The Contestants: L-R- Sasha, Aurora, Wanda, Celestia, Mayette, Magdalena, Roxana - Champion, Tiger Lily - First runner-up  Gilded Serpent presents... The Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition Junior Division Ages 10-17 years held Saturday, February 19, 2005 in Long Beach, California photos by Lynette Please contact us and help identify faces please! The competition rules gave each contestant five minutes for an Oriental routine in a fast/slow/fast format. No finger cymbles were required. The competition was not open for public viewing. Each entrant could bring one female guardian to accompany her. Competitors were not allowed to see another's performance until they had competed themselves. Judges were not required to disqualify themselves when judging their own students.

Jade, Anisa, Kamala Kamala, Rania, Taji, Anisa The judges were all from Southern California and included: Anisa, Jade, Kamala, Rania, Taji

Atlantis orients the contestants to the stage limits and gives them a pep talk before the contest begins

Wanda age ?, Southern California

Aurora age 17, Shermon Oaks, CA

Celestia age? , town ?

Magdalena age 12, San Diego, CA

Tiger Lily age 16, Santa Monica, CA Mayette age 16, Benicia, CA

Sasha age?, Southern Califonia

Sasha and her mother, ?; Aurora and her mother, Vicki; Wanda and her mother, ?; Celestia and her mother, Deborah

Magdalena A., and her mother, Magdalena C. Roxana and her mother, ? She also competed with her sister in the Troupe division as Flower buds of the Desert-

Mayette and her mother, Annette Tiger Lily and her mother, Rahana

Complete list of BDOU 2005 Champions

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4-29-05 Power Failure Halts Troupes & Finals Categories, The Belly Dancer of the Universe Competition, Part 1, Sun Eve, held February 19-20, 2005, in Long Beach, California report by Amy Bonham, photos by GS staff
Willow Street outside the Grand Willow Street Center was a raging river on Saturday morning and the rain continued through the weekend with intermittent dry spells.

7-15-05 "Ya Mustapha!": A Song Conquers the World by Meissoun
One of the most covered songs of the last 50 years is not from the Beatles but an old Oriental folk song.

7-12-05 Belly Dancer of the Year 2005 Finals photos by Monica and Susie
May 28, 2005, San Ramon, California.

7-5-05 Sirat Al-Ghawazi, Part 6 by Edwina Nearing
Begun in the mid-1970's , the early sections of "Sirat Al-Ghawazi" were first published under the title "The Mystery of the Ghawazi." We are happy to be able to respond to the continued demand for these articles by making them available to our readers worldwide.