What is it that attracts us to this Powerful Dance?

Oriental Dance is purely feminine…there is no question about that!!!  That exquisite feminine movement calls to the natural rhythm of our ‘creature-hood’ as female.

The deep and powerful beats and the heart-centered melodic movements of Arabic music elicit  a primal, yet ethereal, body expression.

It is as if our deepest ‘self’ recognizes a perfect expression of beauty! It is our highest vision of ourselves.

The experience is, at once, empowering and transformative.

Those of us that have lived our lives with dance as our ‘center’, as  a constant ‘touchstone’ of our Joy, Beauty and Power KNOW that it has been bestowed through the Gift of Grace. Our greatest Joy is to Dance!

As a young woman I was awakened in and through this dance. I had truly ‘fallen in love’…I was consumed! I even had my Dance Teacher say “it is only dance’…

but that was because he was a male…he could not KNOW the Primal Passion of the Goddess! Yet, he felt the Power of the Dance and understood it.

Now, after all of these years, I can reflect and SEE how pivotal it was to embrace this dance. In spite of the resistance I encountered, on so many levels.

I do KNOW that it has been the instrumental, if not, central aspect of my personal and spiritual development.

I know, or at least imagine, that I share that with countless women.

The greatest beauty of this dance is that it is for ALL women…All ages…it is a source of Joy and Power wherever and whenever the music plays…

Even in the kitchen!!!

Thank You Maria Aya..You are Fantastic!!!!!

OK Ladies! Let’s Dance!!!!

Pack your Bags…Let yourself out to play…Give yourself a few moments of Hot! Hot! Hot!…

We’re going to Istanbul, Turkey….Who’s HOT in Turkey?????

Didem!!!!

Didem Kinali became famous on Ibrahim Tatlises’s ‘Ibo Show’ ! Here is what she  said recently about her sudden fame…

“All of a sudden, I found myself in Ibo Show. I stand witness to how a person’s life changes in one day. What I was yesterday, what I am today, what I will be tomorrow…”

Here she is putting a VERY different spin on  Classic Om Kalthoum Music!!!!

Amazing!!! And don’t you LOVE that costume????

If you want to stick around and find out about Didem…Here is an interview from Wiki…after she broke her Talk-Ban imposed by “Mr. Ibrahim”….

”I’m Under Protection Courtesy of Mr. Tatlises

Didem, known by many as the belly dancer of Ibo Show, raised much curiosity due to the talk-ban issued on her by Ibrahim Tatlises. Widely known by her smile while dancing, contrary to the serious expression worn by many others, Didem decided to breach the talk-ban and answered many questions about her for Yeni Aktuel Magazine. Read the rest of this entry »

Here we are in 2010!

 What will be our Focus, Passion and Experience in this New Year?

What is ‘trending’ in the Global Orbit of Belly Dance…Oriental Dance Styles and costuming… as well as ‘Alternative Dance Styles’?

Where are the Creative ‘Hot Spots’ ?

What countries are experiencing a Belly Dance ‘Explosion’???

Why do we DANCE and are we truly Dancing with Joy?

If we are not experiencing ‘True Joy’ in our dance…What is ‘Blocking’ it?

How do we ‘Release The Genie’  ???

What kind of ‘Learning’ experiences are we looking for? When we go to a workshop or a class, what do we want to learn and experience?

What inspires us and How do we stay inspired?

Is Belly Dance the ultimate ‘Feminine Movement Mediation’????

Oriental Dance East and Belly Dance West…is there a difference..Really?

Dancing From the Heart…A Radical Personal Transformation!

 These are just a few of the topics I am inspired to ‘Blog’ about here with you in the coming year!

What are some topics you would like to see covered ?

Please join in and leave your feedback…

Together, we can enrich our Personal and Collective Joy in the Feminine Art of Belly Dance!

We all want to hear from YOU!

Here is a ‘Cup of Inspiration’ for today!

Today, we embrace the current ’ Shinning Star of Egypt’ Randa Kamel! In her Modern Egyptian style, Randa is a Powerful Expression of Arabic music in motion! Her love, passion, innovation and dedication to her dance is ‘front row center’ in this performance!  Randa shines in this show from ”Spectacle Tanyah’, France~Paris! 

 Enjoy!!!! Read the rest of this entry »

Suhair Zaki

An’ Authentic Love of Dance’ always shines through!

A truly great Dance Artist is so much more than moves, steps, a perfect sense of rhythm,  awesome costuming and delightful looks! As much as these attributes are  necessary they are only the external ‘container’ for the true element that comprises ‘star quality’! The magical element that creates greatness is ‘Love’…and a Dancer’s ‘True Love of the Music and Dance’…expressed authentically…is the elixir that keeps us coming back for more!

Egyptian Dance legend Suheir Zaki has been gracing the stage and capturing our hearts for many years. In the Middle East she is loved so dearly that many refer to her as the ‘Oum Koulthoum of Dance’ ( rumour has it that late President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, gave her that title). That is quite a title considering that Oum Koulthoum is the ‘High Priestess’ of Arabic song! I don’t think you will find anyone in any Middle Eastern country that will deny the Great Talent of Oum Koulthoum…and, of course, you will find those that would take affront to giving even second billing to a ‘Dancer’..yet, for those who recognize Raqs Sharqi as Art…Suhair Zaki is a beloved Artist!  Suheir is also KNOWN to be the first dancer to perform on Oum Koulthoum’s music,( it is said … with her personal blessing).  Suheir Zaki has set the standard for the approach to Egyptian Dance on these classic treasures.  

Suheir Zaki’s sweet dance persona has remained with her throughout her career. Here is a clip from an Egyptian Movie when she was a VERY young teenager!
Read the rest of this entry »

To Understand Baladi is to feel the heart of Oriental Dance!

I have often been asked over the years to explain  Baladi ….

The word Baladi…also transliterated as..Beledi..Balady..etc…literally means ‘My Country’ yet refers to not only the country but also the village or region of origin. As people left their villages to go to cities for economic reasons, they still held  ’baladi’  in their heart.

Baladi is also a ‘Style’ of dance. It is the dance of the people. In Egypt, Baladi is the type of dancing you will find in village and urban weddings and parties. It is also classically part of the Raks Sharki show.

  The costume is usually a ‘dressy’ form of ‘Thobe’ or Gallabiyah’ which is the long straight robe with sleeves and often slits on both sides. A scarf or belt is worn over it at the hips. The variations on this theme are limitless and each one is beautiful and expressive of the ‘regional culture’ of the music and dancer. 

Here is a short clip of Egyptian Superstar FiFi Abdou doing a ‘Baladi’ section of her show in an outdoor venue in Ismallia Egypt. Fifi was known in the beginning of her career as a ‘Baladi’ Dancer or as often quoted, ” a dancer for the people”. In this show she comes out with the ‘malaya’ a heavy,usually black, wrap that is a prop used in ‘Malaya Leff ’ a  “street dance ‘ of Iskandaria ( Alexandria) Egypt….( you will see it on her exit) and then she picks up the cane (Assaya)…Just a taste of Baladi, Fifi style… Read the rest of this entry »

Ahlan Wa Sahlan

Baalbeck Lebanon

Welcome to Belly Dance Adventures and Belly Dancer’s Blog!

If you are new and exploring or if you have been dancing for awhile, you are cetrainly having an adventure!

Why are we doing this dance?

What is it that just takes a hold of your heart and whirls you? You are drawn in and consumed and you are passionate because it feels sooo GOOD!

There are so many aspects of Belly Dancing that we are exploring.

We are on this adventure together. We are a festival of beauty and color, music and movement, a collective joy and sisterhood.

We dance around the Globe and share this ancient movement of Middle Eastern Dance. We call it different names…Belly Dance, Raqs Sharqi, Fusion.American Tribal and more. Yet, it is one collective sisterhood of women that Love to Dance.

Our travels take us to many places within and without. Through the experience of this dance we connect with our timeless eternal selves.

We are beautiful, strong, soft, sensuous, and VERY colorful.

Wherever and whenever we dance we participate in an experience of Joy.

The adventure of Belly Dance is never ending. It is always morphing and changing yet it is rooted in the exotic, rich and fragrant music and culture of the Middle East. Read the rest of this entry »