Silvia Salamanca & Haflaween

by Jezibell Anat
Photos by Cesar Palacio
posted January 2, 2013

There has been more interaction recently between the dancers in my current home of Augusta, Georgia, and in Columbia, the state capitol and largest city in South Carolina, which is approximately an hour and a half away. Some of the Columbia dancers have come down to dance with us at haflas and at our First Friday celebrations. A few Augusta dancers make the drive to study American Tribal Style with Maria Palacio.

Maria owns Columbia’s only FatChance BellyDance sister studio, and she teaches both traditional and tribal dance. She directs “Serpentine Bellydance”, a fusion belly dance troupe and also performs with “Alternacirque”. One of her goals is to present quality instructors to the local area, so in October 2012 she brought in Silvia Salamanca.

Now based in Houston, Silvia is from Mallorca, Spain, and she came to belly dance with a background in ballet and modern. She feels that belly dance can empower women in body and spirit, increasing strength and self-awareness. The study of her own ethnic roots led her to the field of Zambra Mora (the fusion of Spanish gypsy flamenco and Moorish dance) and is the director of “Shunyata Belly Dance”.

Because I first studied belly dance with the superb teachers of Manhattan, I am often extremely critical of the instructors I’ve seen since I’ve moved to the South. Luckily, the advantage of modern technology is that we can view clips on Youtube to see if we like a particular dancer’s style and if she’s someone from whom we want to learn. Definitely, I enjoyed Silvia’s performance – there was an agile exuberance in her dance that I did not usually see in Spanish fusion.

So, on Saturday, October 20, several of us from Augusta, Georgia, went up to Columbia to attend Silvia’s workshop on “Hands, Hips and Spins,” which focused on combining the flair and fire of the Spanish gypsies with Oriental dance. Silvia is a lively, engaging instructor, and she encouraged participants to ask questions. Though she jovially mocked her own Spanish accent, we could understand her quite well, except for the occasional mercurial burst into her native tongue.

Silvia began by focusing on posture, emphasizing the position of the shoulder blades to achieve the proud flamenco torso. Next came florio, the circular “hand flower,” but she drilled us on the finger articulation for Spanish style, not merely the wrist movements of tribal. She suggested we lead our florios with whichever finger felt comfortable rather than the index-in and pinky-out finger lead that is often taught.

We continued with braceo, the position of the arms, in which the elbows are more lifted than in belly dance, then we practiced the flowing movement of the arms as they passed from one position to another, finally adding the florios. Following all the hand and arm work were the palmas, the hand claps, focusing on palmas sordas, the soft sound as the fingers of the right hand move between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand.

Silvia taught a few steps with palmas and added some basic hip and skirt work, then proceeded to teach a Spanish gypsy choreography which had some vivacious combinations. She also discussed the attitude and emotion behind the steps, telling us that the song was about bidding goodbye to a no-good lover by flipping the skirt to the rear to “show your butt”, telling him it’s over with a sassy finger snap. We were able to work through the entire choreography, which included flamenco turns and spins. She taught it as a solo but explained that it could also be done as a duet.

I was happily surprised by Silvia’s relaxed attitude to Spanish dance. I have taken a few flamenco classes with some wonderfully intense instructors but their rigidity and insistence on perfection could be intimidating.

Silvia was extremely precise in explaining the steps, breaking down the footwork, body angles and transitions, yet her approach to the choreography was warm and enjoyable. When we were able to start doing the entire piece, Silvia gave us permission to make mistakes, encouraging us to just dance and relish the movement rather than stress about the exactitude of the choreography..

One of Silvia’s goals is the reconstruction of Andalusian dance prior to flamenco, and to conclude the workshop she spent a few minutes discussing the journey of the gypsies from northern India into Moorish Spain. Her own ancestry includes gitana and Sephardic Jew, so this work is close to her heart and heritage. Her passion and enthusiasm for this dance are invigorating, and we felt inspired by her teaching.

Along with the workshop was Maria Palacio’s annual “Haflaween”, and I adore Halloween-themed belly dance! This show was particularly special because we were opening with a tribute to John Compton, who had passed away only a few days before. My friend Mari and some of the Augusta dancers had attended his workshop and learned his choreography to Omar Tekbilek‘s Shashkin,which John often taught as a zil drill.

Mari asked if Shashkin could be included in Haflaween as a tribute to John, and graciously, Maria provided an extra slot. Mari invited whomever remembered it or could pick it up to participate. She found a clear video of the dance on Youtube, and it was the first time I have ever learned a choreography online. We met at Mari’s house on Friday night to polish it, and then six dancers who had never danced together had a great time performing it on Saturday.

Haflaween featured groups and soloists from Columbia and Augusta in all their Gothic elegance, including the Spanish witches of “Dancing Through the Skirt”, infected zombie Amanda, and terrible twins Mari and Alison. Maria danced with a lovely, long mantilla. Of course, the highlight of the evening was Silvia – her tribal and Spanish fusion pieces were dynamic and beautiful and her sword dance was utterly amazing.

She performed with two swords, beginning with one on her head, and then she held the second one between her toes, maintaining beautiful lines during floor-work that included full rolls, and then standing and extending her leg and torso. Her movements were so graceful and fluid that it was still a dance, not a circus act. She was teaching a sword workshop on Sunday, but I wasn’t able to make the trip two days in a row. However, I was very glad I had studied with her on Saturday and to have seen her perform. I also bought her DVD to reinforce her teaching.

With some instructors, I’ve enjoyed the workshop, but feel afterwards that it hasn’t really improved my dancing. After this workshop and show, I felt full of new dance ideas that flowed into sequences of movement.

I choreographed two new dances for myself in two days, and I’ve never developed choreography so quickly and easily before. I loved Silvia’s teaching and performance, but, most importantly, the work with her inspired my own creativity. For me, that’s the hallmark of a truly accomplished instructor.

Above photos-
Silvia and 2 swords in standing pose
Map of Georgia and South Carolina
Workshop
Amanda, the infected zombie
Dancing Through the Skirt – Spanish witches Vany, Joyce, Michelle, Kelly

Ghoulish Jezibell

link to enlargement
Silvia, Maria and Haflaween performers.
[Please send names of individuals! Thanks]

Terrible Twins Alison and Mari

Maria Mantilla

Shashkin Tribute
Dancers: Mari and Jezibell in front, Andrea, Vany, Brandie, Alison in back

Silvia and Augusta group – Jezibell, Joyce, Silvia, Vany, Michelle, Mari

Silvia and swords performing floorwork

Resources

• Author’s GS Bio
  Page
• http://mariapalacio.com
• http://silviasalamanca.com
• Jezibell is also a contributor to the Belly Dance Reader!

i-Dressup.com: Interactive Digital Paper-doll Experience

Game review by Davina ~ Dawn Devine
posted December 17, 2012

Wanna fun belly dance diversion for you and the favorite little girl in your life? Check out i-Dressup.com! In a nutshell, this site offers an interactive digital paper-doll experience. The interface is easy to use. Simply click on the wardrobe component your are interested in using and it appears on the accompanying doll. This website is vast, with lots of collections for women, teens and girls. From high fashion designers to Disney fantasies, there is a wide variety of clothing and costumes to explore. Each collection is called a "game" on the site and registered users can create their own collections for a fee. Visitors to the site can explore and play with hundreds of games.

Tucked into the "girls" side of the i-dressup site is a collection of belly dance costumes. It’s a fun little collection that features some of the most classic belly dance styles. There are a handful of head to toe ensembles including bra, belt and skirt with matching accessories. However, a creative user can mix and match these individual pieces to create a variety of different looks. There are no traditional or tribal costumes, but if you are feeling creative you can sign-up to this site and create your own collection to suit your costuming taste. If you do, let us know so we can share it with the world.

i-Dressup is a creative and fun digital fantasy world where you can play at being a designer, stylist or shopper. If you enjoy playing with paper dolls, this is an entertaining diversion. This is especially fun if you’re playing with a young girl and don’t mind spending some cash. You’re required to pay i-coins to build and save a game for others to view, but playing already built games is free. Beware! If you love paper dolls, you might wind up spending quite a bit of time here!

http://www.i-dressup.com/girls/Belly_Dancer.php
Be ready to turn off your speakers, because the music sucks!

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

Enchanting Bellydance Choreography by Sandra

Captivating Bellydance Choreography With Amar Gamal

DVD reviews by Martha Duran
posted December 15, 2012

Fairies are enchanting magical beings that many mortals would like to have the gift of seeing, and while I haven’t seen any fairies personally, I felt that I was one of the luckiest of mortals recently when I had the opportunity to become enchanted by two new DVDs from skilled, talented, and perhaps enchanting, dancers. These two dancers seem to have captured the attention of all who need help with choreographic and performance skills.

Enchanting Bellydance Choreography by Sandra

The term “enchanting” is defined as capturing interest as if by a spell; on this DVD, produced by Hollywood Music, Sandra presents choreography to the musical arrangement “Yasmina” played by the famed Al-Ahram Orchestra. The production will capture audience’s eyes, and yes, it will enchant them. It is an Egyptian-style choreography that Sandra teaches, step-by-step, in 8 combinations.

The choreography is fitting for beginner-intermediate dancers who have knowledge of the fundamentals of Oriental dance. In my opinion, it is a useful choreography to learn and to keep in one’s repertoire as a backup for last-minute performance engagements.

First, Sandra gives a verbal introduction to her DVD; then, she goes over some veil technique without previous warm-ups or stretching. She also shares some useful tips regarding how to keep the veil off the floor and away from one’s face. Some of the veil moves included are: the “over toss”, “full over-toss” (both clockwise then counterclockwise) and the “waterfall”. Sandra proceeds directly into combination number one of the choreography and then repeats it. Next, she reviews it from the top and repeats it a second time – after adding in the music. This is a convenient format because it lets the viewer learn the choreography after dancing along with this DVD several times.

“Bedouin Princess” is the name of the next veil movement that she teaches; again, she runs over combination number 2, and after teaching it, she goes over it with music, then puts together combinations 1 and 2.

Sandra gives some interesting tricks and tips for maintaining balance in steps like the “Pivot Turn”. She teaches the “¾ Shimmy-to-the-Side” (including some muscle contractions) for combination number 3. After dancing along with her, performing combination one through three, she teaches you how to do a “Hair Toss” that you will use in this combination (and later on, other combinations as well). She emphasizes making well-balanced turns and also shares some techniques she learned from her jazz dancing teacher to maintain balance, stay centered while turning, and land with better control. She adds these steps to combination number 4, reviewing all of the choreographed steps from the top.

“Chest Circles” are taught, being done on the downbeats. Learning motions of the hip with basic foot work is also part of the technique that is needed for combination number 5; she also used some intricate footwork that she had not taught in the technique section for this combination. It was the Grapevine Step, done in medium tempo, which can be difficult for absolute beginners to follow. After practicing combinations 1 through 5 all together, I noticed that Sandra does some changes in choreography, altering it a bit by adding some flair and flourishes that are fitting to a higher level of expertise that comes quite naturally to a more experienced Bellydancer.

Combinations 6, 7, and 8 are described directly without technique being taught specifically for these sections. Some “Hair Tosses” (done while on floor-level) are used in combination 6. However, it is not easy to get up or down to floor level, using the specific steps that Sandra teaches for combination 6.

Combination number 7 repeats many of the movements already learned, with quick direction changes added. In combination 8 (the last combination you’ll learn) some big movements and lots of footwork gives you the option of several different poses for the end of the choreography.

I thought that the lighting and production of this DVD and the selection of music was more than satisfactory. You learn the steps along with song with which you’re going to dance; so, it makes it easy to understand and assimilate the musical content of the song with the repeated run-throughs of the choreography.

Sandra performs the whole choreography in a striking blue costume and later gives a bonus performance to “Batwanes Beek” by Setrak Sarkissian.

Rating: 4 zils

produced by Hollywood Music
and available here

Captivating Bellydance Choreography With Amar Gamal

If we look up the definition of the word “captivating”, the dictionary would state: “to attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence”. This is definitely an attractive DVD by the sought-after performer and worldwide instructor Amar Gamal. Its graceful and elegant classical Egyptian styled choreography is taught by the beautiful Amar, displaying her well-known charm and excellence while she teaches 13 brief combinations.

Amar starts off this DVD by giving a brief verbal introduction and by demonstrating her choreography.

She begins with a relaxing yet invigorating stretch, warming up your body during the first section. Then, she repeats it, reviewing posture and alignment. This is a brief section in which she discusses proper placement of feet and legs, demonstrating 6 basic arm positions in classical Egyptian dance. By the time this section is over, I have cooled down; so, I need to warm up and stretch just a little more.

I disagree with the order of the segments; I would have preferred to address first “Placement and Alignment”, and second, the “Warm-up Stretch” section, followed by “Technique and Combinations”.

However, for some reason, you warm-up first, then stand still for some minutes, posing and aligning yourself before going over some classical Egyptian style dance steps, learning the 13 different combinations to give form to a complete choreography. By the third time I viewed this DVD, I skipped the placement and body alignment part to prevent my cooling down.

Amar Gamal emphasizes arm placement and footwork on the technique segment, teaching steps like: “Front and Back Grapevines”, “Circles and Walks”, “Hip Twist with Piston Hips” and Arabesques. She is clear in how the step should be executed, movement-by-movement. For example, in the “Hip Twist with Piston Hips”, she teaches you first how to “Hip Twist”, then how to do “Piston Hips”, gradually putting them both together.

Combinations 1 through 5 are simple and easy to follow, and you can learn them from the first time you dance along with this DVD. The format is simple: first you learn step-by-step the combinations; then, after each combination is complete, you have the opportunity to run over it with music. After that, you connect it with the rest of the combinations of this classical Egyptian piece and go over it with music.

“Traveling”, “Backing-up Saidi Step”, “Back-Grapevine” with the “Hip Twist”, Front-Grapevine with “Shoulder-Shimmies” are steps used in the first 5 sections. I noticed that on combinations 6, 7, and 12, the combinations are named by the most prominent “Stepping Shimmies” with layers of “Scissor Steps” and “Hip Slides”. Dr. Samy Farag’s song, “Wa Marret El Ayam”, is used for the performance.

This DVD is well-produced and edited; it features a variety of background songs that are played while the you are learning the combination segments. Lighting and camera angles are perfect, capturing each of Amar’s movements, and Amar Gamal is always mesmerizing–both on and off stage.

Rating: 4 zils

Produced by Hollywood music
and available here

I feel I must conclude by noting that both DVDs are made to improve your performance and dancing skills in some way, although it is still your job to give your performance a smile and gesture to enchant and captivate your audience with your unique stage personality.

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

• Artist’s websites
  Amar Gamal
  Sandra

• Hollywood Music

Chapter 3 of Veiling in the Desert

by Shema ~ Emma Lucy
posted December 14, 2012

We had already driven away from the wedding when the phone call came: “Bring her back, quick, there is Dahiyya!” We jumped back in the car, along with a young Swedish man who jumped at the rare chance to see the traditional dance performed at the wedding in Tarrabin. As we drove down onto the beach, there was the sound of gunshots in the air as local men fired into the air over the Red Sea in celebration and exultation; the white Toyota trucks favoured by the Bedouin were squeezing past each other in the constant flow of traffic between the immense tents erected on the sand, glowing with the light from a thousand and one multi-coloured light bulbs strung up across the bamboo, wood and canvas structures. I had been at the wedding all evening, sat in the women’s tent; a modern, white marquee-type affair, brightly lit and stifling in the heat of a Sinai summer. Most of us had migrated outside to lean on each other under the stars, drink sweet sharbout from white plastic cups, and listen to the chattering of a hundred voices. There was a plethora of diamante, interspersed with young girls wearing jeans and t-shirts, hair loose in the all-women enclosure.

The men were installed in the larger tent, after having driven their wives and sisters through the specially constructed one-way system, designed to ensure that no men from outside the family would see the women exiting the vehicles, and there was a stream of black-clad silhouettes filling the entrance.

It was now past midnight, and although many people had left, the area outside the women’s tent was now unlit, aside from the blue glow from the full moon over the sea. There were now men of all ages congregating outside the women’s tent, and as my eyes adjusted to the low light, at their feet, I saw a pool of black shapes on the ground. The Swedish tourist was overwhelmed; not knowing whether to stay with me, as a fellow-European, or hang out with the men who, in contrast to the static pool of women, were moving amongst the groups, greeting friends, cousins and elders, talking and laughing loudly with excitement, all wearing white gellabiyahs, and as they shifted and rotated around the space, I lost track of the people I knew as they merged into one another in the half-light.

Seemingly without intention, the group began to split and eight or nine older men formed two lines on the left, facing each other, whilst the younger men drew an arc on the opposite side of the area. I heard a murmuring from them all as the two Dahiyya forms began.

Chanting, and clapping a solid beat, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder, and with a lilting, bowing motion, they shuffled back and forwards. On the left, other men watched the lines, clapping and encouraging them as they sang lyrics to bless the marriage, pray for fertility, and bring luck to the community through this new union. On the right, the semi-circle was growing as more and more men joined the song, bumping shoulders, nudging each other, giggling and chatting as if they had not seen each other for months; had not spent recent days sat drinking shai and phoning each other from the camps. This is family–a close-knit one which never tires of each other’s company and always has something to chat about, even through the hard times.

There were shrill zaghreets now emanating from the cluster of women on the ground, clapping from under the abayas; all of them unrecognisable in black, in the darkness. A sudden movement and harsh cries of jubilation from the group, as one woman stood up, her shoulders pulsing to the rhythm of the clapping and she floated into the arc, rising up and down on the balls of her feet, heedless of the sharp stones in the sand, the corners of her guna’ lifted at the sides like wings. A woman once told me that if Egyptian Baladi dancing represents ‘earth’, then Dahiyya is the ‘air’ element. She was right. The dancer flowed around the space, close to the men, who picked up the pace, became louder and more energised, jostling each other in their game of pretending not to know who was under the guna’. For every person there, knew who was dancing, but out of respect and tact, this intermingling of men and women is tolerated; a rare time when the two genders can be together regardless of family connection and can make music, and dance together, without any recrimination or disapproval.

It is a precious tradition in a society where segregation is particularly extreme. As the first dancer merged back into the puddle of black on the sand, another woman rose to take her place, and then another, as one-by-one each woman took her turn, sometimes overlapping with each other so there were two figures in the arena, like black moths, flitting and spinning against the white gellabiyahs.

We stood transfixed between the groups, not part of either world, but in a privileged position to witness an extraordinary dance; an extraordinary moment, in the lives of the Tarrabin Bedouin. The dance is unlike any other across the Middle East, a vestige of their Saudi Arabian heritage, preserved by the seclusion of a nomadic life, and only now being influenced by modern Iraqi and Saudi music videos, blasted out in the evenings from small televisions in the concrete and breeze-block houses which coat the once palm-tree covered sands of Tarrabin. This tribe, perhaps more than any other, is determined to safeguard its traditions, maintain its independence and avoid being engulfed by outside influences. Yet there were more rhinestones than at an international Bellydance event, mobile phones ringing constantly, Rolex watches and bright nail colours, expensive cars and English phrases drifting out of the night. Change is inevitable, necessary, and hopefully, progressive. For a community in a stage of transition, clinging to tradition through the expression of their arts is an important and vital means of discovering their future path. For one, I consider myself fortunate beyond words to have been allowed to observe this art, even from a distance, and to be able to share its essence through my writing. I am told that next time, I will be amongst the women, and invited to dance too but only if I wear a long skirt to cover my ankles…

View of Saudi Arabia through author’s window.

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

Drummer, Teacher, Friend

by Crystal Silmi
posted December 7, 2012

I woke up early this morning and found an update on "Caring Bridge" concerning the health of Armando Mafufo. When the notifications first came several months ago that Armando was not in good health I was very concerned, but as time went on, his daughter Nina was posting very positive updates about his condition and so my heart has been somewhat at ease knowing he has been cheerful and seeming strong. I have spent time with him on a few occasions on my return home visits to California and all seemed well. Today’s notification literally knocked the wind out of me; it was an update informing us that my beloved friend of more than a decade had passed away.

Armando Mafufo, known to most of us in the music and dance community as "Uncle Mafufo" was, as someone posted today, "a man everyone loved." He was a person who could light up the room with his smile and radiated love.

I do not intend to write a biography about Uncle Mafufo, but I know his enchantment with Middle Eastern music happened over 30 years ago and he has been hot on the Middle Eastern music scene ever since. He has recorded several albums with songs commonly used by belly dancers worldwide and has been featured in several DVD’s. In addition he has been a sought out instructor internationally for his knowledge and expertise with the doumbek and frame drums.

My experience with Uncle Mafufo goes beyond his statistics and success. Armando was more than just a musician. He was an incredibly humble man who loved music and genuinely loved dancers. He would always tell me in detail what he appreciated about my dancing or my students dancing, or any dancing really. He used to come weekly to drum at my classes in Santa Cruz, California just for the pure enjoyment of playing music and being with dancers. He was there as I "took my first steps" onto the stage being the first drummer I ever did a live music show with and through the years that followed we became more than just drummer and dancer, we became friends. Armando taught me how to drum and had the patience of a saint for those students who couldn’t for the life of them differentiate a "dum" from a "tek".

Uncle Mafufo and his beautiful wife Hanya would invite me to their home and there you could see where his art extended beyond music. Between Hanya’s paintings and glorious gardening – Uncle Mafufo’s home seeps creativity. There are his drawings and metal work – they created beautiful jewelry and head pieces from silver and gold. In Armando and Hanya’s home you can see that this is a couple that lived and breathed life from an artistic perspective, absorbing the beauty in life and reproducing it with their own hands.

The departure of this great soul who inspired so many in his lifetime leaves a gap in the hearts of all who knew him. Armando was a person who illuminated his surroundings. To have known such a person is indeed a blessing. Remembering Uncle Mafufo should enable us some self reflection. What will our legacy as humans be? We should all aspire to such greatness that came natural to Armando – to love, support, encourage and inspire one another to reach our greatest potential as artists and as human beings.

Uncle Mafufo will rest forever in my heart and those of all who knew him. May he rest forever in love and in peace.

Resources:

• www.unclemafufo.com

BDSS Tour 2012

by Miles Copeland
Photos by Sophia Harris
posted October 31, 2012

From the beginning, the Bellydance Superstars troupe has had the great fortune to attract the top dancers in the field even though, at first, we were criticized within the bellydance community for “having no stars”; so how dare we call the troupe the Bellydance Superstars?  Rachel Brice, Sonia, Jillina, Amar Gamal, and Ansuya, all from our first cast, were apparently “not stars”, as they were relatively unknown outside their local bellydance communities.

My point (perhaps with a combination of arrogance and naivety) was that even the most known within the bellydance community, who might be stars in their community, had never been heard of by the general public and indeed for the most part are still unknown to the general public.  To be honest, even with all the TV and other media exposure the BDSS has received the general public may to some small degree have heard of the Bellydance Superstars but I seriously doubt if any of those people could actually name one of the dancers.  We have a long way to go before that happens.

Therefore, my calling a dancer a superstar purely based on talent and skill rather than “name value” was just as valid as any other means of determining a “star”.

Of course, it was not long before the talent of these dancers (followed by Sharon Kihara, Kami, Zoe, Bozenka, Petite Jamilla, Sabah, etc. etc) was recognized within the bellydance community itself and as the profile of the BDSS became bigger and bigger in over 800 shows in 22 countries, I no longer had to justify the title “Bellydance Superstars”.

In the course of developing the BDSS troupe, I have come to learn what many other troupe producers from other dance genres have had to learn: Working with dancers, especially female dancers, means one has to take a long view and realize that there will be turnover. Since dancers will marry, have children, get too old for the rigors of the road, (or a husband or boyfriend might put pressure) means long tours are out.  

Additionally, within the BDSS, we have seen the general skill level of bellydance itself increase all over the world – perhaps partly, or greatly, inspired by our work. This means that as one dancer retires, finding new dancers who can not only live up to the past work, but push the envelope further so that we always exceed expectations, is harder and harder.

I have to admit when Petite Jamilla told me she was going to have a baby and could not do the Winter Tour, I began to worry about the cast for the tour, as well as the choreography.  As a company, we had already decided that our “back line” was now so strong that the idea of front stars and back up dancers no longer made any sense; therefore, we were not using all our talent. 

We had also decided to involve more of the troupe members in producing choreography to give us new ideas, and a diversity we did not have when Jillina did most of the choreography. 

Still, there was a risk and we would not really know where we were until after a few days of rehearsal.  As a producer, that is uncomfortable; with a reputation to keep up the thought of finding out we were not ready to tour and had no time to fix the show, squarely puts the burden of blame on the producer and worst of all, could well damage the years of work we had all put into this venture.

Inka , Samira- top of page

On the positive side, we knew that the Club Bellydance Tour had shown not only exceptional dancing from our newest members Victoria (on the East Coast USA tour) and Inka (on the European tour), but also challenging group choreography ideas developed on that tour by Sabah, Moria, Sabrina and Stefanya.   The Spanish tour proved just how far Nathalie had emerged as a top rate dancer, as well as Rebecca – each now totally capable of moving forward.   We also knew April Rose, fresh from her college graduation, was now able to join us full time.  Also, Samira Sitara as our Tajik and Uzbek dance aficionado with a unique and always exciting approach to dance was bound to once again push the envelope of bellydance fusion.

Rebecca dances to Issam

So the dance talent was obviously there, but having it all fall into place, and in time, was going to be the make or break of the show.

Meanwhile, the title of the show, in this case "The Magic of Dance", became more and more about not only appealing to the core bellydance community and its fan base, but also, to attract a wider dance audience.  No troupe this size with these expenses can live purely on the size of the bellydance community.  I wish we could, but so far, the community is just not big enough to support expensive productions.  The fact from which we can’t escape is that Bellydance Superstars have to appeal to more than just the bellydance interest. At the same time, we cannot stray too far from bellydance because that would make us “just another dance show” with no core identity. What has always made the Bellydance Superstars unique within the broader dance community is that we remain the only professional show touring within the general performing arts circuit that uses the art of bellydance as the core dance focus.  That has made our challenge complicated as you don’t want to lose on one hand what you gain on another.  More than anything, it has meant that we need dancers who really are outstanding bellydancers, but at the same time can deal with more complex choreography and fusing other dance forms into bellydance (convincingly) for dancers from any dance discipline to appreciate.

I have now seen bellydance shows in many countries, and auditioned over 3,000 dancers, and whereas I am glad to say the general standard has improved from the time when we first started, I find it increasingly hard now to find dancers for our show as our requirements have also become more demanding.

For this tour, we hired a new dancer, who was a strong bellydancer, but during rehearsals, it soon became apparent that without a deeper dance training than bellydance only, she just could not handle the choreography and the skills needed to do what we do.  At the audition where we found her, I was disappointed that most of the applicants could not even chaine across the room in a straight line.  That would appear basic to any dance show!  If you can’t do that, you can’t hope to perform in a professional troupe, unless it is purely as a soloist, and our show is not just about solos. 

For the “Magic of Dance” show, I left more than usual to chance and kept my fingers crossed.  It was not a smart thing to do, but I would have to say that I got lucky. 

Perhaps, giving the dancers more rope to hang themselves meant that they made sure they did not do so.

In any case, this show stands up to our best and exceeds the past shows in many ways.  As no other bellydance show out there has this many great dancers in one troupe the “Magic of Dance” demonstrates just how powerful a dance form bellydance can be.  Hopefully, it will inspire more dancers to adopt bellydance as their prime dance interest, and additionally, inspire bellydancers to push themselves to greater heights.

More photos from the opening night of the "Magic" tour at Cowell Theater in Fort Mason in San Francisco, CA

Sabah flys!

i
Women compete!

Samira contorts

Inka works with Issam


Victoria takes a solo

Nathalie does bollywood

Sabrina gets low

Tribal glam

The team

Fort Mason at sunset

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

Dancing in Lebanon and the US

by Neena Nour
posted October 25, 2012

When Farida Mazar Spyropoulos, who was born in Syria in about 1871, first appeared at the Midway “Street of Cairo” of the World’s Columbian Exposition back in 1893 as Little Egypt and Fatima, she stole the show and became a sensation. Even though the dance was dubbed the “shimmy and shake” or the “hoochie-coochie” for lack of better wording and vocabulary, the United States was introduced to the art of belly dancing.  Today, there are thousands of belly dancers in the United States–from American Tribal to Egyptian to Turkish and to Lebanese styles! Mostly, dance students learn and enroll in classes and workshops and then begin working in their local towns and cities. However, a good few invest and travel to belly dance festival overseas–especially to the Middle East where the dance form originated. Some of them even make their move permanent–in order to gain expertise, after finding work and renting an apartment. 

Sometimes, it is shocking what these dancers encounter; so I am writing this article to give belly dancers a little insight about the current state of belly dancing in the Middle East and, specifically, in Lebanon compared to the dance as it exists currently in the United States.

In the United States, we dancers all know the big Arabic restaurants from the Armenian and Turkish ones. Probably, we know also most of the small cafes and hookah bars in our city. A lot of us dancers perform at parties, weddings, and corporate events at a higher price than our restaurant shows. The price of both fluctuates from coast to coast depending on the city where you perform.

There are some general or common courtesy rules that apply that we call “good dancer ethics”:

1. Keep your reputation high, do not go drinking or go home with the customers.
2. Go to your show dressed like a star.
3. Also, respect other sister dancers; if a dancer has a gig you want, you respect her and try to negotiate  through her for the gig.
4. You even have to make sure that your pictures are not too sexy or provocative to keep the dance an art. 

The “sisterhood”  of other dancers does not apply in the Middle East. In fact it can be quite cut throat. You are pretty much on your own.

In Beirut, there are some similarities. I understand that in the big restaurants, not all the places have a dancer in their program. It features also the same sized bands as in the US. Some places have a one man show, a keyboard player that sings–or a DJ, while other places have a set of around 5 musicians; sometimes, even famous musicians that live close to the restaurant. Dancers’ shows last about 30 to 45 minutes, and sometimes, a live band who will play. In smaller restaurants, they may have the musicians take a break, like in the states, and dancers perform to an arranged CD of their favorite music. Concerning how many nights dancers do their shows: it is around 3 nights per week in about 90% of the places. The pay is in between $100.00 to $150.00 a night in a restaurant, depending on the place.

When looking at the quality of restaurant, there is not a big range of levels. There are restaurants in 5-star hotels with a dance show, and there are medium level restaurants outside of the hotels. Of course, the plum venues for dance are the restaurants in the 5-star hotels. Next desirable are the restaurants outside the hotels; then, the cafe restaurants that have a program. What we refer to as “hookah bars” are no different than a small coffee shop. They do not offer entertainment other than a flat-screen television, and they do not have either a singer or a dancer. 

Lebanon has something called “super night clubs" which are, basically, strip bars or cabarets. The term “nightclub” can be misunderstood easily–so it is best to tell them that you work at a 5-star place and not a cabaret.

For the party scene, people still hold house parties with a live band or they will rent and reserve a restaurant. Because of the way in which  the world is changing, in today’s market, the price is around $300 to $500. Ten years ago, dancers wouldn’t go for less than $500 per show in the main cities. (However, nowadays, there are dancers from Syria who will come here and dance for $100.) Weddings have changed also. A lot of people hire belly dancers for the entertainment. It is not quite as often that they hire a belly dancer in a Beirut wedding; they prefer to have a group show of folklore and or a Lebanese Dabkeh group. However, once in awhile there is a bride that loves Oriental dance and requests it. (Personally, I perform at quite a few.) There are large dance companies that book weddings and they take a big percent of the show and normally offer a base-pay around $200 to $250 to the belly dancer. Sometimes, there are  event-planners that will call dancers directly, but most of the time, the planner will work with a company for a better package price. There are almost no corporate events or parties that hire belly dancers here in Beirut. It is very rare; while in the United States, often we believe in “work hard and play hard” in the workplace. Some of the best paying parties in the US are the corporate ones.  Here in Lebanon, dancers sometimes receive a request for a show at a Christian’s First Communion or a Baptism.  

I met another dancer in Beirut who said the following about her experience: “The dance in Lebanon is not like [it was] before. It is very rarely on TV programs. In the ‘90s it was much more popular. Belly dance is not only for fun, in fact, [it] is real art like any other dance form, and it needs care and practice and [for you to] apply yourself. The foreign dancers take it more seriously.” ~ Jeanine Khoury

Depending upon to whom you are talking, the Lebanese think of belly dance as an art. It looks best if you have a manager, and when you go anywhere to negotiate, you bring your manager to meetings as well as to your shows. Managers normally take a cut anywhere from 10% to 25% maximum. While an agent is not necessary, having one will tell the owners right away that you are professional in your work.

Once a dancer told me: “Well, if you want to work in Beirut, you will need hair extensions and a nose job.”  This is not true!

Lebanese culture may be seen by some as superficial in general, because they pay heavy attention to small details. For example, I have never seen a Lebanese woman walk around Ashrafiya (the affluent section of Beirut) with chipped nail polish. It is very common for agents to ask you about your surgeries, your age, and even check your passport for verification. This kind of scrutiny about age and beauty, I have never encountered in the United States. There is a lot of plastic surgery here but not much more than when I was living in Hollywood. There is also a great deal of pressure to own and use the best of the best, sometimes even down to one’s blue jeans. So, yes, nice clothes or designer clothes do help and having an in-shape body helps too. Nevertheless, beauty is also how you hold yourself, how you represent yourself, and acting the part of a professional dancer by all means.

Overall, definitely, there are more work options in the United States. Depending upon where you live and how you are marketing yourself, there is more money to be made in America. Dancers end up paying the same amount of money for living expenses that one would in California–and you get to deal with the electrical power being disconnected between 3-6 hours every single day as a bonus! Besides that and the unstable political situation, the thrill of working in Lebanon and the Middle East is worthwhile. The experience you will receive as a Beirut dancer is priceless.

Neena Downtown Beirut with a Starbucks

Waterfall in Jezzine in the south of Lebanon

Rouche Sea Rock

One of Lebanon’s beautiful little mountian towns, Falougha

i

Gemmayzeh, a street in East Beirut

Relaxing at one of Lebanon’s Beaches

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

Photos from the Community, GS Archives, and Your Comments

February 29, 1948 – October 14, 2012

posted October 15, 2012

Sent this morning to GS from Rebaba: I have some very sad news to share with you and your readers…John Compton passed away last night after a long and painful struggle with a multitude of AIDS related infections.  While typing this it still seems surreal that I will no longer here his voice and see his shining face and beautiful smile.  But, I take solace in the fact that he’s peaceful and free of his ravaged and weakened body that was no longer cooperating with his will…I miss him more than words can say and I know this will also be a tremendous loss to the BD community as well.  He’s survived by his sister and two brothers and their families.  Both his sister Liz and longtime friend, real estate partner and caregiver Margo were at his bedside when he passed at about 10:00 p.m. last night.

John Compton on Broadway

Readers, please send your photos for posting here to editor@gildedserpent.com, with "John" in the subject line. Thank you!

Cultural Appropriation & Artistic Freedom

Videos Interviews by Lynette Harris
posted October 14, 2012
Scroll down for newest video

Kajira and her husband, Chuck, are well-known individuals in our community. Kajira started the first festival for tribal style belly dance called "Tribal Fest". She also wrote a book called "Tribal Bible". We have a review of this book by Shelley "Yasmela" Muzzy here. One of the common issues that the community has had with Kajira’s philosophy and with tribal dance in general is with the issue of cultural appropriation. In this series of videos we discuss different issues and how Kajira feels about them. This is the passage from her book that I asked her to read on camera, and then we discussed different points.

"Remember that this is a dance of OURS. Our very own American Style Bellydance! Even though this style is not the first American style of bellydance, this is perhaps the first one that is unapologetic about that fact. We celebrate this fact. We love this aspect of our dance! This makes it a form that we can relate to in every way as American people. We don’t have to adopt or support another culture’s moral or religious standards if they are not comfortable for us personally. We don’t have to buy into any political agenda. We don’t have to feel bad because we’re not of Mediterranean descent, olive skinned, or don’t speak another language. We don’t need to feel as if we should hide our tattoos or body art for fear of offending someone else. We can choose our reasons for dancing and our venues and occasions. In short, we get to make up the rules as we go."

The first video here is an introduction to what Kajira and Chuck are doing now and their recent move back from Maui. The next videos will begin the discussion. Please add your thoughts and questions below in the comments section. It maybe helpful to reference which video or even the time stampof the video you are discussing in your comment.

Part 2: We begin our discussion by reading the above quote and discussing using the term belly dance and American Tribal Style. Kajira describes being ostracized because of her tattoos and the artistic freedom of not having to be tied to Middle Eastern traditions.

Part 3: Not MED, Misappropriation of the Rom culture, Ostracizing of Tribal. Find reference in Tribal Bible for time stamp 2:30. We found it- Page 215 at the top, "The parallels between the struggle of the Roma and that of bellydancers is undeniable.  Both groups are fighting to gain respect and move away from social prejudice." This point is addressed in the review of the book here.

Part 4: The Rise of Tribal Fusion. New terms- Spontaneous Group Improvisation, International or Improvisation Tribal Style. "Tribal Fest chronicles the rise of Tribal Fusion." Tribaret. No codification in our dances. Big difference betweem Tribal Fusion and Cabaret– Isolations, torso, arm movements. Kajira became certified in Rachel Brice’s format. ATS is a subset of Spontanteous Group Improv.

Part 5: Using the Term “Tribal”, The Modern Primitive Movement. Artists will fuse anything which is ok. What if we said “American Style Flamenco”? Morocco made this name up. Middle Eastern people get a feeling of “home” when they see tribal style. This is because we use authentic textiles and don’t use Hollywood fantasy. Doesn’t American Tribal sound like Native American? Modern Primitive Movement included tattoos, piercings, colored hair, alternative lifestyles. The hippy movement started the look of anything exotic being cool. Salimpour…

Part 6: Creating a Separate Community, Burlesque?
Kajira believes that the Tribal community is bigger and more successful than the rest of the belly dance community. “We wish we could be accepted as a sister dancer form… As Artemis said, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to look.” Burlesque is a separate art form.

Part 7: Belly Dance and Islam

Resources:

• Author’s bio page

Page 2: M-Z

photos by Carl Sermon
posted October 13, 2012

Rakkasah West is a Festival held yearly in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is produced by Shukriya and her family.