Dessert Passage in Las Vegas
|
The Gilded Serpent
presents...
Belly Dancing in
Las Vegas
(part 2 of 2)
by Neferteri
part
1 here
Who are those
good looking and talented men behind the dancers? In Las
Vegas they could be Amir Sofi (the star and
producer of the "Millennium" CD)
and the famed Moroccan drummer and singer Mostafa Baiddou.
If you have ever listened to Adam Basma's Arabic
Dance Ensemble, its drummer is Amir Sofi. I had the pleasure of
hearing him play for two years at the Aladdin's Desert Passage
Mall. I considered the ticket well worth its price! He is
an exciting and talented drummer who plays with precision and passion. His
playing will make you dance, as if he were a snake charmer.
He
has played for dancers Jillina, Aziza,
and Belly Queen (just to name a few), and was one of the
principal drummers at "Desert Passage" in The Aladdin Hotel. Yes,
I am a fan! I interviewed him last summer, and I am working on readying
my copy for the Gilded Serpent.(Sometimes it feels as if I had too
many snakes to feed.) Amir works well with belly dancers because
his wife, Isis, is a wonderful belly dancer here
in Las Vegas. Yes, he understands the performers show needs -up
close and personally! The pair are a dynamic performing team, and
everyone wishes them well with their careers.
The
equally talented drummer and singer that I know personally is Mostafa
Baiddou. He, too, is an exciting and accomplished drummer. I
say, "He is a dancer's dream!" I have known him to offer to
work with a dancer to learn a song just so he and the dancer
can look finished and rehearsed. Mostafa does not want any performer
to look bad.
Once,
I asked him how was he able to play the way he does. His
response was: "It's in my blood!"
Mostafa
is wonderful singer and has sung for diplomats, heads of states,
and royalty. He has made many CDs and tapes and is both a unique
talent and a great asset to the Arabic music world.
When you encounter either
or both of the wonderful musicians that I have mentioned here
in town, be prepared to see a show that will "rock the Kasbah"! If
you are fortunate enough to have them play for you, then you
will experience one the best musical encounters in your dancing
career.
Is there
such an entity as a male Belly dancer in Las Vegas? Yes,
there is a Prince of Dance among us!
We have a male belly dancer performing here named Christian. When
I say that he is good looking, that is an under statement! This
young man moves like a snake and has undulations for which one
could die. He has a natural gift for follow an Arabic rhythms
but, beyond that, the dancer seems to make the song his own. Ladies,
he is handsome, has gorgeous black hair to his shoulders, and
has a body for which he must be blessed. Christian would definitely
be my ideas of a good choice for a birthday or New Year's party
or perhaps a male Belly gram. (My birthday falls in May, just
in case you are planning to throw a party for me.)
There are some awesome troupes in town, as well. In
particular, the troupe that I am most proud of is the Desert
Moon Dancers. If your were to ask me why, I would tell
you that I am one of the founding members of the troupe. We
have made a hopeful beginning by working in restaurants, cruise
ships, premiers, and grand openings. All of these bookings have
happened in our first 2 years.
We are a diverse group and are unique in that we
dance on wine glasses, with fire, snakes, and few other interesting
props. Some of us have been together for 7 years, and between
us, we have over 10 years of experience. We have been told that
we have developed like a fine wine --with a shimmy or two added
for good measure! Our members are: intoxicating Francesca, a
Desert Diva, who is an accomplished dancer and the reigning diva
at a few establishments in Las Vegas. She sizzles when she dances! Narissa, another
co-founder, also has been a feature dancer here and abroad. She
is exciting to watch because you never know what she will do
next! A new member of our troupe is Michelle. (We
are working on finding her an appropriate dance name.) She is
a sexy blonde Desert Diva. Brittany Spears must watch out; this
girl is on fire! She is a great asset to us and we are glad
to have her. Let me not forget to mention the one and only Neferteri
Baiddou!
I
am sorry to say that there are not many places in our town to see
and hear some of this wonderful talent. It is often a hit and
miss situation.
However, we
do have a community hafla that is done at the Arthur Murray
Dance Studio. The Arthur Murray Studio has been supportive
to the Belly dance community. This is a great place to come,
see, and participate in Belly dance. Samara always welcomes
and encourages anyone to dance in any style. I have seen people
in costume, no costume, beginners, and seniors alike. It does
not matter; the only requirement is to have a good time! There
is always something different every time I go. For me, this
makes life interesting to see new dancers and dance techniques.
Therefore, there
you have it! This is a glimpse into the Las Vegas Belly dance world
as I know it.
If
you plan to come to Las Vegas, please look us up, and you
will see how much dance we have to offer here in Las Vegas,
beyond the gaming casinos and pervasive Skin and Feathers
shows.
Have
a comment? Send us a letter!
Check the "Letters to the Editor" for other
possible viewpoints!
Ready
for more?
more from Neferteri-
4-28-04 Belly
Dancing in Las Vegas (part 1 of 2) by Neferteri
I am pleased to introduce a few of “The Divas of Las Vegas!”
3-3-04 Belly
Dancing with Snakes by Neferteri
My
snakes have their own room with a scenic view of Las Vegas, and
it is temperature controlled.
11-14-02 Glass
Dancing by Neferteri
The art of dancing on glass is a true measure of talent and nerve. It can be
one of the hardest things you can do as a dancer, but the rewards are awesome!
10-4-04 Folktour's
2nd Annual Music and Dance Camp Photos by Carl Miller,
Report by Mark Balahadia
Pennsylvania,
May 2004, Dancers and musicians all over the East Coast (and abroad)
came to participate in the four-day oriental dance and music camp.
9-28-04 A
Subjective View of Raqia's Cash Cow The AWS Festival 2004,
Part 1 by Andrea
First,
she came out as a snake, then entered
wearing a melaya, next, as a caged lion. Her performance
was very entertaining. |