American dancing into it too.
 

Latifa

New member
I'm really interested in building on my knowledge of Tunisian dance. I didn't get a chance to study it for very long in Tunis, but I love the music and those strong twisting movements. Little does my troupe know that it's in their future.... don't tell them! I already have costumes!! :lol:
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Tunisian, etc

I'm really interested in building on my knowledge of Tunisian dance. I didn't get a chance to study it for very long in Tunis, but I love the music and those strong twisting movements. Little does my troupe know that it's in their future.... don't tell them! I already have costumes!! :lol:

Dear Latifa,
Do you know of a source for getting those ankle bracelets the Tunisian dancers wear?? I have the clothing complete with fibulae, but I can not find those ankle bracelets anywhere.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Latifa

New member
Dear Latifa,
Do you know of a source for getting those ankle bracelets the Tunisian dancers wear?? I have the clothing complete with fibulae, but I can not find those ankle bracelets anywhere.
Regards,
A'isha

A'isha, Leila Haddad usually has them for sale at Rakkasah West and Rakkasah East. You could also contact Habiba -- (habibiraqs (at) aol (dot) com. She was in Tunisia this summer and may have some extras.

I was ridiculously excited to find my pair when I was in Tunisia! Happier than a dog with two tails! :lol:

Latifa
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Sources

A'isha, Leila Haddad usually has them for sale at Rakkasah West and Rakkasah East. You could also contact Habiba -- (habibiraqs (at) aol (dot) com. She was in Tunisia this summer and may have some extras.

I was ridiculously excited to find my pair when I was in Tunisia! Happier than a dog with two tails! :lol:

Latifa

Dear Latifa,
Thanks for the source info. They seem so hard to find. How wonderful to pick them up in Tunisia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
regards,
A'isha
 

Oba Bear

New member
Egyptian, ATS, and Rachel Brice styled Tribal Fusion. Right now I'm taking basic lessons that are a mix of everything.
 

Makeda Maysa

New member
I have tried a bit of a lot of styles, but right now, I'm delving more heavily into Egyptian raqs sharqi, which I am finding quite stimulating. It's something about Egyptian that feels more ... emotionally connected to the music, I guess. It allows my inner actress to shine.:lol:

I also want to do melaya leff so badly! It appeals to the sassy little flirt in me.
 

Latifa

New member
I have tried a bit of a lot of styles, but right now, I'm delving more heavily into Egyptian raqs sharqi, which I am finding quite stimulating. It's something about Egyptian that feels more ... emotionally connected to the music, I guess. It allows my inner actress to shine.:lol:

I also want to do melaya leff so badly! It appeals to the sassy little flirt in me.

Oooh, I love milaya leff! I was just starting to teach that to my advanced folkloric students last night. It's soooo much fun. Makes us all sassy little flirts! :D
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Dance, etc

Dear JNorth,
Are you in any way related to that nice young man, Dennis Mitchell, who lived next door to Mr. Wilson?
Wish I could help with a Trinidad contact. have your tried Googling?
Regards,
A'isha
 

Yshka

New member
Belly_dancer, youre right, that is our Mya from Trinidad.

As for the thread subject. I've been interested in studying Egyptian bellydance and folk dances ever since I started dancing. I dance with a teacher trained in mostly AmCab and Lebanese dance. Throughout my time with her I've been studying Egyptian style also. We're now discovering more of Egyptian dances together. I'm more emotionally drawn to Egyptian dance and music. It seems to really make me dance from within.

I'd love to learn Saudi dances and on my list was Khaleegi.. However still slightly suffering from a neck injury I have been unable to get started with it.

I'd also like to study Turkish Rom more. To answer Yasmina's question, Zafira from Amsterdam does some nice Rom. Also, for Gipsy Festival in Tilburg, Serpil Murtezaoglu visits every year to teach Romani and Trakya workshops that are a lot of fun (Serpil is a wonderful lady, and she sometimes teaches with live musicians present, last year with members of the Trakya All Stars band).

Outside of bellydance I've grown to love modern dance, and would like to get into that. I'm nowhere near taking classes though because they interrupt with my Oriental-dance-lessons-schedule:think:...
I'd like to learn salsa and flamenco as well. I tried Sevillanas and loved it.

I've found that the more I dance, the more I want to learn.. Not just in bellydance. I took a few jazz classes too a while back. Not for me though. My jazz-chassées were a disaster and onlookers found our 'bellydancer hands' to be quite funny.
 
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jnorth2

New member
Dear JNorth,
Are you in any way related to that nice young man, Dennis Mitchell, who lived next door to Mr. Wilson?
Wish I could help with a Trinidad contact. have your tried Googling?
Regards,
A'isha
Hiya A'isha
Im afraid not, im originally from the UK, grew up in egypt and am now in the sunny carribean. Yep, have tried googling - not looking too good right now.

Thanks though

Jn
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
- Persian Court dance
- Persian pop/club dance

- and of course more Turkish. Turkish folk, Oriental, whatever.

- Nubian and Sudanese (amazingly hard to find around here)

- Palestinian folk dance

and I think I'm going to branch off and try Hula/Polynesian maybe Tahitian. I think there's somebody in Kentucky or Ohio who teaches Tahitian.

Oh, and on an unrelated note, I'm starting to learn to play the bagpipes. :) WHEE!
 

charity

New member
in order of interest:

khaliji, tunisian, egyptian

some afro-brazilian fusion dances have been so very interesting but hard to find anyone that teaches.

latin ballroom

pop and lock, hehe, i'm teaching myself

and the karabushka, a specific dance i want to relearn because i cannot remember it anymore
 

Latifa

New member
It was great at Rakkasah East to learn some more Tunisian Bedouin and Algerian (modern Ouled nail and other styles) from Leila Haddad! :dance:
 
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