Choreography

You might have written choreography on a piece of paper and gone through it in your head, only to find that it completely changes once you begin to try it out. Why? It could be because you hadn’t really felt the music to begin with, or that the movements didn’t feel comfortable or blend with the rhythm – There are many reasons.

There’s no right or wrong way to choreograph a belly dance. Listening to the rhythm and sounds of the music will help you decide on how you think your body should respond.

For most, the hardest part of dancing is creating a unique set of patterns which will eventually become your dance. It takes time and effort but without this drive and creativity, there would not be such a huge variety of performances to inspire us.

The moves might all have a name and there may be a specific way of manipulating them, but the way in which they’re blended together to interpret the music is the unique aspect of every dance – Expression means everything.

So how do we know which moves work with which parts of the music? The slow, flowing movements of snake arms and figure eights work well with gentle instruments, whilst hip drops and shimmies compliment the variety of drum beats.

A song will have an introduction, a number of verses, a chorus and an instrumental break. A dance is likely to have the same. The introduction might set the mood and pace of the dance, each verse is likely to express part of a story, the chorus will be the key to that story and the instrumental could be a time to reflect. Music without words will often have a similar structure and you are free to create your own story from what you interpret from the piece.

You can choose to repeat the same moves for each verse and/or the chorus, or you can progress the dance all the way through making changes to each segment.

You will also need to consider the use of space – whether you’re going to remain in the same spot or move around the entire area you have available.

Often you will see a dance that combines both the use of space and a centre spot, as well as the speeding up and slowing down of movements. There is also the option of pausing for a few beats before moving into a new segment of the routine.

If the moves you choose flow freely alongside the music, then it’s likely to be a winning choreography – Just enjoy it from within.

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Belly Dance In The UK – YOUR VIEWS

“I don’t think belly dancing will ever be the same as it was before the films and ‘stage shows’ of modern times. Many people today don’t see it simply as a dance of joy and expression because of the style of many costumes and the media that portray it as a type of Middle-Eastern pole dance.”



“It’s a sexy dance, not that this is a bad thing.”



“It is a beautiful art and just like any other dance, you can express your emotions using a uniform of movements. Every dance has its own set of rules, but when they’re broken a little bit, it can be wonderful to watch and share the experience with the dancer.”



“All I know about belly dancing is ‘the shimmy’, isn’t that the move where they shake certain parts of the body to a strange drum?”



“It’s boring after about five minutes, nothing much happens. When they start putting fire on their head and stuff like that you think to yourself; if the dance is that great why do you need all these crazy props to make it look better?”



“Don’t know much about belly dancing at all but isn’t it Egyptian? Although, I don’t think they like it there that much anymore. That’s what I’ve read or heard anyway.”



“I love belly dancing! Can’t get enough of it. There isn’t enough belly dancing in the UK, we need more. It’s great fun and not seedy in any way, like some people seem to think.”



“Men can do it too, most people think belly dancing is about women. Men can celebrate their bodies and their lives through dance as well.”



“Belly dancing…It’s just a style of dance.”


“Have never really been interested in belly dancing and don’t think it’s really my thing. Don’t understand the music or words, and definitely don’t understand what that dancing is about.”

“I went to see a belly dancing show when I was in Egypt and it was a culture shock. These strange screams were coming from the audience and the band played to the dancer, or so it looked like. She was very good and some of her moves looked really hard.”



“Belly dancers make it look easy, but I’ve heard it’s really hard. I just don’t understand why lots of women who do this dance seem to be so fat?”



“My friend does belly dancing, she has all these great coin belts and made me put one on once. I had no idea what I was meant to be doing but just copied her. We giggled our way through a few songs. It’s great fun. She doesn’t take it too seriously but is still passionate about learning the dance. There’s something a little bit unique about it in this country I think.”



“Do u take plastic (chip n pin) the number of times I have been low on cash when there has been a belly dancer on is unreal!…Could do with a swipe slot.”



“Belly Dancing views before I saw it were that it’s a strip tease but now I have seen it I think it’s a very elegant style of dancing…And not as easy as it looks. Also I like that you don’t have to be the size of a nat like other dancing”



“So many old women seem to do belly dancing in the UK but you go anywhere else, especially America, and they’re young, gorgeous and fit. Over here it’s just a joke – Seems like a bunch of old women wanting attention for having wobbly bits.”



“We were introduced to ballet and figure skating, or hip hop and street dance. Belly dancing is yet to be introduced to young ones as a dance to watch and enjoy. That’s if it ever will. Saying that, we welcome everything under the sun so why the hell not! I mean that genuinely. It hasn’t died as a dance yet so there’s no reason to think it ever will.”



“Boobs come to mind when I think about belly dancing. That’s about it.”



“It’s really graceful but some of the dancing can be folk-style which isn’t so graceful but very cultural and not as easy to understand or interpret as most styles of dancing.”



“Belly dancing, people dance with their belly. Right?”



“The dance of the Middle-East and indeed the dance of many places further afield. It can be enjoyed my man, woman and child from anywhere in the world and by anyone who has the desire to share such a joyous experience.”



“Didn’t belly dancing go out of fashion years ago but people are trying to revive it? If they are, then they’re not doing a very good job of it. I don’t see or hear of it anywhere.”



“To some people belly dancing is offensive, to others it’s just a dance and to a select few it’s a cult! (OK, maybe not) But it seems to bring people closer together, belly dancers act like they’ve got something the rest of the world hasn’t.”

“I’ve seen belly dancing on TV and in some restaurants. It’s interesting and different. We should embrace all cultures and that goes for all styles of dance. We can choose to like a certain painting or film and we can choose to like or dislike a type of dance. I don’t mind it at all.”



“The costumes are so nice! They’re colourful, glitzy and most of the time, they accentuate the moves too. I would love to wear a belly dance outfit just to see what it looks like on and if I’d look as good as they do!”



“No idea. Belly dancing has never crossed my mind until now. What can I say, it’s dancing. I guess it has a point to it.”



“I just love belly dancing. The freedom of expression.”

Bellydance Superstars

Bellydance Superstars is one of the most successful modern belly dancing shows in America and possibly the most well-known throughout the world. If you wish to see belly dance infused with cultural movement from all over the globe then this is the show to see. In the words of Bellydance Superstars organisers; “It is a great testiment to the art of bellydance that it attracts such wide and diverse interest from all over the world. When it attracts first class dancers, dancers who would compete well in any dance form but choose bellydance as their chief love, it really says something for the special nature of this dance.”

The performers are highly skilled, experienced and passionate about their art form. Here’s just a handful of the performers in 2010:


Sabah has an extensive background in ballet and it was not until she attended Columbia College to expand her dance education beyond ballet that she discovered her passion for bellydance. This lead her half way around the world to Egypt where she studied with famous Egyptian instructors such as Mahmoud Reda, Raqia Hassan, Aida Nour and many more during her year abroad. She attended the American University in Cairo and during this time that Sabah met Hallah Moustafa the creative genius behind Sabah’s costumes and bellydance mixed with pointe technique. Her creative merger of ballet and bellydance was quickly added to the show as a special feature and remains one of the high points in each show. Sabah is currently a principle dancer with Bellydance Superstars and one of the company’s top teachers for pure bellydance, beginners to advanced, as well as ballet-bellydance fusion. She has taught all over the world.

http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com/content/sabah.html



Meera is the daughter of Classical Indian Tabla player, Raj Kumar Varma and international Indian and Oriental dancer, Zarina. This multi-award winning dancer has entertained and captivated audiences across six different continents.

Meera has been featured as an actress, guest dancer and choreographer in both Hollywood & Bollywood films, television commercials, and music videos internationally. Having performed for dignitaries, royalty, and worldwide audiences, she was recently chosen as the artist to represent India in the Commonwealth Games Bid for 2010. With a stage presence that is powerful yet playful, Meera’s creativity as an artist captures the emotions of rhythm and reveals the sensuality of her soul. She has trained in India, USA, Canada and Egypt with world renowned Bellydancers, as well as being brought up training in the Classical Indian Dance styles Bharatanatyam & Odissi. Her style of dancing is unique, focusing on various Classical and Folk Dances of India, Bollywood Dancing, and authentic Egyptian and Cabaret style Bellydancing, with the natural essence of her East Indian heredity and technique flowing through every performance. Meera carries on the tradition of her ancestor’s musical background, and pursues her artistic career before audiences around the world.

http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com/content/Meera.html

Nathalie’s two greatest ambitions in life were to dance professionally and travel the world and at nineteen years of age she made them both a reality. Nathalie is the youngest member of Bellydance Superstars. With a background in Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Ballet, Belly Dance, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, and the Dramatic Arts – The stage is her second home, and she loves to be on it. While off tour, Nathalie furthers her own training in martial arts, the dramatic arts, and dance.

http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com/content/Nathalie.html

Moria Chappell travels worldwide performing and teaching the beautiful art of tribal fusion bellydance. She is heralded as an innovator in costume design, stage make-up, and choreography. Her style, both feminine and fierce, commands an intensity and precision that epitomizes tribal fusion isolation and individualism. Beginning her dance career in Atlanta in 2001 with Awalim Dance Company moving onto San Francisco in 2005 to study with The Suhaila Dance School, The Suhaila Dance Company, and Bal Anat. It is here that she learned the extreme muscle control and isolation fundamental to her current style. Later that same year she joined The Bellydance Superstars and began her world travels teaching 30 workshops in over 8 different countries and has performed in more than 15 countries worldwide. To deepen her understanding of yoga, Thai, and Odissi dance, Moria has made recent visits to Thailand and India.

http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com/content/Moria.html



For all the information you need see: http://www.bellydancesuperstars.com

Unique Belly Dance Belts

The detail is wonderful on the new range of Phoenix belly dance belts. They come in a variety of colours and are priced at 12.99 on Ebay.

In my own terms you have; The Feminine Touch, The Royal Touch, The Mysterious Touch and The Seductive Touch...

The Pheonix Range can be found at:

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/best4ybest

The Best Annual Events

Majma Dance Festival

Majma is held in Glastonbury every spring and features an array of international and UK stars who perform over an entire weekend as well as offering up to nine hours of workshops.

A full weekend ticket costs around 170.00 GBP and there is a choice of accommodation nearby at extra cost. You can opt for an evening party ticket if you are unable to attend the festival for a full weekend.

What to expect in 2011:

Two evening gala performances

Anyone can own the stage on Sunday

Selection of bites at the Majma food court

Post-show disco to dance the night away

Shopping at Majma’s souk

Workshops in number-controlled classrooms

Visit:http://www.majmadance.co.uk

Raqs Britannia

Raqs Britannia is an annual bellydance superstars event which takes place in June/July featuring a wide variety of international dancers. This year the event took place in Sheffield.

Entrance to Raqs Britannia is 10.00 GBP for a weekend pass or 6.00 GBP for a day pass.

Workshops cost extra and accommodation, also at extra cost, can be found nearby.

What to expect in 2011:

3 days of workshops, live Bands and DJs

Souk for tribal and oriental dancewear

Tribal and Oriental shows and after-show parties

Middle Eastern Buffets

Superstar Auditions

Bellydance Superstars Show

Visit:http://www.raqsbritannia.co.uk

FINGER CYMBALS...

...Otherwise known as; Zagats, Sagats, Zills, Manzira, Manjira etc…

“Tak-a-tak, Tak-a-tak, Tak-a-Tak-Tak-Tak”

As a dancer, it’s important to have some knowledge of the music that you are trying to interpret through your movement.

The melody, rhythm and lyrics all have a deep emotional connection and bringing this to life within your dance is likely to be a reflection of your emotional attachment to the music and life in general.

Finger cymbals are an integral part of understanding the rhythm of Arabic and North African music.

The pitch and tone of finger cymbals all depends on the size. Small cymbals are high pitched and the sound will travel a short distance, while large ones have a deeper ring to them and the sound will travel much further.

So how do we use them?



What about playing alongside a dumbek?

LOVE TO BELLY DANCE

You will find out all you wish to know about Middle-Eastern belly dance, otherwise known as raqs sharqi, with video-links, costume ideas and progression of movement. The origins, health benefits and types of costume can be found in the first few blog postings. Also included in the blog will be techniques of movement, the history and culture of belly dance worldwide, DVD reviews, belly dancing venues in London, holiday destinations and much more!

Amazing Dancers

Amar Gamal

"Amar Gamal was born in Havana, Cuba and was raised in Miami Beach, Florida.

She began her bellydance training at the Mideastern Dance Exchange at the age of 13 years old, under the direction of dance legend Tamalyn Dallal and attended the reputable New World School of the Arts High School in Miami, FL.

Amar was the first and only student to audition with bellydance and get accepted into the dance program. Here she pursued her intensive dance training in Ballet, Jazz, Modern/Contemporary, Tap and Afro-Cuban dances.

Amar’s elegant and unique style has made her a sought after performer and instructor worldwide. She has had the privilege to be an invited guest teacher and performer all over Europe, Asia, South America and North America."

http://www.bellyqueen.com/amar_bio.html



Amira Abdi

Born in Kiev of Ukrainian parents with Algerian and Serbian background, Amira started dancing when she was a little girl. Born in a country where ballet dance school was considered to be the best in the world (the former USSR), she spent many hours in a dance classes passionately studying classical, modern and folklore dance.

At her teen age Amira visited the land of her grandfathers for the first time. There she was introduced to authentic Algerian dance and Arabian music and fell in love with the culture and art. She started to learn Arabic together with the most important language – the language of oriental dance.

In order to develop her dance knowledge she moved to Cairo and began private classes with Mahmoud Reda as well as attending a large number of workshops.

Amira took part in two of the most famous Oriental dance festivals; “Ahalan Wa Sahlan” and “Nilegroupe”. She continued her research into oriental culture and art by traveling to Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Tunisia, Dubai, India and Egypt (more than 20 times)."

http://www.amirastyle.com/en/about_Amira_Abdi/

New Costume!

On a more personal note, I thought I’d share the excitement of my new costume. I waited a very long time for this outfit, and here it is!

THE belly dancing outfit. The detail is just wonderful, although it’s hard to see it in this photo. I spent a very long time looking for sellers of smaller belly dancing outfits as most were for a much bigger bust size! Luckily, I found one – based in China.

Most of the sellers on Ebay with reasonable but good quality items appear to be based in China. It’s worth the postage wait though.

I plan to wear this for a hafla I am attending later in the year. We are just learning to use finger cymbals which are not my favourite prop, but that’s because they’re extremely hard! On another note, I have still not performed a dance for my boyfriend :-/ Before I do, I plan to have a full choreographed dance and need a good few weeks to practice. Not only that, I have a feeling he will see it as a ‘tease’ dance like most people do, and not understand the passion and expression behind it. No matter how long you’ve been with someone, if they don’t see your point of view on something then chances are they never will. I feel I will only dance for him when he understands it’s not just about a good shimmy.

Costume Suppliers

The belly dance costume is undoubtedly one of the most precious items a belly dancer can own. It can take weeks, sometimes even months, to find the perfect one, and they are usually a very expensive purchase.

However, there are many suppliers who provide good quality costumes suitable for all sizes, shapes and budgets and my favourite place to start my search is Ebay.

Here are some examples of some wonderfully crafted costumes all available on the wonderful auction site. I often have to stop myself from going to click the ‘Buy It Now’ button…

Ebay Seller: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/best4ybest/

Interview: Miss Belly Dance UK 2010

In April this year, Delilah won the title of Miss Belly Dance UK 2010. She competed with 13 other participants in a nationwide competition for up and coming belly dancers. I wanted to find out more about this inspiring young woman so here’s what Delilah has to say:



How did you prepare for the competition?

After I picked the song I just danced. I let the music tell me what to do. It didn’t take me long to put it all together and indeed there were parts within my piece that were improvised. I just loved the song Salaam Ya Amm, and felt it went with my personality.

How did you celebrate your win?

I was very tempted to perform my victory dance on stage! However, I just settled on giving a hug to all of the judges.

Why did you become interested in belly dancing?

Truthfully, I didn’t know how to dance. I couldn’t connect my body to the music at all. Considering I am of Caribbean descent, for me it was very embarrassing. So I started learning belly dance to learn moves.

Who is your ‘Idol’ in the belly dancing world?

Although there are many dancers I admire for different reasons, I would say it would have to be Suheir Zaki. She dances beautifully and can hold an audience without props and no elaborate choreography. She exudes a wonderful presence.

How would you describe your belly dance style?

Warm and fluid with a good shimmy!

Where are you going to go with your belly dancing from here?

I plan to expand my repertoire and am learning saidi and shamadan. I would also like to start teaching soon. In the future, I hope to be dancing internationally.

What advice do you have for future ‘Miss Belly Dance UK’ competitors?

Pick a song that best shows your personality and style. Most importantly, pick something you love because it shows in your dancing. Also to show 2 people – someone who knows your style, such as your teacher, and another person who hasn’t seen you dance as much.


More About Delilah…

“I am an Egyptian style dancer whose warm, bubbly and at times quirky personality shines through the music.”

Delilah, otherwise known as Delia Lewis, is an Egyptian-style belly dancer from London who has been belly dancing since the tender age of 15. Apart from her passion for belly dancing, she is a self-confessed video game and anime geek, and is also a keen kitchen gardener.

At just 26 years of age, Delia has already started making her own belly dance costumes which she plans to sell in the near future. She studied anthropology at Oxford University and The School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS). Delia continues to enjoy learning about other cultures.

Got To Dance – Sky 1

According to my teacher, the programme Got To Dance on Sky 1 has been sending mass press releases requesting belly dancers to audition for the show.

I don’t know about you, but I would be in two minds about this – It would be fun to audition and take part but it would also be disheartening if you didn’t get through. If you did, however, could you take the criticism? Would a belly dance be enough to win it?

I have witnessed some belly dancers provide the audience with astounding performances that have taken my breath away.

So could it be that the producers want to see some belly rolls and flesh for pure entertainment purposes. The TV world can be cruel, right?


http://sky1.sky.com/dance

It's Hafla Time - Let's Party!

Hafla is the Arabic word for 'party', just think food with aromatic spices, music that takes you to the pyramids of Egypt and jangling belly dancers galore. Like many parties, a hafla can involve a large group or an intimate gathering and there's only one thing on the agenda...That everyone has the chance to get up and shimmy if they want to.

The party can be held in a living room with simple decoration such as veils, rugs and cushions or if the weather is good, the party can take place around a campfire with burning incense and lanterns. Some may choose to host a hafla in a privately hired room such as a restaurant with a live band and a stage.

It's good be creative and pick a theme for that perfect atmosphere such as a desert oasis or an ancient temple. You can also include competitions throughout the event, with 'Best Costume' or 'Best Prop' being popular ones, and also have prizes readily available such as CDs or pieces of jewellery. This wonderful shared experience, whether between friends or strangers, helps to build a strong sense of community.

World Belly Dance Championship

Hezzi Ya Nawa3em, which translates; 'World Belly Dance Championship', is a programme on LBC (Lebanon) that showcases 12 contestants from around the world. The highly competitive show is spread over a period of 8 weeks where the girls are given the chance to display their acquired techniques and skills in 9 successive primes.

Some of the previous contestants have represented Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Brazil, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Russia, France and of course Lebanon.

Naira from France

The most talented belly dancers battle it out in a ‘twinned’ finale and the one with the best performance wins the title.

The show attracts very high viewing rates in Lebanon - I think this type of show would work well in the UK...It could be called the 'UK Belly Dance Championship' © and broadcast live from many venues up and down the country!

Malika from Russia

Here’s an example of one of the final performances, where Magalie versus Eleanore (surprisingly they’re both representing Lebanon).

Destination - Turkey

TURKEY

Currency: New Turkish Lira (TRY) and the New Kurus

Local Time: + 2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Turkish

Population: 73 million

Flying Time: UK to Turkey - 4 hours

Turkey is a vast and varied country boasting incredible landscapes and natural wonders bordered by four different seas. Well known as a great destination for relaxing beach holidays, it also offers many sporting activities, some of the world's most important ancient monuments, welcoming Turkish hospitality and a delicious and varied national cuisine.

As the historic capital of major Christian and Muslim empires, and a land where the world’s three monotheistic religions have long coexisted, Turkey has a rich cultural and religious heritage. Given the historical ties amongst different religions in this region, whatever one’s faith, visitors travelling through Turkey will find much to discover, with a plethora of superb mosques, churches and synagogues, including more than 200 practicing churches and 24 synagogues.

http://gototurkey.co.uk

Destination - Tunisia

TUNISIA


Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TND)

Local Time: Tunisia time is GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 10.2 million

Flying Time: UK to Tunisia – 3 hours 15 mins

From Tunisia's list of attractions you would expect a country many times its size. It offers superb beaches, spectacular desert scenery and a wealth of historical sites dating back nearly 3,000 years to when the ancient city of Carthage dominated the entire western Mediterranean.

The combination of Islamic culture and European approach makes Tunisia a very popular North African holiday destination. With a climate that rarely dips under 20 degrees, it's a real hot spot all year round. One moment you could be relaxing on the warm golden sands of a Mediterranean beach, the next you could be camel trekking in the Sahara.


http://www.tunisia.com

Destination - Morocco

MOROCCO



Currency: Moroccan Dirham (DM)

Local Time: Morocco time is GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 30.5 million (2006)

Flying Time: UK to Morocco - 3 hours 20 minutes

The popular, but wholly incomplete, picture of Morocco is of a hot sand pit which starts at the overcrowded beaches of Agadir and extends to the dunes of the Sahara Desert. A truer and more honest picture would include a description of the Northern half of Morocco which is made up of vast expanses of fertile agricultural lands, forests, productive vineyards and lush, green grazing meadows. Other surprises include outstanding snow - skiing near Marrakech; superb Golf courses and a summer climate that is similar to most Mediterranean resorts.

Morocco brims over with contrast, colour and mystery and all you can do is simply catch your breath in wonder. It has a timeless quality that no longer exists in the modern world, a sense that the past with all its glory and savagery still lives on, threading in and out of the present, informing with its every word and gesture. On arrival you are plunged into a culture, a religion and a lifestyle utterly unlike anything that you have ever experienced before.

http://www.morocco-travel.com

Destination - Lebanon

LEBANON


Currency: Lebanese Pound (LBP)

Local Time: Lebanon time is + 2 hours (GMT)

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: Over 4.2 Million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Lebanon – 5 hours (varies)


Lebanon has been shaped by many civilizations throughout history, mainly due to its location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa. This cultural diversity is evident in the extraordinary richness of its archaeological sites and historical monuments, from Stone Age settlements to Phoenician city-states and Roman temples to rock-cut Christian hermitages. The country's historical sites are a true encyclopedia of ancient and modern world history.

Most Lebanese people speak Arabic, English and French. As you walk the streets of downtown Beirut, you will pass domed mosques and steepled churches, reflecting the country's religious and architectural legacies – Sunni, Shiia, and Druze Muslims; Maronite, Eastern Orthodox, and other Christians; and many others. Regionally, each part of the countryside has its own local flavor, with different villages preserving a different culinary, artistic, religious, or cultural traditions.

http://www.lebanon-tourism.gov.lb

Destination - Greece

GREECE


Currency: Euro (EUR; symbol €)

Local Time: Greece time is + 2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Greek

Population: 11.2 million (2007)

Flying Time: UK to Greece - 4 hours

Often cited as the birthplace of European civilization, Greece offers a heady mix of ancient archaeological sites, chic design hotels, rustic tavernas, family-orientated seaside resorts and hedonistic dance clubs.

There is no denying that the historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world - in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. In fact, many travellers go to Greece specifically to explore Greece's ancient wonders, from Athens' Parthenon and Delphi's Temple of Apollo, to the ruins of the Minóan city of Knossós on Crete.

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/102/country_guide/Europe/Greece.html

Destination - Egypt

EGYPT



Currency: Egyptian Pound

Local Time: Egypt time is +2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 82 million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Egypt - 5 hours

Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 BC, historically. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. But Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments.

It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement.


http://www.touregypt.net

Destination - Dubai

DUBAI


Currency: Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED or Dh)

Local time: Dubai Time is + 4 Hours GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic. Hindi and Urdu are also widely used.

Population: 1.5 million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Dubai - 7 hours

Dubai is the most popular destination of the seven United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is situated on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. Dubai is the second largest Emirate after Abu Dhabi and is usually recognised as the ‘Pearl of the Persian Gulf’.

Although Dubai has been transformed into a man-made hi-tech city, it still has a strong Islamic culture with a stretch of historical buildings by the Creek. Whilst some may view this as a conflict of old meeting new, it is also considered to be a captivating city that offers both extremes; a traditional past interlinked with modern day.

http://www.dubai.com

Combining Belly Dance With Other Dance Forms

It is becoming more and more popular to incorporate other styles of dance from all over the world into belly dance. These combination performances can be extremely impressive to watch but at other times, it can look a bit of a mess (to say the least). Possessing a large amount of knowledge concerning different forms of dance you choose to blend into belly dancing will help to improve the overall performance.

Here are two videos to give an example of just how eye-catching or mildly confusing it can be to watch belly dancing that combines more than one dance style.

Belly Dance & Cairo Today

Cairo has always been associated with beautiful dancers showing off their traditional moves with elegance and ease. There are fans of the sparkling sequins and jangling beads all over the world. However, today you'd be lucky too find a single belly dancer in Cairo that is Egyptian.

In Egyptian films, belly dancers are typically depicted as prostitutes or thieves and the very word in Arabic for dancer, raqasa, comes with connotations of immorality.

Egyptians may dance at home or at family weddings, but belly dancing as a profession is strictly off-limits to most young women in this predominantly Muslim country. In most cases, it's fun to watch, as long as it's not your sister, daughter or wife undulating on a public stage. If this happens, many are disowned by their families and they suffer from the shame.

Thousands of foreign dancers will travel to Cairo each year from countries such as Russia, Japan, Cyprus and America. The locals, including skilled musicians and costume suppliers, all depend on foreign currency. Egyptians have had to suffer to keep this dance alive.

The shrinking Egyptian belly-dance community welcomes foreigners but their hospitality can turn cold when attempting to set up a business in Cairo.

In 2003, Egypt's iconic dancers rebelled against the influx of foreign belly dancers and persuaded the government to stop issuing performance permits for non-Egyptians. They were getting prime spots on the Cairo night scene and at popular resorts.

The ban was later lifted, but resident foreign dancers still have to go through many bureaucratic channels that are often expensive, which may or may not result in licenses for public performance.

While lifelong friendships can develop, it is mostly one of mutual dependence. The Egyptians get the finances to keep their musicians and shops afloat, and the visiting dancers get a real taste of Egypt and take it to their audiences elsewhere.

It needs to be respected and taught correctly so that it can be kept alive. The essence of the dance is about feeling, the interpretation of music and emotional input — That's truly Egyptian.

The Windows To Your Soul

Belly dancers not only need to express their emotions through their movement but also through their eyes. The eyes are known as 'the windows to the soul' and should be used throughout a performance.

Make up is very important, the right make up can be extremely hard to apply and may need the help of a make-up artist. Experimenting with different colours and finding new ways to line the eyes is a good start. Usually the eyes are dark, deep in colour and heavy, with elongated tails at the outer corners.

If you love make up, then experimenting will be a lot of fun and eventually you'll be able to create those beautiful Arabic eyes when ever you need to. The eyes are intense and almost mesmerising - It should be hard to look away without being 'seduced'.

Remember the shape of your seductive eyes and the emotion that you are trying to express. This way you won't end up applying it incorrectly and look more like someone ready for halloween. Mix some light shades on the lid and below the eyebrow after applying deep dark colour to the lid-crease and outer edges. This cleans up the look and keeps the eyes 'light-reflective'.

Belly Dance for Sport Relief

Charity Performance for Sport Relief

Performing in a small space in front of an audience who do not expect to see you there is more nerve-racking than performing in front of a paying audience. That's what we did recently...All in the name of charity.

At least you know that when you enter a stage, the audience are there because they want to be and not because you have offered to perform in hope that they'll part with their cash.

It was a busy Saturday morning and we were based at the entrance of a well known store. We had been working on our routine for many weeks prior to the event but despite this, some of us still didn't feel as though we had quite mastered the movements. When the time came to give it our best shot, it was all over too quickly...The nerves disappeared after the first song had finished and we got a firm round of applause.

We managed to pull in quite a large crowd too, who were drawn to the unusual outfits and the sound of Middle-Eastern music blaring from the speakers.

We managed to survive the 30 minutes slot we'd been given and even included some improvisation, where we managed to persuade a few members of the audience to join in too.

We were not only raising money for charity, we were having a great time!