Zullie Ghazal Alnahas Belly Dancer, Artist And Actrees

Syrian-born actress turns Calgary into a stage Cast, crew of humble Go Fish all from the city Spotlight Go Fish airs on Shaw Cable 10 on Monday at 9:30 p.m. Ghazal Alnahas may not seem the likeliest of champions for Calgary actors. For one, the Syrian actress, writer and director has not actually been here all that long. But it has been long enough to detect a certain frustration among fellow thespians in her adopted homeland. "There are so many people like me in this city," says Alnahas. "They are disappointed. It's like they don't want to try anymore." So in the summer, Alnahas decided to take matters into her own hands. Go Fish is a fiercely do-it-yourself TV series that will air on Shaw Cable, an ambitious comedy that loosely follows the lives of six women as they look for love and jobs in Calgary. The actors and crew are all local. So is the story. "I thought it was a good idea to bring this to the city about our life," Alnahas says. "Why do we need to bring in outside stories, or an old story, and not focus on the reality of our life now? It's comedy and drama. The comedy comes from the story, not someone saying a bad word and everybody laughing." Go Fish was shot completely in Calgary in the summer, using 100 performers and crew members from the city.

Free Belly Dance Event in NW Calgary

Christmas at Bow Valley Christian Church FRIDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2013 13:57 ALEXEY BUSOV E-mail Print PDF We are exited to announce that our studio's dancers will be performing at the event! The Advanced group on Dec 15 (3.00-5.30 pm) The Junior group on Dec 14 (3.00-5.30 pm) This event is promising to be just fabulous! The enthusiastic staff and volunteers of the church are going to create an atmosphere of the ancient Bethlehem with houses, food, real animals, and residents. It is Bow Valley Church's third annual event. Every year this free-admission and family-friendly event attracts more than 500 people a day. This year the event is going to be even more interesting as they are bringing life entertainment (and our studio is a big part of it) Come and join us at this fantastic village and experience the sound, sight, and taste of the ancient Bethlehem! Address: 5300 53 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T3A 2G8 Bow Valley Christian Church Google Map

HISTORY OF GOTHIC BELLY DANCE IN CALIFORNIA USA

Originating in the Middle East, South Asia (India), and North Africa,[citation needed] the art of belly dance arrived in the West with the trend of Orientalism. Exotic to the Western eye and mysterious in its roots, belly dance has always attracted interpretive dance artists who have woven it into trends of Western culture. The new millennium brought a revival of popular interest in Goth subculture and Gothic art motifs in dance, and a new interpretive style, Gothic belly dance, was propelled to prominence. Dance publications started exploring this new phenomenon, thousands of Gothic belly dance enthusiasts have subscribed to online discussion groups dedicated to this genre, leading artists started traveling across the US and overseas with workshops and tours, featuring Gothic belly dance performances, and instructional materials have appeared on retail shelves. Gothic belly dance was born in the early 1990s all over the world, US urban centers as a blend of Goth and world music, the movement vocabulary of belly dance and other dance forms, and Gothic fashion and aesthetics. Performing at Gothic-themed events and Goth clubs, dancers started to explore Goth music and adopt costuming styles incorporating Victorian, vampire, dark cabaret, silent-movie vamp, industrial, and other visual themes related to Goth subculture. Although the concept of 'Gothic belly dance' may have originated in the US it is not just a US phenomenon. The UK and Germany has had Gothic belly dancers for many years as in Goths who are also belly dance teachers and performers and have been 'dancing darkly' at Haflas and other events for a long time. These dancers did not have as much of an outlet for their styles as they do now and perhaps not even a label for what they did. Partly thanks to links through the web and the GothIC festival, Gothic belly dance is recognzed in many countries. The 21st century[edit] As a modern and versatile world dance genre, belly dance has evolved into an array of interpretive dance sub-styles compatible with modern music and imagery. Dancers performing Gothic belly dance usually retain their preferred technique — mostly modern cabaret and tribal fusion belly dance — but also bring new emphasis to the dramatic and theatrical features of their dance to match the intensity and vibe of Goth music. Gothic belly dance discussion groups hosted by tribe.net, MySpace, and other online community sites connected dancers from around the world, making possible workshops and tours, and helping this new genre to solidify and gain recognition within the larger dance community. In addition, the rapidly expanding global access to free online video resources at YouTube and similar sites has allowed artists to unify and combine their efforts in promoting and developing their genre — unconstrained by national borders, scarcity of funds, or lack of support from their local communities. In 2007 Southern California-based dancers and instructors, Tempest and Sashi, launched the annual Gothla, described by the L.A. Weekly as "a 'gothic hafla' that combines weekend-long workshops with a Saturday festival featuring twelve hours of performances and merchant booths where dancers can find costumes and accessories. Gothla US 2009 took place March 6–8 at Cal Poly Pomona. Gothla UK was also first held in 2007, in Leicester, England, and is now a highly successful festival covering three days, usually in July. International teachers are joined by UK teachers such as Lucretia (Christine Emery), Fulya (Lynn Chapman), and Akasha (Heike Humphreys) to offer a range of themes not often covered by general belly dance events from steampunk and 1920s to zombie and vampire belly dance. Belly Dance is an exotic art flourishing in the wetern world with many new names,styles and versions but only common Thing remains is the REAL SPIRIT OF BELLY DANCE

EGYPTIAN STYLE OF BELLY DANCE

Egyptian Folkloric style belly dancing Egyptian Folkloric style belly dancing In Egypt, these three main forms of the traditional dance: Beledi/Baladi, Sha'abi, and Sharqi (see Cabaret) are associated with belly dance. The location and occation make a big difference in how dancers are perceived. For example, Dancers at weddings are seen differently to dancers in nightclubs "at weddings, for instance, a dancer occasionally performs in front of the couple and puts her hands on her belly and breasts while she rolls her belly and moves her breasts. I expected this to be considered outrageous behaviour. Yet several people explained that it was innocent merriment and fun. A nightclub dancer who exhibited the same behaviour lacking the context of a happy occasion and working in an atmosphere of sexual excitement, would be considered prostituting herself to earn money". Beledi / Baladi Beledi (pronounced “BE-LE-DEE”) means “of the country” and is a style of Egyptian dance form the early 20th century which is still very popular. Thus, ‘Egyptian Beledi’ means ‘of the country of Egypt’. It came about when farmers moved to the city and began dancing in small spaces. The music also changed and Western instruments such as saxophone and acc ordian were used. Baladi is the most common style of dance in Egypt today and is used to dance to all sorts of music, including Western pop and Al Jeel. Women dance this style at haflas, weddings, at home and in clubs. It is seen on TV and in the theatre. It brings women together and can also be flirtatious and celebratory as well as emotional. At weddings "even people who never dance, the happiness in their hearts makes them stand up and dance the baladi dance". A Beledi dance is performed to earthy music based on the easy-to-dance-to Beledi rhythm. Often the Beledi rhythm and the Saidi rhythm are played interchangeably. A Beledi dance from the region of Cairo includes vocals, and may involve a question-and-answer play between two instruments or between the vocals and the instruments. Beledi Dress The beledi dress could be used for cane dance, beledi, Persian Bandari or in a pinch as a cover up. Try it over harem pants or circle skirt for a different look. The beledi dress can be loose fitting or darted, sleeveless, short or long-sleeved. Sleeves may be tight or full, bell shaped, ruffled or even bat-winged. Side slits generally go either to the knee or just below the hip. Fabric can be anything from plain cotton to sparkly lurex. Saidi - Raks Assaya - Cane dance In Upper Egypt there is a more complex dance called Saidi which is more competitive and is sometimes danced with a stick. The women use the stick in imitation of the men's stick dance which is very martial, and make it more flirtatious. The Bedouin and Nubian women also dance and this is for celebration and can be competitive. The musical accompaniment (often just singing, clapping and maybe a drum) will stop when the watchers are fed up with a dancer. There has not been much research on either Bedouin or the Nubian dance, particularly the latter since the Aswan dam displaced the people. However both kinds of dance use shuffling steps and jumps. The Saidi (pronounced SIGH-EE-DEE) dance is from Upper Egypt, between Gizeh and Edfu. Usually a Saidi dance is lively, energetic and earthy, using the 4/4 rhythm known as the Saidi rhythm. The dancer uses one or two sticks, originally made of bamboo. There are two types of Saidi stick dance: Raks Assaya and the Tahtib. The Tahtib is performed by two men and depicts a dance of combat and the handling of weaponry. Raks Assaya is performed by men and/or women and shows off a more acrobatic version of handling the stick. The women’s version of the stick dance is, of course, much more feminine and graceful, and can only lightly imitate the Tahtib. Saidi music is typically played by traditional instruments such as the Rababa (the grandfather of today’s violin), the Mizmar (a horn which emits long, whiney tones), and various percussion instruments such as the dumbek and the tabla beledi. The traditional men’s costume consists of long pants, two galabeyas with wide sleeves and a round neckline, and a long scarf wound around the head. The women wear a Beledi dress with a belt or scarf around the hips and a veil on the head. Please don’t confuse Saidi with Saudi (pronounced “SOW-DEE”) style Khaleeji. Melaya Leff There is a type of character dance done by Egypt's folk troupes known as melaya lef which uses a shawl-type of garment known as a melaya as a prop. In the melaya lef folkloric dance, the dancer plays the role of a mischievous young woman who flirtatiously plays a "conceal and reveal" game with her wrap. Beledi music is used specifically for the Melaya Leff (pronounced “ME-LIE-AH LEF”). The dance itself is from Alexandria, Egypt. A melaya itself is a large, black shawl made of nylon or silk, in which the women wrap themselves completely from head to toe. It is a modesty garment for when they leave the house. For the stage, the melaya is trimmed with gold or silver pailettes. The word leff simply means “to wrap”. Under the melaya, the dancer wears a form-fitting dress that is short, ruffled and bright in color. She dons open-toed slippers with high heels called ship-ship, and on her head she ties a small scarf decorated with pompons or flowers. Also worn is a crocheted face-veil known as a burr’oh. The melaya is draped upon the body, and during the dance it slips off and is re-wrapped time and again. As Alexandria is a port city, the dance scene is between the fishermen and the women who are looking to profit by sharing their liberties. The men sit on the street beside a café, drinking and smoking their water pipes. The women compete for attention by flirting. Eventually, the men and women dance together. The men’s costuming is that of the typical fisherman, including a black trouser, a sweater, a multi-colored waistcoat and a white fisherman’s hat. In Egypt, an Oriental dancer might use the melaya lef dance for the folkloric part of her show, but she doesn't do so wearing her Oriental costume. In the U.S., since most Americans doing Egyptian style dances don't have the opportunity to do a costume change after the Oriental set and come back out in folkloric costume, they rarely use the melaya lef in their Oriental performances. Sha'abi Sha'abi is the general term for all those dances performed by peasants in the countryside. It bonds the community together and happens during celebrations, such as weddings and can also be flirtatious although the men and women do not dance together. (6). Sha'abi is also a name for some of the less traditional but earthy music which is popular in Egypt today. Egyptians will dance to this music in clubs and it can be political. This can be an example of negative community bonding, such as the popular hit "I (explicit deleted) Israel". Rai is a similarly revolutionary music which means "opinion" and is also popular among young people, and again, can be political. It is a little like punk with its lyrics and changing of traditional music, blending it with jazz instruments and funky guitars and synthesisers. This is danced to in clubs and at home and bonds young and disaffected people together. Traditional dance movements may be combined with steps seen on television such as jazz steps from Western pop videos. Fellahin The Fellahin (pronounced “FE-LAH-HEEN”) are the farmers of Egypt. A Fellahi dance uses the Fellahi rhythm, which is quick, light and very similar to the malfoof rhythm. The music always includes vocals, and the dance movements follow those vocals. A Fellahi dance depicts the everyday work of the farmers, such as gathering food in a basket and collecting water in jugs. The costuming for women includes a loose, long dress that is ruffled at the bottom and very wide, along with a veil worn on the head. Sometimes a long scarf is worn around the neck, which the dancer may tie around her hips during the dance to make her hip movements more visible. Egyptian Oriental "Piece of Fabric" - Veil Dance Sometimes Egyptian Oriental dancers enter carrying "a piece of fabric" to music that is very fast and dramatic. While Americans refer to this piece of fabric as a "veil", it's important to note that Egyptians do not link the fabric prop to the hijjab (Muslim attire). Therefore, it's not exactly correct to refer to the prop carried by Egyptian Oriental dancers as a "veil" because that's not how they view it, culturally speaking. Egyptian Oriental dancers usually swirl their piece of fabric around a couple of times with very simple moves during the opening songs, and discard it within 30 to 60 seconds of entering. The veil is not incorporated much into the dance. They then continue their opening fast/medium song doing typical fast/medium moves. Egyptians see the "piece of fabric" sort of veil as a shawl, a garment to wear. From their cultural perspective, American-style "conceal and reveal" veil work looks like stripping. Of course, exceptions have existed. In particular, Samia Gamal did some beautiful, swirling veil dances. However, such dancers are definitely the minority in Egypt. Al Jeel Al Jeel is the term for popular modern Egyptian music which is danced to at home, in clubs and at weddings when there is a sound system (especially weddings in Western countries). In the home it will usually be just women and girls dancing together but still can be flirtatious and showy. A hafla is an Egyptian party and here the women will dance together away from the men. This brings the women closer, gives them a feeling of support and lets them let their hair down. The Zeffa is an Egyptian wedding procession headed by the bride and groom who are then entertained by music and dancing. After the professional dancers have gone the guests may themselves dance. Traditionally for good luck there is a professional dancer who wears a shamadam (candelabra) on her head. Sharqi Sharqi is the classical dance that cabaret is based on. It originated in the Ottoman empire and takes up lots more space. It is seen on stage and on TV, especially the old Egyptian films of the 30's and 40's where cabaret style began. This is the style the West is most familiar with and the Hollywood-inspired bra and belt costume is often worn. It started off in the courts and has remained the most refined of the Egyptian dances. The music is more emotional and spiritual so it appeals to women who want to show depths of feeling. It is not really danced to just for fun because it is more balletic than earthy so most Egyptian women would be more likely to watch it than do it. Because it is more an artistic expression than an entertainment, it is far more appealing to Wes tern audiences. Unlike Sha'abi and Baladi styles where it is easy to dance in a crowded small space, it is suited to the stage. American dancers performing Egyptian Oriental style sometimes do an Egyptian-style veil entrance, although some American dancers might swirl the veil around a bit more than what most Egyptians are likely to do. Dahiya Egyptian Scarf Dance Dahiya is a version of the haggallah dance of Upper (central) Egypt which was introduced to Vancouver in the late 70s by Denise Enan. The dance features lots of hip and shoulder shimmies as the dancers wave colourful hankies to accent flirtatious and saucy moves. Ghawazee - Egyptian Gypsy Dance The Ghawazee are a family of dancers with their own distinct style of dancing passed on from mother to daughter. It is believed they were originally a tribe called the Nawara that came to Egypt possibly from Persia. The men of the family play music and the women’s performances at festivals, weddings and private parties support the family. The movement vocabulary is more limited and repetitive than a raks sharqi routine but the dancers are able to continue their mesmerizing shimmies and zill playing for hours. Sources: www.jasminjahal. com/articles/01_06_folkloric.html www.shira.net /styles2.htm www.venusbellydance. com/costumes.htm www.spiritdancer.co.uk

Misconception About Belly Dancer

The Movement of Belly Dance: ‘I believe That in every woman A belly dancer is hidden, Longing to escape. To feel the music And move with passion. To mesmerize men And enchant women.’ Just how have people come to believe that the art of belly dance is similar to an exotic lap dance by a stripper? For many years, the public has been both disdainful of, and yet oddly fascinated by, the sacred dance performed by women dressed in flowing cloth, glitter, sparkling jewels and jingling coin belts. Something about it—they are not quite sure what it is—strikes their memory and tugs at their own feet. How can a dance of such Oriental flavor make such an impact on the Western public? What the audience sees and may know is very different from the true meaning behind the movements. Perhaps some history and facts along with an open mind and heart will shine some light on the unfamiliar belly dance and explain the fascination while bringing some understanding to the misconceptions of the West when it truly meets the East. In order to understand the history of belly dance, one must first understand the history of dance itself. The word history actually came from dance. From ancient Rome, the word Histor, a dancer, was also the root for many other derivatives including minister and later minstrel (Stewart 2000: 7). As such, it is through dance that we unearth and rediscover history of people. Dance was the oldest form of worship, the most religious form of expression, with movement being the medium between the physical world and that of the cosmos or spiritual dimension. Dance is the oldest art form as well as a primary worship ritual. In Turkish, the word oyun stood for the shaman and his/her rites. It is now used today for dance, drama and poetry (Stewart 2000: 3). Through dance, worshippers expressed their inner-most feelings of grief or joy. Although dance predates the written word, the oldest examples of religious dance were documented in the Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures where there is hardly a chapter that does not have an indirect relationship to dance. There are eleven Hebrew verb forms in the Bible that describe dancing. In the Aramaic Jesus spoke, “dance” and “rejoice” were the same word as he, Jesus, recognized that dance was a normal means of expressing joy and could be used to praise the Lord (Gruber, 1990: 48; Taylor 1990: 16). As the church became more authoritarian and noticed a difference in a “right” and “wrong” way to dance, it began to regulate all forms of religious expression in the Middle Ages, and dance took a turn from the sacred to the secular. The goal was to live a pure life, denying the bodily desires and expressions (Jonas 1992: 37-39). The church became more ambivalent towards dance as they focused on subduing the urges and movement of the flesh. Despite this undertaking, in the long run, the church failed to stop the masses from dancing. The origin of what is known today as belly dance is difficult to determine. Most Middle Eastern Arab and Mediterranean countries claim it originated with them, but unfortunately this cannot be proven, as there is almost no historical record of it before the 14th century. It is known that its roots are ancient and that it’s perhaps the oldest form of dance connected with the Pagan rituals and Mother Goddess worship. Mother Goddess statuettes dating back to 6000 B.C. at archaeological excavations in Mesopotamia and Anatolia (modern day Iraq and Turkey) areas give evidence of the Earth Mother cult. High priestesses of these Pagan cults would employ themselves and other followers in a form of sacred prostitution during festivals and ceremonies dedicated to enriching the city, placating the gods, and ensuring crop fertility. Many Greek priestesses of Aphrodite and other women connected to civic temples held high positions in society. The sacred dance, perhaps used not only to worship but also to seduce, was an important fertility ritual in many cultures in Greece, Persia, Palestine and North Africa (IAMED 2004; Ozdemir 2000: 62, 63). It is possible this sexual act was a source of belly dance. With the change of Paganism to Catholicism, Islamic and Christian documentation and recording of this dance were destroyed and dancers executed, which gave rise to the idea that this dance form was much older (Lewis 2003). Many believe the dance originated in Egypt, while others maintain it was brought there by nomadic gypsies. A reason for this mystery is the unknown origin of the professional dancers in Egypt called the Ghawazi. Many of their customs and traditions predate Islam, their antiquity proven by an image on the wall of an early 18th dynasty tomb of Neb Amon (Stewart 2000: 88). The Ghawazi, like the gypsies, are not Egyptian and stay apart from society living on the outskirts of towns where they preserve their oral history and speak their own language. Their dance, raqs sha’abi, is similar to classic belly dance movements (Stewart 2000: 88). Another mysterious group of people are the Ouled Nail of Algeria, who have also kept themselves apart and maintained their ancient customs. Their unveiled public dancers were known for their jeweled crowns all the way back to the 6th century B.C. Their rhythmic rolling of the abdominal muscles gives another clue to the origins of belly dance. After an Ouled Nail dancer earns her dowry by dancing, she returns home and marries within her village with no effect on her reputation (Stewart 2000: 89). In all Middle Eastern countries, gypsies appear to be the center of belly dance history. It is generally accepted that gypsies originated in Northern India. They are a unique nomadic people called various names in different regions they occupy (Stewart 2000: 88). Around the 5th century A.D. they immigrated to the Middle East, Mediterranean and Europe and lived in small suburban bands outside cities where they sustained themselves with simple jobs. They brought with them their talent, sharp wit and mastership in music and dance derived from Indian religious rituals (Ozdemir 2002: 61, 62). Some gypsies in Pakistan were brought into Persia around 950 A.D. when a Persian ruler, Shah Bahram Gur went to Pakistan to choose some competent musicians and selected able men and women from a local tribe (Belly Dance Museum 2004). Dancing girls were fixtures among Persian courts before and after Islam. When the Muslims from central Asia established the Mughal Empire in Northern India, they brought with them a taste for dancing girls. In 527 A.D. a former dancing girl became Empress Theodora, co-ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire when she married Emperor Justinian (Jonas 1992: 116-118). But as early as 1420 B.C., Egypt had their own dancing girls in court as depicted from a fragment of a banquet scene from the Tomb of Nakht, Thebes, Egypt (Jonas 1992: 116). Gypsies were first mentioned in European history in 1385 A.D. in the Roman Archives and by the 15th century they’d spread throughout Europe, living as blacksmiths, musicians and dancers (Belly Dance Museum 2004). The Turkish classical dances as performed by the chengis, female gypsy dancers of the Ottoman era, also hint at early belly dance. Although these gypsies adopted the Islamic belief, they were reluctant to obey the rules and held on to many of their own traditions. They worked as an organized group with a chief dancer who was generally a lesbian. As most of them preferred members of the same sex, their performances were typically for women’s eyes only, in women’s baths, weddings, festivals, and to teach concubines, often becoming concubines themselves. The chengis were the entertainment industry for the Ottoman Empire and were sexually open and ribald (Ozdemir 2002: 36, 44-45). Wherever belly dance originated, there are many styles of “belly dance” that differ, depending on what country it’s being performed in, and what sort of establishment it is. Among all traditions, however, costumes are most often colorful, flowing and accented with scarves or veils. Finger cymbals, known as zills, date back to 200 B.C., with exotic jewelry and coin belts completing the ensemble. The dancer’s costume is a thing of fantasy, a young girl’s dream come true. The fantasy is the dance itself, further accented by the dazzling array of color and glimmer. The nightclub and theatrical ensemble is much more glitterized, glamorized and cabaret style and in no way resembles the traditional Middle Eastern performers of the 19th century in long-sleeved gown and pantaloons. The nightclub costume of sheer chiffon, flowing skirt, sequins, sparkly jewels, coins, bells, beads, mirrors, crystals and velvets owe much of the glamour to Hollywood and American nightclubs which influenced the Egyptian film industry and the styles themselves in the 1930s (Stewart 2000: 102-3). The general basic moves and characteristics of belly dance, despite all the variety, include: hip shimmies, hip rotations, serpentine arms, snakelike head movements and abdominal undulations, the foundation of belly dance. Some show biz dancers use high heels, but the general practice is to dance barefoot, to better “emphasize the intimate and physical connections between the dancer, her expression, and Mother Earth,” the focus being mostly on the abdomen. A dancer is to represent a serpent which, ironically enough, is and has forever been, the mythological figure of rebirth and life in most cultures, in being “all torso and no legs,” (IAMED 2004; Stewart 2000: 90-97). The multitude of dance forms grouped under the English phase “belly dance,” from the French danse du ventre, dance of the abdomen (Jonas 1992: 118), have a variety of names as well: Greek, cifti telli; Turkish, raklase; Egyptian, raqs Masri; but can also be grouped under raks al sharqi, “dance of the East,” or raks al baladi, “dance of the people” (Stewart 2000: 80). The four most popular styles of belly dance are traditional and Egyptian, Arabic-Lebanese, Turkish and Greek (Lewis 2003). Traditional styles are very earthy, grounded and strong. They accent hip movements, with strong arms and hands and simple, flat footwork. The body is usually fully covered with hip scarves to bring focus to the hip, and sometimes props such as sticks, veils, zills, swords, snakes or candelabras are used. This is a very folkloric style and only done for small family groups to celebrate circumcisions, weddings, harvest festivals or holidays. It stresses musical interpretation, as the dancer uses muscle control to perform a dialogue with the musician (Lewis 2003; Stewart 2000: 81). The Arabic styles of the Lebanese and Golf country are very snakelike and rounded, with smoother, undulating movements, with legs close together. Here, instead of a dialogue, the musician plays to the audience through the dancer. Her costume is usually a colorful bra and belt with full skirt and open belly (Lewis 2003). Turkish style of belly dance is much different. It is very open and revealing, with legs further apart and bent while the body twists and bends in a back bend with very angular and strong arms. The dancer, unlike the performers in Islamic countries, uses any and all open space to interact with the audience. She first dances to reveal her talents, then becomes one in the group and encourages others to participate. The musician plays for the dance while she plays for the audience. Staying true to the historical chengis’ sexual openness, a Turkish belly dancer is loyal to the sexual instinct otherwise suppressed among Egyptian dances that can, however, last up to two hours longer than a Turkish performance. The Turkish dancer thrusts her pelvis and hips to show her strength, sexuality and ability to produce children. It was once considered that the dancer would perform for a group of men in hopes of finding a husband. If he were to hand her money he would be, in a sense, staking his claim on her. Nowadays, however, Turkish belly dancers are professionals and no longer look to ensnare a match. The dancer of this fast tempo chooses very revealing, skimpy costumes to best show her legs and busty breasts (Lewis 2003; Ozdemir 2002: 70-82). There is no specific Greek style of belly dance due to the Egyptian and Turkish influences, but a Greek dancer will use both cifti telli music and other Arabic and modern Greek music while wearing costumes very similar to the Egyptian costumes (Lewis 2003). It is also noteworthy that Oriental dance has also influenced Flamenco. Coming from a variety of sources including Hindu Romany (Gypsies), the flamenco incorporates hip rotations and serpentine arm patterns, strong emotion and passion with Arabic flavor (Stewart 2000: 90). So how exactly did belly dance come to receive such a distorted view in modern times when it’s rich with mysterious and fantastical history and meaning? As mentioned before, the Hollywood film industry has had an influence, but before that, talk and speculation of the vulgarity of belly dance was being whispered among society. In 1893, an illustrious dancer named Little Egypt performed for a shocked but fascinated crowd at the Chicago World’s Fair. Although it’s said she was fully covered in the traditional costume, one must consider the times. In the 1890s, no respectable woman would go out in public without corset and long flowing skirt to cover the ankles. People would go so far as to cover table legs to avoid the hint of indecent behavior in furniture during this time when the country was still so young with Queen Victoria reigning in England. Up until the late 19th century, belly dance was mostly performed privately among women and not intended for the male gaze in Persia. Unlike modern thought, the dance was concerned less with the sexual act of conception, and more with the sensual act of labor and birth (IAMED 2004). In this age of forced “decency,” only “common folk” and people of shady nature would be involved in what was called Vaudeville entertainment, or show biz. The Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition made its debut among this environment to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World and the public was introduced, for the first time, to the Ferris wheel and “moving pictures” (Shira 2001). As previously discussed, the Moroccan dancers were fully clothed in long-sleeved outfits, but the scandalized audience was outraged by the effortless movement of their midriffs, causing even a senator to move to shut the act down. This furthered the scandal and delighted the Fair promoters who profited as the curious public demanded more. Vaudeville performers quickly added the so-called “Hoochy Koochy” (belly dance) to their acts, and the sensual dance evolved into burlesque and eventually into stripping (Belly Dance Museum 2004). With such historical, although deeply divergent ties, it is no wonder people associate stripping with belly dance. The environment in Europe before the Chicago World’s Fair also contributed to the questionable perspective belly dance holds today. In the 1700s and 1800s, European leaders made a power dash to claim parts of Africa. An Oriental art movement arose and artists, poets and tourists flocked to the Middle East and the Mediterranean to depict these intriguing new cultures. Letters home, poetry and diaries were extremely racist of the locals and their traditions, especially when describing the scandalous dancing, thus encouraging more European travelers to visit the region and hire local entertainers for amusement. Nightclubs sprung up in Cairo and Beirut to entertain these wealthy tourists in the early 20th century. The dancers of such establishments were required to sit with the patrons and encourage the men to spend money on them. As it is forbidden under Islam law for women to dance publicly for non-family men, and even more of a taboo to dance for foreigners, local populations came to resent and were offended by the owners and performers of the clubs that exploited their women and catered to the decadent European attitude and powerful cash. Belly dance in clubs as a form of entertainment spread throughout the Middle East by the mid 20th century. As a dance, it had strayed far from true Oriental dance, and many of the local clubs featured scantily dressed women, often foreigners themselves, who had little dance knowledge, let alone talent (Shira 2001). What the tourists believed was Oriental dance was actually twisted and molded for them. Belly dance has changed, not only because of tourism and immigration, but also because of the film industry. After Little Egypt’s performance, the cinema industry jumped at the opportunity to make films featuring the erotic belly dance. Egyptian film industry had a long tradition of entertaining the public with Oriental dance and American cinema quickly followed suit (Belly Dance Museum 2004). Although some portrayals of belly dance on television and movies have been fairly authentic—Hill Street Blues, From Russia With Love, That’s Incredible—many have completely lost the true meaning of belly dance. Of course, the less than favorable portrayals are the most memorable (Shira 2001). Many dancers have also added to these misconceptions, performing in unseemly ways to appeal to the audience. Some wear overly revealing costumes, accept tips with their teeth or in their bras, or act in a sexual and suggestive manner. With these representations, it has been difficult for dancers to overcome the misconceptions and prejudices of the public, and they are often denied performances at community festivals or arts events (Shira 2001). Since the great feminism movement in the 1960s and 1970s, belly dance has risen again in popularity but more as a way to reconnect with the Goddess within us. The benefits of belly dance are many, ranging from emotional and spiritual to physical. Belly dance is not strictly based on patterns of steps, but on continuous movement that coincides with the continuous flow and complex patterns of the music. Both the music and dance are left wide open for improvisation and individual expression or interpretation. As many sources and personal experiences prove, this is a woman’s form of dance, made by women for women to focus on the natural movements of women’s bodies (Crosby 2000: 167-169). Women, especially in the 1970s, used the dance as an expression of life, birth, and to celebrate all that is woman and reclaim what is theirs from “male profanation” (Crosby 2000: 169). Much of the dance is connected with breathing and, in that sense, Moroccan dancers see a connection with belly dance and Lamaze, the oldest form of childbirth instruction. Many Arab women teach their daughters, from an early age, to help prepare and strengthen the female reproductive organs during the development cycles in puberty, conception, pregnancy, labor and menopause (Lewis 2003). The dance puts the woman in touch with her individual power and beauty as a woman and creator of life. The best thing about belly dance is that women of all ages and sizes are capable of this dance. One does not need to be Jennifer Lopez, Shakira or Brittany Spears, or even have prior dance experience to perform this dance proudly and to connect with the Goddess. Unlike ballet, where the performance depends on the specific body type of the dancer, belly dance has no height, weight or age restrictions, and it will help women regain firm, curvaceous bodies. In a poll taken in 1997 in the U.S., it was found that most belly dancers were in their thirties and forties, mostly white, and highly educated with primary careers outside their dancing interests (Crosby 2000: 171). Many felt it increased their sense of power as well as their feelings towards themselves. Belly dance increases self-confidence and self-esteem and helps to alleviate states of depression. Women feel sexy, beautiful, strong, powerful, creative and more feminine. Most dancers feel confident in drawing the line between being sexually expressive and sexually explicit. Sherry Reardon speaks of performing as, “It’s saying ‘I am a human being, and sexuality is part of my being human’” (Crosby 2000: 175). The dance and sexuality incorporated in the dance are as natural and timeless as childbirth. Despite all the negative misconceptions, especially among the American public, belly dance has revitalized and flourished among women of all ethnic backgrounds in all ages and sizes. After watching a contrived performance it may be tempting to think less of the art. But knowing its rich and diverse history with the gypsies, and understanding the mysterious origins of the Mother Goddess symbolism inherent in the dance, one cannot help but honor this expression of ritual, worship and joy. Even though a backlash may result from cinema portrayals or club scenes, women all over the world join together to celebrate what it truly means to be a ‘woman.’

BELLY DANCE PARTY IN CALGARY

***16th Annual Dinner and Dance Extravaganza *** DESPINA BELLY DANCE GROUP *********************************************************************** Enjoy the Multicultural Dance Experience on Friday,25th October at BARRIO FIESTA 6800 Memorial Dr SE Calgary 5 Pm to 9 Pm For further Info & Tickets Ikram Pasha 403 903 7883 Call MS Bahira 403 389 2117

Calgary Belly Dance Group Zohoor Alsahara Despina and Bahira & Aphrodite

ZOHOOR AL SAHARA ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* by Despina Triantafillou (Notes) on Friday, August 26, 2011 at 3:47pm (FLOWER`S OF THE THE SAHARA ) Calgary`s Amazing Belly Dance troup AVAILABLE FOR PARTIES , WEDDINGS AND PROMOTIONAL EVENTS FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK A PERFORMANCE , PLEASE CONTACT: DESPINA OR BAHIRA & APHRODITE @ 403-291-4446 403-389-2117

Nile Odyssey 2013 Presented by Daughters of the Nile Academy The Leacock Theatre Mount Royal University 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW Calgary, AB Saturday May 4, 2013 Doors open: 6:30 PM Show Time: 7:00 PM Tickets: General Admission $20 in advance only Tickets Available from Daughters of the Nile Academy at (403) 295-1545 or contact us or Son of the Pharaoh 1512 17 Ave SW or Eau Claire Market Locations

BELLY DANCE EVENTS IN CALGARY ALBERTA

Canada CALGARY, ALBERTA Sat Mar 23/13 In Like a Lion - Presented by The Bedouin an afternoon on dance, shopping, and refreshments included for $5 at the door! Join us welcoming Spring with our 2nd Annual Student Show at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre. Both the Bedouin and our students will be performing every half hour between 1 pm and 5 pm. There will also be snacks, coffee/tea/punch, vendors selling their wares, and an opportunity to get your picture taken at the Moon booth. Only $5 at the door. More info www.thebedouindanceco.com Sun Apr 7/13 - Nazirah Belly Dance Student Show - All Welcome! Come and see our beautiful students perform and our new troupe choreographies! Please join us for an amazing dance showcase featuring Nazirah Belly Dance together with their students and local guest dancers as they take you on a celestial journey. Doors open @1:30 Show starts @2:00pm at the Pumphouse Theatre: 2140 Pumphouse Ave SW Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $20.00 @the door. Children 12 and under are $5.00. Tickets are available through Nazirah Belly Dance 403-281-6723 or online: http://nazirahbellydance-al-raqis.eventbrite.com Fri Apr 12/13. Karim Nagi (Turbo Tabla guy) Drumming Work Shop Presented by Son of the Pharaoh!!! Friday afternoon Drumming class with Karim 3:30 to 5 pm. (Fee - incredibly low -$85))Karim is a world renowned Middle Eastern Tabla player with 4 internationally released DVDs (Turbo Tabla) and 5 instructional DVDs. See his bio as his accomplishments are too long to type! This will be at the Port O Call Inn 1935 McKnight Blvd NE. (*Limited Enrollment) Register with Son of the Pharaoh www.sonofthepharah.com or pyramids@shaw.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/157161824439548/ or either store 403-1512 - 17th Avenue SW or 200 Barclay Parade SW Fri Apr 12/13. Karim Nagi Debki Workshop Presented by Son of the Pharaoh!!! Friday night Debke workshop with Karim’s Live drumming 7-9 pm (*Limited Enrollment)- $85. Have you ever been a guest at a Middle Eastern Event and wanted to join in the Debke? Or teach it to your students or even children (SO much fun!) Now is your chance to learn several styles!!! This will be at the Port O Call Inn 1935 McKnight Blvd NE. Everyone Welcome! Register with Son of the Pharaoh www.sonofthepharah.com or pyramids@shaw.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/157161824439548/ or either store 403-1512 - 17th Avenue SW or 200 Barclay Parade SW Sat&Sun Apr 13&14/13. Nourhan Sharif and Karim Nagi (Turbo Tabla guy) Presented by Son of the Pharaoh!!! Don't miss training with the perfect duo, a dancer and a tabla player.... Nourhan is internationally known (see her bio) Saturday 10am to noon- Rhythm Training with dance combinations, 1-2:30 pm Live Drum Solo Improv with Nourhan & Karim. Sunday 10 am to noon- Finger Cymbals, Technique & Movement and 1-3:30 pm Essential Tahteeb and Assaya. Saturday & Sunday $250 or saturday only - #$140, or Sunday only $140. All events will be at the Port O Call Inn 1935 McKnight Blvd NE. Everyone Welcome! Register with Son of the Pharaoh www.sonofthepharah.com or pyramids@shaw.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/157161824439548/ or either store 403-1512 - 17th Avenue SW or 200 Barclay Parade SW Sat Apr 13/13. Nourhan Sharif and Karim Nagi starring in "Hot Nights in Cairo" Dinner & Show Presented by Son of the Pharaoh!!! Don't miss their fabulous performances along with favorite dancers from across the Prairies! There will be a sumptuous Middle Eastern Buffet included in the ticket price. More information & Tickets $45 advance only. All events will be at the Port O Call Inn 1935 McKnight Blvd NE. Everyone Welcome! Register with Son of the Pharaoh www.sonofthepharah.com or pyramids@shaw.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/157161824439548/ or either store 403-1512 - 17th Avenue SW or 200 Barclay Parade SW Sat May 5/13 Nile Odyssey Presented By Daughters of the Nile At the the Leacock Theatre at Mount Royal University Doors open at 6:30 PM ~ Show starts at 7:00 PM ickets on sale February 1, 2013 for $20 (including GST) in advance only. No tickets available at the door. Featuring Daughters of the Nile Middle Eastern Dance Academy & Special Guests... 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW Calgary, AB For more information or tickets contact Daughters of the Nile Academy at (403) 295-1545 or purchase from Son of the Pharaoh. MAY 26/13 - Souk it to Me Bazaar Presented by Ariellah In Support of Breast Cancer. Everybody Welcome! Spots and space available for performing or vending, Door Prizes! Raffle! Best Dressed in PINK" prize! We will have a make up artist, Henna artist, Card and Palm Readers. Invite your Sisters, Mothers, Friends, crowd from work... $5 at the door, everyone including the performers) pay as this is a charity event. More info: Ariellah 403-247-9776 lotusbellydance@shaw.ca www.bellydancetoo.com Jun 7-9/13 - Morocco of New York in Calgary presented by Jumanah of Fusion Dance Yoga Studio Join this world-renowned instructor for a weekend of dance, music, and culture! Friday June 7, 7-9 pm - Q & A with Aunt Rocky. You ask, she answers! Coffee, tea, and treats included - held at Scarboro Community Hall, 1727 14th Ave SW, Calgary, AB ... Saturday June 8 - Finger Cymbals and Guedra - Blessings from the Taureg Sunday June 9 - Romantic Raqs Sharqi - Fusing Movement to Music and Schikhatt - Folklore from Morocco Registration available for the weekend or a single day. Learn more about where it all comes from and what it all means :) www.fusiondanceyoga.com/registration - forward to June 2013 and click on the link to register online Sep27-29/13 - Tito of Egypt Presented by Shimmy with Suzy Watch for more details! www.shimmywithsuzy.com Fri-Sun Oct 11-13/13 Jamila Salimpour Format Workshop presented by Eighth Wonder, taught by Jamila's daughter, Suhaila Salimpour. This 3-day intensive workshop will take you through the original work of Jamila Salimpour. Her teaching in the 60's and 70's, led to an explosion of interest in Belly Dance in the Bay area and throughout North America, and her work ultimately birthed what is now known as Tribal Style Belly Dance in North America. This year is the 50th anniversary of her original show, Bal Anat, and as such, her contribution to dance is being recognized in both the belly dance communities and the contemporary dance world. (video link to bio) Finger cymbals and structured improvisation are big components of the workshop. Workshop takes place at DancEnergy. Times vary daily. For registration/info, call Christy at 403-829-6292 or visit www.eighthwonder.ca email: info@eighthwonder.ca Facebook: EighthWonder BellyDance. Mon Oct 14/13 Suhaila Salimpour Workshop presented by Eighth Wonder, featuring master teacher Suhaila Salimpour. This 6 hour day will be packed with am: Drills that Kill and pm: Choreography. Suhaila is a dancer's dancer. Having spent her entire life immersed in dance of every genre, having grown up on stages and surrounded by Belly Dance, Suhaila, a true visionary, developed her extraordinary format which has contributed immeasurably to the elevation of our art. Expand your mind, work your body and honour your individuality. Workshop takes place at DancEnergy. For registration/info, call Christy at 403-829-6292 or visit www.eighthwonder.ca email: info@eighthwonder.ca Facebook: EighthWonder BellyDance Sat Oct TBA/13 - Rocking the Casbah 2013 Presented by Jamilee Abir - Jamilee and Abir's Dance Collective want to share their newest choreographies and our stage with some of Calgary's fabulous Dancers. We are doing a fancy evening show, with a little mezza (Middle Eastern appies) served at the break included in the ticket fee. At the Dalhousie Community Center. Doors open 7:00 pm , Show starts at 7:30 pm Tickets- $15.00. More info coming! Mark your calendars!!! Contact Jamilee at jamilee@abirscasbah.com or text 403-860-7474 for tickets (available after Sept, 1st) EDMONTON,ALBERTA Sat& Sun Apr 6&7/13 Mohamed Shahin in Edmonton presented by Desert Rose Dance Studios “Dance Like and Egyptian” Workshops with Egyptian Master Instructor, Mohamed Shahin. Workshops include Egyptian Oriental Technique & Combinations , Saidi without a Cane & Shabbi . All 3 workshops are $175. DFor more choices see registration form. Mohamed Shahin is an inspirational instructor, world-renowned performer, and choreographer of Egyptian Oriental Dance (Raqs Sharqi) and Egyptian/ Middle Eastern Folkloric Dance. Workshop Location: is Sherbrooke Community Hall, 13008 122 Avenue NW. Contact Zahra or Yasmeen at info@desertrosedancestudios.com or www.desertrosedancestudios.com to register online Sun Apr 26/13 Dance Like an Egyptian Gala Show - Starring Mohamed Shahin and a bevy of beautiful guest dancers. This Gala Afternoon Show will be held at the Stanley A. Milner Library Theatre, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square Doors open at 2:30 pm and show starts at 3:00 pm. Tickets $20. Contact Zahra or Yasmeen at info@desertrosedancestudios.com or www.desertrosedancestudios.com to order advanced tickets Fri-Sun Jun 21-23 Randa Gamal & Asi Haskal in Edmonton Workshops presented by Little Egypt Don't miss being taught by these magnificent dancers! Saturday and Sunday Work shops will be held at the Wingate by Windham-Edmonton West 18220 100 Ave. The Whole Weekend Package includes a ticket to the Friday night Asi Show (*note- Randa is NOT dancing in the Friday Night show) and starts at Earliest Bird cost of $249 til March 11th, ranging up to $449 at the door. All information & registration forms and payment details are on line. Browse to www.littleegypt.com and click on the Randa & Asi event in Edmonton Alberta.events@littleegypt.com Fri Jun 21/13 Asi Haskal Gala Show Presented by Little Egypt He will be joined by dancers from Canada and the US! The show will be held at the Wingate by Windham-Edmonton West 18220 100 Ave. Additional show tickets if you did not attend the weekend workshops, are $40 pre-paid and $55 at the door if available. All information & registration forms and payment details are on line. Browse to www.littleegypt.com and click on the Randa & Asi event in Edmonton Alberta. events@littleegypt.com Sat Jun 22-23 Randa Gamal Starring in 1001 Nights Presented by Sam Tabet of Club Cairo Doors Open at 8:30 pm. You will be warmed up by Alberta's Top Belly Dancers (different dancers from the Friday Show) At 10:30 pm, Randa will perform her AMAZING show! Our wonderful Sam Tabet will be performing live his one man orchestra to accompany the dancers, including Randa. At the sumptuous River Cree Marriott at 300 East Lapotac Blvd Enoch Alberta, located at the corner of Whitemud Drive & Winterburn Road, 5 minutes from West Edmonton Mall. Click on Map for directions. Show tickets, there will be no tickets available at the door. All must ne pre-paid.- $100 Ticket Available only by contacting Sam at clubcairocanada@hotmail.com

BELLY DANCE EVENTS WORLDWIDE

Calendar: Friday, March 1st 2013 Date: Events: Location: 03-01-2013 Club Bellydance at Brava Theater Center San Francisco, CA Tickets On Sale Now! 03-02-2013 Club Bellydance at Cafe-Club Fais Do-Do Los Angeles, CA Tickets On Sale Now! 04-04-2013 10:00 PM - 11:30 PM KVIE Public Television Airs "Bombay Bellywood: Live From L.A." Sacramento, CA Tune In! 04-27-2013 Club Bellydance at Ufa-Fabrik Berlin, Germany More Details Coming Soon! 04-30-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Warsaw, Poland Details Coming Soon! 05-02-2013 Club Bellydance at Wechselbad der Gefühle Dresden, Germany More Details Coming Soon! 05-04-2013 Club Bellydance at Karl-Diehl-Halle Röthenbach a.d.Pegnitz Nuremberg, Germany More Details Coming Soon! 05-05-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Munich, Germany Details Coming Soon! 05-06-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Ljubljana, Slovenia Details Coming Soon! 05-09-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Zurich, Switzerland Details Coming Soon! 05-10-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Bern, Switzerland Details Coming Soon! 05-11-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Milan, Italy Details Coming Soon! 05-12-2013 Club Bellydance at Teatro Gustavo Modena Genoa, Italy More Details Coming Soon! 05-14-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Montpellier, France Details Coming Soon! 05-15-2013 Club Bellydance at Centre culturel des Mazades Toulouse, France More Details Coming Soon! 05-16-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Bordeaux, France Details Coming Soon! 05-17-2013 Club Bellydance at Espace François Mitterrand Arras, France More Details Coming Soon! 05-19-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Luxembourg, Luxembourg Details Coming Soon! 05-22-2013 Club Bellydance at Centre Socio-Culturel du Fosse des Treize Strasbourg, France Details Coming Soon! 05-24-2013 Club Bellydance at Cité Bleue Geneva, Switzerland Details Coming Soon! 05-26-2013 Club Bellydance at Espace Hillel Lyon, France More Details Coming Soon! 05-28-2013 Club Bellydance at Théâtre de la Reine Blanche Paris, France More Details Coming Soon! 05-30-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Brussels, Belgium Details Coming Soon! 06-01-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Lubeck, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-01-2013 Bellydance Superstars Workshops Hamburg, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-02-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Rostock, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-04-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Leipzig, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-06-2013 Club Bellydance at Pfarrsall St. Konrad Koln, Germany More Details Coming Soon! 06-07-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Hanover, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-08-2013 11:00 AM to 06-09-2013 07:30 PM Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Duisburg, Germany Details Coming Soon! 06-11-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA London, UK Details Coming Soon! 06-12-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA TBA, UK Info Coming Soon! 06-13-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Bournemouth, UK Details Coming Soon! 06-14-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Bristol, UK Details Coming Soon! 06-15-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Edinburgh, UK Details Coming Soon! 06-16-2013 Club Bellydance - Venue TBA Manchester, UK Details Coming Soon! 10-12-2013 Lewis Family Playhouse - Victoria Gardens Cultural Center Rancho Cucamonga, CA Details Coming Soon!

CAIRO BELLY DANCE FESTIVAL JUNE 2013

Belly Dancing Excitement at Egypt's Oriental Dance Festival By Tahma Cairo--For almost a decade, belly dancers from all over the world have been making the pilgrimage to this Mecca of the dance, Cairo, Egypt, for an annual festival called Ahlan Wa Sahlan. The festival takes place in Cairo at a five star resort that is literally at the foot of the pyramids. For one week, more than one thousand dancers are immersed in everything belly dance: daily classes taught by masters and superstars, nightly competitions, and heaps of vendors offering costumes, props, music and other dancerelated items. The origins of belly dance are hotly debated, as is the correct term for the art form. In fact, many would argue that the term is not the most accurate label, but will use the term because it is the most widely understood by the general public. The most widely accepted terms in the community, for the most popular forms (Egyptian andTurkish), would be Raks Sharqi or Oriental Dance. Egyptian styles vary regionally and historically. Turkish "gypsy" forms, and many other forms that have become sisters to the art, vary due to authenticity being lost in translation (such as American cabaret), or even by deliberate attempts to take parts of the dance and fuse them with other forms of dance, creating something new (such as American tribal style). In recent years, the dance has had a huge surge of interest based on popular music infusing more Arabic influences, and presenting corresponding representations of belly dance in the music videos (mostly completely inauthentic, fantasy representations). And, of course, we must also thank the pop star Shakira for this onslaught of interest. As a professional dancer, I have only been a diligent student of this form of dance for approximately 4 years, and this was my first time at the festival. Upon my arrival, I must admit that I experienced an absolute sensory overload beginning with my ride from the airport to the hotel at 4 a.m. The streets were so alive in what most closely resembled a hot night on the Vegas strip. They were bright, noisy and bustling. However it quickly dawned on me that the streets were almost exclusively packed with men-drinking tea, smoking pipes, and filtering in and out of nightclubs. My American instinct put me at immediate discomfort. However, I later felt much more comfortable in the city as Cairo has very low crime. I was soon abler to take in the beauty of this historically rich and beautiful city, and its wonderful, colorful, creative people. Also, for an American, in such uncertain times, I made learning how to "blend in" a priority, and quickly adopted a ultra modest dress, so that I could walk the streets without a second glance from the natives of the city. As a person with a father who is part WASP, and part African-American, and who knows what else; and a mother who is MexicanIrish; and me with a decided ambiguous look, many people assumed I was from Aswan or Luxor, where the Nubian people live. A few days later, the festival began and chaos ensued. You can easily imagine the behavior of over 1,000 women from different parts of the world in one place for close to a week. Well, it was even worse than that. Although, the majority of women were great, there were plenty that exhibited shockingly ugly behavior. There was of course a lot of pushing and shoving when we were clamoring to enter shows and classes. But much worse was the blatantly sneaky behavior of cutting in bathroom lines under the guise of "having to get up front to wash (ones) hands;" sneaking to the front oflines for dance shows via scooting in front of someone from the side of them when they weren't paying attention, and pushing ones way to the front of the dance class As the festival continued, luckily, this behavior seemed to subside. Halfway through the festival I decided to spend more time outside of the festival, and outside the resort walls. I think that the true gem in this trip was my ability to immerse myself in the culture that made this dance what it is. I was so sad when it came time to leave. This Ahlan Wa Sahlan festival is the largest in attendance for belly dancing in the world that I am aware of, and lasts for only a week in July. However, a smaller version is is also held in the winter. There are also other competing festivals such as the Nile group which is also held in summer and winter A great website for more information on everything belly dance related (history, styles, festivals, local events and teachers), check out www.shira.net.