1) 1 skein of yarn in a colour to match your hair or black, your artistic choice. 2) These instructions are for braids 1.25″ (inches) thick. For this thickness, cut 120 strands that are approx 2 yards long. Keep them in one long bunch. You can adjust thickness by having more or fewer strands in your bunch. This length, your braids will hang [approx] down to your hips. Strands may need to be longer if you are taller. If you are…
Oriental dance aka “belly dance” or “Raqs Sharqi” in Arabic, is considered one of the oldest dance forms on Earth, but no one knows for sure where it came from. Over the last few decades, archaeological, societal, and cultural discoveries, regarding the Middle East, dance historians have more information resources concerning the dance’s origins more than ever before. Currently, there are two “historical” schools of thought about where the dance may have originated. The first proposes that the dance may…
When we begin our dance journey, we spend a lot of time building a particular dance technique, usually the technique of our teachers or the general style of the genre we like the most. Once that technique is “hard set” in our bodies, we tend to approach new related dance forms with the same technique without first “clearing our cup” of what we currently know. We don’t always understand when we begin dancing that it’s so much more than muscular…
Watch the video below and learn who the top classic turkish oriental dancers are… in 40 seconds. Ozel Turkbas Saliha Tekneci Inci Birol Nimet Alp Ayse Nana Negris Mogol Nejla Ates Learn more about Turkish Orientale dance and Turkish Romani dance at Oriental Phoenix Arts in Houston, TX.
Raqs Sharqi was born in Egypt, but did you know there are other styles of Egyptian dance, beyond the hustle and bustle of Cairo. Let’s take a journey down the Nile, into the desert, to the Mediterranean, and into Upper Egypt to witness the fun folkloric dances of Egypt. We will take a look at Ghawazee, Bedouin (Hagallah), Melaya Leff, Fellahin, and Nubian. Below is a list of YouTube Playlists that I have created for you to explore these dances…
You dance geeks have been asking for my top belly dance history book recommendations. Well, your wait is over. Here are my favorite history reads! Be sure to click on the titles to be transported to Amazon where you can conveniently purchase these books. Enjoy! 1. Looking for Little Egypt by Donna Carlton Little Egypt was a pre-Hollywood sex symbol. She was created by & personified the Western obsession for the exotic. She was born in an age when showmen, in deliberate…
The term “Golden Era” is often used to refer to a period of Egyptian cinema in the mid-20th century. During that time, many actress/dancers became popular, not only in Egypt and the Middle East, but around the world. Many of these dancers are still recognized as the best of the best and are still a source for inspiration for belly dance enthusiasts today. The list below is certainly not inclusive of all Golden Era dancers, but it is a list…
