The person who inspired me to start bellydancing
- Thread starter Silfida
- Start date
walladah
New member
Well, i started dancing at an era that...
there was no internet at all... i have not thought of inspiration for starting, as... it was so natural in my life, everybody was dancing.
However, i tend to get inspired by many dancers all over the world, so permit me to present a dancer i admire very much and i think that all her works (even those with more modern dance elements than bellydance) affect me: Ivana Caffaratti (from Italy!).
One of my favourite videos is this one, a troupe choreography. Enjoy!
La compagnia Aryaluna balla Anima Gitana - YouTube
there was no internet at all... i have not thought of inspiration for starting, as... it was so natural in my life, everybody was dancing.
However, i tend to get inspired by many dancers all over the world, so permit me to present a dancer i admire very much and i think that all her works (even those with more modern dance elements than bellydance) affect me: Ivana Caffaratti (from Italy!).
One of my favourite videos is this one, a troupe choreography. Enjoy!
La compagnia Aryaluna balla Anima Gitana - YouTube
UrbanSonge
New member
Was tv channel surfing one day, and happen to catch that Shimmy TV. Looked pretty, and one day got up to try it, and immediately thought it was alot of fun. So i started searching all over youtube for more like it, and that when I found Sadie's. But I was *really* taken till I came across Didem!
Google'd for next several days and found IAMED where I bought some dvds and haven't stopped since
Google'd for next several days and found IAMED where I bought some dvds and haven't stopped since
Amulya
Moderator
There was a workshop belly dancing at my uni intro week, I took that workshop and was hooked. Sadly I don't remember the name of my first teacher. She became ill aft a few months and got replaced by someone else.
I saw a belly dancer 2 years before and I wanted to learn but there were no belly dancers in my village or surrounding villages. I don't know who that original dancer was, she could have been hired from far away. I remember trying at home and not being able to figure out how to do hip drops or shimmies, I was only able to do shoulder shimmies and belly rolls.
I saw a belly dancer 2 years before and I wanted to learn but there were no belly dancers in my village or surrounding villages. I don't know who that original dancer was, she could have been hired from far away. I remember trying at home and not being able to figure out how to do hip drops or shimmies, I was only able to do shoulder shimmies and belly rolls.
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I'm not really sure of their names. I saw a group of two dancers and one musician performing at an outdoor festival at USC in 1976. I was captivated and resolved on the spot to learn how to move like that. I suspect that one of the dancers was Marta Schill, author of The Compleat Belly Dance book, but I can't be sure.
I found a class at a Long Beach Community College, and the instructor was the legendary Feiruz Aram. I went to see her perform at the Apadana nightclub and she blew my mind. In her class, which lasted a semester, we learned a choreography with zills and we had to perform it for her behind a curtain to get our grade. She told me I could be a professional dancer. I moved to Oregon right after that and began to study with the wonderful Cybele, a protege of Aida al Adawi. So right from the start there were amazing inspiring dancers for me to emulate.
While I never became a pro dancer in clubs and restaurants (they don't exist where I live), I have pursued the dance ever since, performing frequently and studying and now teaching. I still love it and know that I know only a fraction of the vast knowledge of this dance.
I found a class at a Long Beach Community College, and the instructor was the legendary Feiruz Aram. I went to see her perform at the Apadana nightclub and she blew my mind. In her class, which lasted a semester, we learned a choreography with zills and we had to perform it for her behind a curtain to get our grade. She told me I could be a professional dancer. I moved to Oregon right after that and began to study with the wonderful Cybele, a protege of Aida al Adawi. So right from the start there were amazing inspiring dancers for me to emulate.
While I never became a pro dancer in clubs and restaurants (they don't exist where I live), I have pursued the dance ever since, performing frequently and studying and now teaching. I still love it and know that I know only a fraction of the vast knowledge of this dance.
~Diana~
AFK Moderator
I never had someone who inspired me to start bellydancing but rather I inspired myself to start dancing. However I did have instruction from some wonderful teachers who in turn inspired me to continue to dance and learn as much as I can.
1. Andrea Kitta. My first teacher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXXFFtGH8vA
2. Audra Simmons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZzMLeiQT9I
3. Monique Ryan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzulHvueaO4
4. Laura Selenzi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4yiZZaNWW0
1. Andrea Kitta. My first teacher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXXFFtGH8vA
2. Audra Simmons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZzMLeiQT9I
3. Monique Ryan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzulHvueaO4
4. Laura Selenzi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4yiZZaNWW0
Selene
New member
I was hesitant to post my reply, because i can anticipate what the answers to this will be :/
Shakira was my first inspiration.
I know that she is NOT a belly dancer, but she was my inspiration anyway. I don't have cultural influences (Im Dominican and my family is a mix of many, mainly french, spanish and african) and ME is not something its played often in here. So I was a fan of her music since I was a little kid (literaly since her first hit) and I followed her career, and suddenly she released Ojos Asi, and I was hypnotize, by the music, the part sang in arabic and then I saw her doing some moves (yes, not exactly bellydancing) and I wanted more! I loved it very much but didnt know what it was, and internet was not popular in houses back then. Aftet years she continued releasing songs and dances with similar moves and I decided to ask my mom. Mom told me it was belly dance (she is not a belly dancer so she doesnt know) and taught me some moves she learned on a tv show. The moves were so natural for me! (I was only 9) after that I decided i wanted to learn, the only problem is that I had no clue where to start. Then the brazilian tv series "O Clone" was famous and people started o be curious about belly dance (because it appears a lot in the series) and I finally found info, and started dancing (from what I saw on videos) after that ive perform in talent shows and in two dance contests. But of course I needed to go to a school and finally after many years (now im 20) I got the chance to go to an academy and couldnt be happier!
Shakira was my first inspiration.
I know that she is NOT a belly dancer, but she was my inspiration anyway. I don't have cultural influences (Im Dominican and my family is a mix of many, mainly french, spanish and african) and ME is not something its played often in here. So I was a fan of her music since I was a little kid (literaly since her first hit) and I followed her career, and suddenly she released Ojos Asi, and I was hypnotize, by the music, the part sang in arabic and then I saw her doing some moves (yes, not exactly bellydancing) and I wanted more! I loved it very much but didnt know what it was, and internet was not popular in houses back then. Aftet years she continued releasing songs and dances with similar moves and I decided to ask my mom. Mom told me it was belly dance (she is not a belly dancer so she doesnt know) and taught me some moves she learned on a tv show. The moves were so natural for me! (I was only 9) after that I decided i wanted to learn, the only problem is that I had no clue where to start. Then the brazilian tv series "O Clone" was famous and people started o be curious about belly dance (because it appears a lot in the series) and I finally found info, and started dancing (from what I saw on videos) after that ive perform in talent shows and in two dance contests. But of course I needed to go to a school and finally after many years (now im 20) I got the chance to go to an academy and couldnt be happier!
Annet99
New member
I was inspired by local girl - Daria. Now she left the country, working on contracts. The winner of international festivals. Love her very much bellydance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVeHfxxStb0
I admire Rachel Brice. From dancing in her performance stops breathing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryZA68xoly8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVeHfxxStb0
I admire Rachel Brice. From dancing in her performance stops breathing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryZA68xoly8
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lilya
Member
Same here - I was trying out a lot of forms of movement back then and this is the one that really "stuck". Among the contemporary dancers I come back to for inspiration, I find Aziza absolutely mesmerizing - aside from her incredible technique and style there's something about her joy of dancing that really inspires me.
Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
I was inspired by local girl - Daria. Now she left the country, working on contracts. The winner of international festivals. Love her very much bellydance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVeHfxxStb0
I know this is an ancient thread - but who does Daria's makeup?!
I'd love to take a makeup class from her, very impressive indeed.dancefever
New member
Got inspired by Shakira in one of her music videos. I think it's the one with Beyonce and the Hips Don;t Lie song. Love how she made those moves so I decided to try it myself.
Annet99
New member
I know this is an ancient thread - but who does Daria's makeup?!
She does makeup herself ))) She's very very cool
Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
Her makeup is awesome! :clap:
Shanazel
Moderator
How on earth did I miss replying to this thread so many years ago? The first photos of a belly dancer I ever saw were in (of all places) Cosmopolitan magazine in 1966. I was fascinated and tried my best to follow written instructions for dance moves. I was eleven. About nine years later, I saw Anoush Kasabian dance in the student union at California State University, Fresno. I did not rest until I found a dance class and I never looked back. Thanks, Anoush, wherever you are!!!
Ariadne
Well-known member
My first experience with live Belly Dance was Yasamina and Jason Roque with their troupe Kismet at a Renaissance Faire when I was in my early teens. It made quite the impression but at that time there was no way to pursue it. It wasn't until years later that I found out there were instruction videos by Delila AND I found Shira's webpage that I finally took the dive.
Suzanne Azhaar
Active member
Almost 30 years ago, saw a dance troupe at the Renn. Fair. Learned where the instructor gave classes. Had no idea how physically taxing this dance would be, but she made it a joy to learn. Supportive, kind, and understanding. We all had insecurities. Maintained her calm demeanor whilst surrounded by our performance anxiety. Decades later, I still think she's an amazing lady and instructor - Karri Duke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goa0ymtxzcU&t=44s
(Only video I could find on you tube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goa0ymtxzcU&t=44s
(Only video I could find on you tube)
Zorba
"The Veiled Male"
Karri Duke is one of the most incredible dancers I've ever had the joy of watching - or taking a workshop from. She was the first dancer I ever saw do a "real" Turkish Drop, I was literally 3 feet from her head when she came to a stop at the end of this breathtaking maneuver! "The Little Package of Dynamite" indeed!!!