Carolina Varga Dinicu, better known by belly dancers around the world as Morocco or Aunt Rocky, has finally published her book containing over 50 years experience in the field of Arabic dance. This book is based on facts and Morocco’s personal experience and travels in Northern Africa and the Middle East, so it is a [...]
Recently, I have become aware of a particular form of Middle Eastern dance from Iraq called Kawleeya. There are videos of it on YouTube performed by Daila, who is an international award winner professional belly dancer based in the Czech Republic. You can see an example below. When I first saw one of these videos, [...]
If you have just set up a belly dancing class, then the key to success is a high attendance. In today’s technical age, one of the best ways to market a club or class is to do it online. There are websites and forums all over the internet, that are an ideal place to market [...]
If you are looking to start your own belly dancing event, then there are things to take into consideration. Firstly, a Hafla, or a Middle East dance party, can take many forms from an educational seminar to a ‘disco’, so make sure you know what kind of event you wish to organise. Once you know [...]
If you are planning on teaching or organising a dance club, then there are several things you need to remember. Firstly, if you are the teacher, you are responsible for your pupils so you need to make sure that the venue has at least a basic first aid kit to look after any minor injuries. [...]
If you are looking to lead a belly dancing club or gathering, then the most important thing you need is a venue. Traditionally town halls, social clubs and health centres all rent out rooms to dance classes and clubs, so that is a good place to start. Almost all of these venues will charge some [...]
Belly dancers often use finger cymbals in their routines. These cymbals, which are also called ‘zils’ or ‘sagat’, are held by dancers on each hand. One cymbal is placed on the thumb, while another is put on the middle finger. They are then easy to play, with various methods being used including a ‘three finger’ [...]
Belly dancing originated from the Middle East and as such, there are many different forms of styles that have developed in different countries and regions. The most popular and recognised style is Cabaret/Egyptian that is glitzy and flamboyant, however there are several other styles that are becoming more popular around the world. 1. Zambra Mora [...]
Archaeologists have argued that belly dancing has been going on in Greece since ancient times. It is thought that the Tsifteteli (Greek belly dancing) was born when Greek women used to dance it for worshiping Aphrodite (Venus) thousands of years ago. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has many Greek and Turkish influences despite being its [...]
If you have taken up dancing having never done it before, you will find yourself using muscles you are unaccustomed to. These will ache at first, however after time and exercise, you will grow used to using them and build them up over time. Here are four exercises designed to strengthen these muscles: 1. Weight [...]