​My first belly dance class was in the summer of 1978. Back then I was still a young teenager who had no idea what oriental dance was all about, and least of all, no concept that I would be doing this for the rest of my life as a full time career! That was 44 years ago…. OMG really? Time flies, especially when you love what you do! I have personally witnessed more than 4 decades of the history of belly dance, and there have been a lot of changes. For example, in the 60’s belly dance was very popular throughout America and this boom lasted declined for several reasons at the end of the 70’s. In the 80’s the infatuation for belly dance in general practically died out, with only the die-hards hanging on. Yet at the same time, it was fast becoming the latest craze in in Germany. While living and dancing in Vienna, Austria in the 90’s, I became a part of the boom of oriental dance all over Europe. By the first decade of the new millennium the belly dance craze returned to the U.S. but this time it only lasted about a dozen years. In the last decade, the tide is once again receding.
I have also bore witness to the oriental dance world before the dawn of the internet and before the creation of ATS. I saw how in the 70’s the popular belly dance style was basically what we would call the Turkish style, in the costuming, the music and the format of a dance routine. Then in the 80’s the focus turned to Egyptian style, where Souhair Zaki and Nagua Fouad created a huge impact on the scene, the music changed in rhythm and orchestration, and the hottest costuming were the heavily beaded, gorgeous Madame Abla’s. Even the format of a dance routine changed. Did you know, I met and danced with BOTH Souhair and Nagua? And I met and acquired several Abla costumes right there in her atelier in Cairo. What memorable experiences! But that is for another article.
Time marches on and change is inevitable. It is a healthy part of evolution and growth. Dance as art continues to evolve and change every day. But what difference does it make to you as an advocate of today’s Middle Eastern dance? How much does history matter to the new dancer? Why bother hearing about the changes in styles and famous dancers of the past? Many dancers who have discovered the beauty of belly dance within the last 20 years are busy living in the present, taking classes, performing dances, buying costumes, feeling good in their passion for this dance. Yet, I have noticed at workshops, online and in classes, many of the new generation are generally unaware of the history of belly dance and are not convinced that it is of much importance.
In my last blog article I offered a quiz to test your Middle Eastern dance IQ. Whether or not you are of the classical oriental/folkloric side of the fence or the Tribal/Fusion side of the fence, let’s talk about the reasons why it is important for you to know the history of your beloved art form.

• Knowing your dance history makes you an ‘educated dancer’ who can crusade for her dance as Art:  History repeats itself….no, actually forgotten history repeats itself. Have you encountered the misconception that belly dance is nothing more than an erotic, sleazy, sexually enticing form of entertainment? Funny thing, in the U.S. that misconception has thrived for well over 100 years now! Why? I know so many artists who struggled to be recognized as valuable and valid. Whether we are viewed as artists or not depends entirely on you and every other contemporary dancer being educated about their dance. When that falls apart we are doomed to forever be viewed as the Bimbos of the dance world. Do you know anyone who wants to be that?
• Studying history will teach you how to keep high standards and demand respect. If you encounter a concern or question about how to conduct yourself as a belly dancer, you naturally turn to others to see what they have done or are doing, right? So you look around and tend to follow the current trend. But sometimes the current trend isn’t the one that has your best interests at heart. How do you know?

Let’s look back in time to three eras: A) back to the 80’s when Souhair Zaki was at the height of her career, B) back to the 50’s-60’s-70’s when Mahmoud Reda toured the world with the Reda Troupe, and C) even farther back to the 30’s and 40’s when Samia Gamal was the heroine of Egyptian films. What happened to the elegance of Middle Eastern dance as advanced by such artists?
A) Souhair Zaki used to say that every time she donned a costume she felt like a princess. Today, popular dancers in Cairo feel they need to wear skimpy costuming, ultra minis and even visible thongs to gain attention and create sensationalism rather than strive for quality performances and feminine grace.  
B) Mahmoud Reda was called the Fred Astaire of Middle Eastern dance. He put the dance into theaters and provided a platform for every Middle Eastern person to fall in love with folkloric and classical oriental dance. Today in the Middle East, the popularity of the dance has fallen. There is no “Fred Astaire” equivalent. The dance steps are often without finesse. We see instead shimmies with legs wide apart, kicks that extend above the waist and movements that lean towards vulgar and brash. Does anyone value elegance?
C) Samia Gamal is still revered as one of the classiest pioneers of oriental dance, being one of the first to choreograph steps, wear glamorous costuming, and be held in such esteem that she was like a Hollywood movie star. Her simple feminine finery is rarely seen in the oriental dance world today.
What do you learn from looking back at these three examples of the past? When you take the time to learn about the dancers of the past, you can stop yourself from boarding the contemporary bandwagon and choose to fight to keep respect for yourself and your art. If you don’t know what people have done in the past and what standards they have successfully accomplished, you can’t even imagine what is possible now or that you are able to uphold and perhaps even surpass those standards.

• Knowing your roots makes you a better representative of Middle Eastern culture. Folkloric dances reveal the way people lived in the past, even going as far back as seen in the hieroglyphs in the temples of ancient Egypt. If you study why, when, where and how Middle Eastern dance evolved, you gain understanding of why belly dance movements are what they are today and even how the music came to be. To become a great representative of Middle Eastern culture you must know how to determine what is authentic costuming and appropriate movement to different types of Middle Eastern music. If you study the history of oriental dance, it will help you to understand the culture you are representing, and you become aware that people of the Middle East do not necessarily have the same views, ideals and values as a Western person does.  History well told is beautiful. History as art and entertainment serves a real purpose, on aesthetic grounds but also on the level of human understanding. Dances are stories that reveal how people and societies have actually functioned, and they prompt thoughts about the human experience in other times and places. With knowledge of history, you can reconstruct quite remote pasts, involving beauty and excitement, and another perspective on human life and society.
• Good dancers understand and respect their dance lineage. Mikhail Baryshnikov mastered the art of classical ballet, and it wasn’t until later in his well-established career that he ventured into fusion. Only then could his explorations and envelope-pushing be considered a legitimate way to evolve his art form. Within the ballet world, every serious dancer knows their lineage and is proud to tell you of it. It identifies you and gives you legitimacy. For example, no one is afraid to say they are a Balanchine dancer. It’s not about making George Balanchine great (he did that on his own accord). Instead, it brings instant recognition to a dancer who is well- trained and carrying on an important style and tradition. It doesn’t reduce that dancer to someone insignificant, but in fact it raises respect for her/him….

So why don’t we share that in the world of Middle Eastern dance? History provides you an identity and a genealogy. The uneducated dancer can only pale into a bland waste of energy until she knows her own dance history and can draw from that rich past. It also encourages the new dancer to mentor with an established, recognized artist, rather than simply tasting a myriad of teachers from a uncredentialed smorgasbord of social media videos.

• Your opinion as dancer will matter more.  An uneducated opinion is a meaningless one. You can’t judge excellence in Middle Eastern dance of any style unless you have a thorough knowledge base. Without the study of dance history your opinion is weak and not really valid.
• Belly dance viewed from a historical perspective provides a multi- faceted platform for you to present the dance. It is not just about putting on your two-piece bedlah and shaking your booty for fun or a few tips. If you have any ambition to be a dancer for the long term, one that may leave an impact on the art form as well as on your audiences and/or your students, you need to value your dance history. Only by studying your dance history, will you ever have the ability to survive all the ebbs and flows of the popularity of belly dance. You will have a ton of material to draw from when creating dances because those are the dances with themes, character and meaning. Remember, the tallest trees have the deepest roots! If you know about oriental dance history, you can create beautiful pieces in endless variety.

Middle Eastern dance is a living history. The cultures, traditions and religions are complex and have impacted our dance, bringing it to the state of the present moment and influencing how it evolves in the future. It took a long, unfolding history to get everything to Now.
History teaches us that a single individual with great convictions or a committed group can change the world. Robert F. Kennedy is quoted to have said, “Each time a person stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the life of others, or strikes out against injustice, he/she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”   The pen is mightier than the sword, words can move mountains, and in each of us as dancers, we have the power to change the world, provided we have the knowledge and skill to respect our history, to learn from it, so that it evolves to its greatest potential. I hope you shimmy on with pride and blaze new trails.

This fun quiz about belly dance is for all kinds of Middle Eastern dancer, including classical oriental, folkloric, cabaret, Tribal, or fusion. Give yourself 1 point for each correct answer. Total your score afterwards to see where you land on a scale from Un-Informed (0) to Un-informed (10).
In my blog for next month, we will discuss WHY you should be able to score a perfect 10. But for now, just enjoy. Maybe you’ll find yourself tapping into your dance history and roots.
Here we go:

1. Who is Badia Masabni?
2. What did Mahmoud Reda do for oriental dance?
3. Who put oriental dance in Carnegie Hall?
4. When were finger cymbals first used?
5. When did the maqam first develop?
6. How old is oriental dance?
7. Where did the hip scarf come from?
8. Where did the veil come from?
9. What is Orientalism?
10. What did Sol Bloom have to do with belly dance?

ANSWER KEY:

1. In the 1920’s, Badia Masabni was responsible for owning and operating the first famous nightclub In Cairo, Egypt, called the Casino Opera. In this night club, she developed the pioneers of oriental dance, Samia Gamal, Tahia Karioka, Naima Atef, and many others. She encouraged choreographing the movements, wearing glamourous costuming and high heels, and creating what we now think of as true classical oriental belly dance.
2. Mahmoud Reda, along with his brother, Ali, sister-in-law, Farida Fahmy, and his wife, a ballerina, founded the Reda Troupe. It became the national dance troupe of Egypt, fully supported by the government. Mr. Reda’s troupe included at least 50+ dancers (both girls and boys) at any one time to present Middle Eastern dance on stages around the world and in musical films. He researched dance from all over the Middle East and brought theatrical versions that were choreographed to the stage and the movies. Mr. Reda was nicknamed the “Fred Astaire of the Middle East”. The company’s music consisted of original orchestrated scores. People of all levels of society were exposed to the dance and fell in love with its beauty and authenticity. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Reda trained oriental and folkloric dancers all over the world.
3. The late, great Ibrahim Farrah was the first artist to bring Middle Eastern dance to Carnegie Hall with the fine talents of his Near East Dance Group. The choreographies were unique, creative and visionary. No other artist has accomplished such a fine goal as he, and this was only one of many that “Bobby” accomplished. His standards, aesthetics and educational pursuits elevated oriental dance from ordinary to extraordinary. He traveled all over the globe to teach oriental dancers how to uphold artistry and dignity to our dance form. He published Arabesque magazine for many years, a valuable documentary of the dance. 
4. Wooden clappers are depicted in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs dating back as far as 3000 BC. In medieval Turkey and Greece wooden cymbals evolved into metal for better sound. Flamenco dancers began using wooden castanets since the 1400’s. From North Africa to India, metal clappers were played. In Egypt, the Ghawazee used small metal cymbals to accompany their dancing.
5. The maqamat are a system of melodic modes unique to Arabic music. In the harems of Turkey, around the 7th century, the maqamat (plural for maqam) thrived and eventually developed into the 72 complex scales used in the art of Arabic music today.
6. Oriental dance can be called the oldest recorded dance form in the history of mankind. We can clearly see it in hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt dating back 6000 years. There are also indications that the roots of oriental dance extend even farther back in time, with a connection to primitive ritual and ceremony.
7. Since the days of the Bedouins, dance costuming from all regions of what we now call the Middle East nearly always had a flounce, or short skirt, worn around the hips over a long skirt. Look at drawings of early Turkish dancers, the Persian court dancers, and Hagallah dancers and you will see that their costuming is very similar and all had a hip flounce. Eventually the flounce gave way to a scarf tied around the hips in order to accentuate the earthy pelvic movements. When dancers performed, they were rewarded by coins tossed at their feet by passers-by. Those coins were incorporated into their dresses, on the bodices, head coverings as well as on the hip shawls. To this day, the tinkling of jewelry and coin-fringed scarves provide an addition to the musical accompaniment of the dance.
8. A veil, or long flowing piece of silk, that a contemporary oriental dancer uses within her performance, is actually an invention of Western dancers who were intrigued and inspired by the Orient. In the last hundred years or so, the early pioneers of Modern dance such as Ruth St. Denis, as well as artists like Loie Fuller, used flowing veils. Western notions had great impact upon oriental dance costuming and accessories, changing the traditional costuming into something glamourous with a bare midriff and high heels. To this day, veils and other flowing accessories like wings and fans, originally come from the West and are usually performed best by Western oriental dancers.
9. “Orientalism” refers to a period of art in the 1800’s when Western painters were obsessed by the exotic Orient. Because of this period in art, we have beautiful paintings of people, places and dancers of that time. Historical accuracy and beauty have both been captured by these paintings, which continue to fascinate today.
10. Middle Eastern dancers first performed in the West in 1893 at the Great Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The dance was taken out of its cultural context and became a theatrical spectacle. Sol Bloom was responsible for the entertainment on the Midway Plaissance, where the dance was tagged “Danse du Ventre” or “Belly Dance”, and a Syrian dancer was nicknamed ‘Little Egypt’ and then copied in the burlesque era that followed.

 Let’s explore what makes the Turkish style of belly dance unique and exciting. Historically, Turkish belly dancing has existed since the 7th century. What we call Oriental Dance officially began in the 1920s throughout the Middle East. At that time in Turkey, women were liberated in many aspects of everyday life. Dancers in particular enjoyed a freedom they never had before, finding more opportunity to aggressively display their feminine beauty and emphasize sexual appeal both in the sensuality of their movements and by wearing costumes that emphasized the figure.
 
Turkish dance routines moved from fast to slow to fast again. Dancers entered to a happy upbeat song, playing zils and wearing a veil that was tantalizingly draped over their costumes. The second song usually was to the slow chiftetelli rhythm, incorporating veilwork and/or floorwork which pushed the limits of flexibility into more gymnastic poses. The routine included at least one song to the kashlimar rhythm which is a fast, complicated 9/8 that keeps the dancer bounding with energy and liveliness. The demands on speed and agility can explain why Turkish dance routines are shorter than Egyptian-style routines, and also why Turkish dancers tend to be younger than dancers in Egypt and Lebanon. It was the Turkish dancers who first moved off the stage and into the audience to collect tips and to coax audience members to participate and dance along.
 
I found an out-of-print book entitled “The Belly Dancer in You” written by retired Turkish dancer Ozel Turkbas. Ozel encourages the dancer to maintain her self-respect and treats the dance as something beautiful and spiritual. Ozel claims that Turkish dancers were responsible for introducing the belly moves to belly dance. She admits that the dance has been exploited by those who “could show—for a good price—women dancing in a manner forbidden to the God-fearing.” This exploitation occurs everywhere in the Middle East, including Turkey, where striptease and belly dance were often intermingled. Ozel admitted that sometimes the only way to become famous was for the dancer to pose practically nude or to be involved in some sort of public scandal.
 
There was time when Turkish style costume were considered scandalously more sexual than the Egyptian style costume. However, the contemporary costume worn in Cairo today unfortunately consists of a skimpy outfit that reveals far too much skin, a skirt that is shear or of ultra mini length, and a bra that over emphasizes already ample breasts. Sadly, any artistry in the performance is overshadowed by the sexuality of how the movements look when performed in such costuming.
 
Who are the famous and infamous Turkish belly dancers that were respected, revered and viewed as artists?
 

• Emine Adalet Pee: During the first years of the Turkish Republic of the 1920s, one dancer became quite famous. Emine Adalet Pee was born in 1909 and started dancing at age 14. She married a German and eventually went to Germany to further her dance career. Emine danced before royalty and statesmen, performing on stages in America, Egypt, and England.
• Nergis Mogol:  Born in 1923, Nergis was three years old when she first appeared on stage. She became famous throughout Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Kuwait. Nergis was considered responsible for tutoring the next generation of famous dancers.
• In the 1950’s, the famous dancers included Nimet Alp, Melike Cermai and Saliha Tekneci.
• Sema Yildiz and Inci Birol: Both were legendary throughout the Middle East and were the stars of the 60’s and 70’s. Sema retired in 1991 with many accolades. Other dancers who hit Turkish fame during this time were Ozcan Tekgul, Leyla Sayar, Birsen Ayda and Zennube. They starred in movies and had songs dedicated to them.
• Necla Ates: Necla became famous in the U.S. She played in movies and on Broadway and was called the master of the “fire dance”. 
• Ozel Turkbas: Ozel was featured in 14 Turkish films before she moved to the U.S. In the 70’s, while belly dance was a huge American fad, Ozel produced books and music, and taught Americans how to belly dance.
• Nesrin Topkapi and Princess Banu: In the 80’s, two of the most beloved artists were Nesrin Topkapi and Princess Banu. Nesrin was the first dancer to perform a show on Turkish TV at a time when belly dancing was banned. She started to teach and was popular with German students who visited Turkey. In the 90’s, Nesrin established a school of oriental dance in Germany. Princess Banu has performed all over the globe and is recognized as the best interpreter of the Egyptian school of dancing. She is a classy dancer with powerful hip movements.
• Burcin Orhon: Popular in 2000 was Burcin Orhon. Burcin is the daughter of a famous Turkish composer. In her youth, Burcin studied ballet and tried out for the national ballet troupe of Turkey. She did not pass the try-outs and sought other means to dance professionally. When she tried oriental dance, she found success. Her ballet training is very prevalent in her dance, trading hip shimmies for highly extended kicks and very wide plie’s.
• Mezdeke: This trio of dancers made it big in the early 2000’s. They were known to never perform without their face veils and were internationally recognized for producing dance CDs, which contain a pop mix of Arabic (not just Turkish) music.  
• Evrim Sultan: The latest rage in Istanbul is male belly dancing. One of the most well known is Evrim Sultan, who has been featured on television and has won several awards. Male belly dancing does have roots in the era of the Ottoman Empire, when women were not allowed to perform publicly. Move over ladies, the nightclubs on the Bosphorus are striking a blow for sexual equality for men in belly dance!

 
As in all Middle Eastern areas today, Turkish belly dancers struggle against the morals of a Moslem country. Following the many artists of the past hundred years, only the loveliest, most agile, and most gifted dancers can successfully follow their lead. Has the magic of Turkish style belly dance bewitched you yet?

Do you love to learn about the history of Middle Eastern dance? Do you dream of making more of your love of belly dance? Then please explore www. SakkaraDance .com and let me know if you want to set up a time to talk about how this program can be tailored to your specific needs!

St. Patrick’s Day is a day of four-leaf clovers, pots of gold, and sparkling luck. Want to know the secret to acquiring more LUCK to make your dance success soar?

1. “L” stands for Love:  Ask yourself, do you absolutely LOVE to dance? Do you feel happier when you move? Do you allow yourself to truly enjoy your femininity? If you want to attract luck, you must step into your dance 100%. Not just by physically moving, but by really feeling it. When you relax and wrap yourself in positive energy, it will act like a magnet for joy and abundance. Avoid being overly critical of yourself or seduced by gossip that comes your way. This kind of negativity destroys luck. Instead, focus on the positive, imagine what you want to have happen, write it down, then review it, feel it, and focus on it. You will find that you will start noticing signs around you… good luck is coming your way!
2. “U” stands for Unique:  Luck doesn’t come to the ordinary, but to the extraordinary. Want to rise to that level? Figure out how you are UNIQUE from everyone else. Instead of following the current trends or copying what everyone else is doing, explore the strengths within your personality and your dance style. Identify what your strengths are in movement, expression and creativity. Enhance that with your costuming. Are you sassy? Classy? A little of both? What else is different about you from other dancers? Create a unique ‘brand’ for yourself as a dancer. Dare to stand apart from the crowd!
3. “C” stands for Charisma:  People are attracted to CHARISMATIC performers. When you dance, forget about perfection! Everyone’s got insecurities, just don’t let them run your life or ruin your dancing. What you want instead is to sparkle on stage. Bravely make direct eye contact with an audience. Smile from your heart. Share your emotions. Be playful. Show them how much fun it is to dance. This will create an electric exchange between you and your audience, and they will become mesmerized by you. Once that happens, you’ll thrilled by how many more dance shows will come your way.
4. “K” stands for Knowledge:  Luck isn’t something you can force. It’s got to be built upon a solid foundation, formed by your KNOWLEDGE. Always be open-minded and willing to learn. Practice your dance often so you perform with sophisticated skill. No matter how good you get, stay humble so that your ego doesn’t get in the way of your artistry. Get to know your true ‘self’, acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses, your creative side, and your courageous side. This does not mean falling in love with your reflection in the mirror. When you are a self-absorbed diva, that will be apparent each time you step onto a stage or into the classroom, and it is a major turn OFF that repels any kind of luck you hope to attract. Stand solidly on honesty, integrity, and dignity. Only then will find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

As you see, luck isn’t something outside of yourself that magically appears. It is something that comes from inside. The leprechaun’s greatest secret is that you don’t need him because you already possess the potential. Believe in yourself and you will be the luckiest dancer ever!

​Charisma on the stage is critical for success. One way to boost your appeal to the audience is to make sure you make eye contact with them. Another way is to encourage their involvement in your performance by using certain arm movements that beckon the audience in subtle or bold ways. Here are some suggested arm movements that you should use in your dance shows. Remember, do them only once each show.

• Clapping: When you clap your hands, you are asking the audience to get involved and start to clap with you. They love it! The tempo of your clapping is exactly what they will match, so be sure it is on the beat and will enhance the next movements you will do. Be aware that you need to clap strongly, and your arms should extend forward as if you were giving your own clapping to the audience. In other words, when you clap, don’t hug your forearms close to your chest. If you reach out, your body language will be happy and inviting.
• Waving the forearms: Waving tells the audience you want them to clap, zaghareet, or tip you. You may do so with your arms in one of 3 positions: a) low near one hip (e.g., to frame a hip); b) Extend your arms out to the sides a little lower than shoulder height; Or c) lift your arms up high and wave the forearms overhead. To get acquainted with how to Wave correctly, start with the low position. Hold your upper arms near your ribcage. Keep your chest lifted and open. Bend at the elbow outward on a diagonal to each side. Turn the palms of your hands upward. Now bend and straighten your forearms from the elbows, alternating one inward while the other goes outward. The hands should remain relaxed, so they softly flex inward and outward. When bending an arm inward, resist the hand crossing in front of your torso or face. Keep the waving arms framing you so you remain friendly and open. When waving at shoulder height or higher, always hold the upper arms at the same level with your chest up and your shoulders down and relaxed.
• Rolling the forearms: Another movement that is similar to Waving is a Rolling of the forearms. This is usually done at waist height or hip level. Hold your forearms parallel to each other with elbows out. Then fold them over your stomach but not touching your torso. One forearm is in front of the other, both palms facing inward toward your torso. Rotate the forearms around each other in a circular fashion, rolling one over the other. You should feel like you are scooping energy towards your torso, not pushing energy away from you. This rolling motion usually directs attention to a hip movement, something earthy, like a hip drop. You need to maintain it for at least 8 counts. It calls to the audience to get involved and to clap for you. It can also call to the drummer (if you have one there) to speed up the tempo.
• Hands: A simple way to call to the audience is using your hands. Reach your arms forward toward the audience, hands slightly below shoulder height, palms facing upward. Softly curl in all the fingers so they touch your palms. All the fingers of both hands move simultaneously (not one at a time). Then extend the fingers and repeat. It should feel like you are telling the audience “come to me” or “come here”, and they will happily share their enthusiasm.
• Saluting: Saluting is a great way to show your appreciation to a warm audience. It can be done at the end of your dance, as you take the final pose. It can also be done repeatedly while you do a hip drop, for example. Lift one arm high. The other arm is held low or hand on your hip. The upper arm will bend the forearm towards your forehead.  As your forefinger nears your forehead, allow the wrist to softly flex inward. The hand remains loose and relaxed. The fingers are long but not stiff. Then extend the forearm up and outward again to its starting position, allowing the hand to flex outward freely. Keep the motion relaxed and high. Look out into the audience. Your chest should remain lifted and open. Top it off with a beaming smile.

The more you connect with your audience, the more they will enjoy your performance and remember you as a special dancer.

​Have you ever told someone that you love Middle Eastern dance and they recoiled with a statement like “Why would you ever want to do that?!” Most people do not understand how our dance form can transform you into your most fabulous, feminine self. It’s something you must experience before you can believe.
Here are 10 solid reasons why you will be a happier, healthier person if you belly dance:

1. Increased dopamine in the brain:  Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that is associated with feelings of pleasure and happiness. Belly dance increases your brain’s dopamine production, providing mood enhancements and balancing your emotional state. It lowers feelings of anxiety and depression. An increase of dopamine also helps you to move towards things that provide positive rewards, so you once you discover belly dance, you will want to continue to shimmy!
2. Energy booster:  Ever enjoyed a really great dance class and then feel even more energized after you were done? That’s because belly dance performed as a regular low-intensity form of exercise increases energy levels by at least 20%, fighting off fatigue. Increased energy enhances overall well-being and happiness.
3. Stress reducer: Sometimes when you struggle with a tough dance lesson, you might feel that the class itself is a form of low-level stress. Know that the more you subject yourself to the ‘stress’ of dancing, the better your body and mind will adapt to handling other kinds of stress.  While some days it is hard to get yourself to the class, afterwards you can attest that you feel great, relaxed, and don’t regret having gone. It might even be the best part of your day!
4. Slow down cognitive decline:  It is wonderful that belly dance is an art form that can be started at any age. Unfortunately, the older we get, the less capable our brain functioning becomes. Studies have shown that regular dance class improves mental performance and brain health, aiding memory and learning. So never back off of that long choreography class because it will increase your memory capabilities in other aspects of your life!
5. More self-confidence:  There’s nothing like an awesome dance class or a successful belly dance performance to give you a feeling of great accomplishment. Also, the more you dance, the more calories you burn, which alters your metabolism and speeds weight loss. Dancing boosts your confidence as you see your body transform for the better.
6. Be more social: While all types of exercise and dance are great for us, belly dancing in a group setting (such as a dance class or training within a troupe) is even better. People perform better when working with a partner, and dancing amongst our friends makes us a happier, more connected bunch.
7. Get better sleep: Having sleep issues? If you dance regularly, it will improve the quality of your sleep, both the depth of your sleep levels and the length of your sleep. We all know how wonderful it feels to get a good night’s sleep.
8. Be more creative: Belly dance gets your creative juices flowing. The ‘belly’ movements stimulate your second chakra, the seat of your creativity. The more you lose yourself in music you love, the more your self-expression will blossom.
9. A more productive you: People who make time for dance on a regular basis are more productive at their day job than those who don’t. When faced with life’s difficult challenges, dance is one way to help you cope with problems in a healthy manner.
10. Weight loss: Belly dancing is a great fat burning workout that keeps you in shape, increases your flexibility, strengthens your bones and tones your muscles. What a great way to maintain an hourglass figure.

Never underestimate the power of belly dance!

Holiday shows at Greek/Middle Eastern restaurants or at home parties means close contact with your audience. No pressure but, YOU were hired to be the life of the party. You’ve got to be friendly and entertaining while commanding their respect. Maintaining a professional distance from your audience can be tricky, especially when they want to give you a tip. You never know who in the audience is uninhibited enough to take things too far. Getting paid to entertain is one thing, but no tip is worth an unwanted grope.

If you dance well and provide an exciting show, the audience will gladly tip you. In fact, it’s also a big part of their fun. Here are my Top Ten Tips to Taking Tasteful Tips:

1. Tips are Extra: Tips are gratuities. Be sure to make it clear to whoever hires you that gratuities are extra and not part of your performance fee.
2. You decide the Method: There are several different ways you may collect tips, and it is up to you to decide how you want to handle them. Before the show begins, let your host know the method you prefer, whether it is a collection basket, have a tip handed to you, have tips thrown over you, or acquire tips that are tucked into your costume.
3. Using a Basket: A collection basket is best used in a restaurant setting. It can be left in an obvious location that everyone sees, or it can be passed around the room from table to table. Unfortunately, a basket is not as much fun for the audience, so it tends to be the least productive way to earn tips. The advantage is no one touches you.
4. Accepting by Hand: If someone hands you money, you can slide it into your bra strap just in front of your shoulder. This is a great location because you wear the tip like a corsage, which suggests room for more. Also, when you are the one doing the tucking, you can insert the money snugly into your costume, so there’s no worry about it falling out.
5. Tips that are Thrown: In an Arabic nightclub or wedding, tips are often thrown over the dancer’s head, cascading down her body and landing on the floor. Unfortunately, in a nightclub setting, the money on the floor usually belongs to the owner. If your agreement with the owner is that you get at least part of the tips, the owner will arrange for someone to sweep them off the floor and get them to you. At a wedding or similar private event, the tips usually belong to you. Whatever your do, never grovel on the floor to pick up the money. Have someone else pick up the tips after your show is done and bring the tips to your dressing room.
6. Tips that are Tucked: Tips tucked into your costume are the trickiest of all to manage. Western audiences and Turkish audiences prefer tipping in this manner. It’s up to you to maintain your dignity and keep it family-style entertainment. My first and most important suggestion is that you keep moving! Never standstill and easily allow someone to insert money into your costume no matter how benign that costume location may be. Keep dancing. Don’t move so fast that it’s impossible to tip you. A slow-paced dance movement gives the tipper a challenge that the audience will enjoy. It also keeps you safe from lingering fingertips. If the money falls out, ask someone in a fun way to pick up the money and reinsert it into your costume.
7. Directing the Placement of the Tip: When someone indicates to you that they would like to tip you like waving the bill into the air to lure you closer, you can direct the person to where you want it placed in your costume. For example, if they reach for your belt, simply turn your body so that their hand is to the side of your hip. Avoid front-center of your belt for obvious reasons. If they reach for your bra, try to shoulder shimmy and lean them towards a strap rather than over one cup or between the cups. Should the tipper insist on inserting the money into a bra cup or within your cleavage, you must move quickly away so fingers barely reach inside. I can’t stress this enough. When a hand reaches inside your clothing, don’t be naive. Should anyone aggressively grab your costume, disengage their grip as quickly as possible and dance away. You needn’t act angry or say anything, just abandon the tip and the tipper.
8. Stay in Charge: You always have the right to refuse a tip. If someone is too forward or rude, or if someone approaches you with the money in their mouth, you needn’t accept the money. Try your best to stay professional, calm, and cool. Do your best to keep it fun, even if you refuse.
9. Tipper Equality: If someone should give you a very large tip (say a $100 bill), they do not need to be lavished with extra attention. Treat all audience members equally.
10. Lower your Expectations: Your salary should be satisfactory, so that if you do not make any tips at all you are still happy. The best policy is expecting nothing, so you won’t be disappointed. Then when you walk out with extra earnings, you will be twice as thrilled.

The success of your performance is measured on how happy you have made your audience and that you’ve left them with good memories of the celebration for which you were hired to entertain. You need courage and diplomacy to skillfully manage an audience. Only with time and experience can you learn to balance the audience’s pleasure with making your show memorable and profitable. When you perform, it is your personality, talent and charisma that will make it or break it for you as an entertainer.
​
My suggestions are meant to guide and assist. Feel free anytime to write to me your questions or concerns. I encourage you to dance from the heart! It’s all the magic you’ll ever need to succeed.

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?

Here are 8 great modern day myths about oriental dance that need to be blasted away by hardcore reality. I am sure you have heard of some of these myths, if not all of them. Not for the faint of heart, these myth busters are bold and direct. The intention is for dancers, both new and old, to keep their heads out of the sand dunes and see things as they really are.

• MYTH #1: Anyone born in the Middle East knows best how to perform oriental dance. REALITY: Just because someone is Middle Eastern doesn’t mean they know anything about oriental dance. They may never have had any dance training at all. They may not even know their left foot from their right. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that many contemporary oriental dance instructors who are of Middle Eastern descent have never once actually set foot upon a stage as an oriental soloist! How can they teach you to do something they themselves have never experienced or done? To master this dance takes a ton of practice, coaching, and performance experience, along with hours of studying music, culture, and history. And even then it’s not uncommon for oriental dancers of Western descent to be dismissed when told that only Middle-Eastern-born dancers have the right ‘feeling’ for this dance. What nonsense! Oriental dance is international, and some of the very best dancers were NOT born in the Middle East. We can look to the Middle East as the source of origin, but not all dancers who are from there or who perform there are about quality or artistry. We must look globally if we want the dance to grow as a respected art form. Bottom line: Never assume that anyone’s heritage automatically makes them an authority.
• MYTH #2: You should always try to copy whatever you see a dancer in the Middle East do so that you look authentic.  REALITY: Do not assume that everything you see is authentic or even in good taste. Use common sense to judge before you decide to adopt a version yourself. For example, just because someone who is performing in Cairo (as seen on the internet or in person) and performs with their thong hanging out, doesn’t mean you need to enhance your costuming in the same fashion. Or let’s say you see a Middle Eastern dancer lift her leg out to the side like a dog at a fire hydrant. Um, do you think you won’t look authentic if you decide to keep steps more elegant than that? Just because something is new and done by someone in a Middle Eastern country doesn’t mean it is great. Ugly dance movements are just plain ugly. Costumes that are too sexual upstage your dance technique with sensationalism. A dance style that is not artistic does not do our dance any favors as an art form. Bottom line: Copying trash only perpetuates trash.
• MYTH #3: The only way to get ahead in the business of belly dance is to rub the right elbows and make friends with influential people.  REALITY: On the surface, this myth may seem to work occasionally, at least to open a few doors, but it is not the way to really get ahead and be somebody. Your personal and professional integrity lowers when you kiss backsides and try to make deals to win that competition, get invited to perform in a dance convention, or be sponsored to teach at a workshop somewhere. Beware that those who are ‘dealmakers’ are not about making you a star. They only seek to line their own pockets in one way or another. Make it a priority to value your integrity and put it ahead of anything you do in this dance. Pass on the opportunities that look too good to be true (they usually are). If you want to be recognized as a great dancer, then you need to find a way to dance every day and perform a lot! With experience, your talents will blossom and will speak for themselves. Don’t buy into promises that someone else will make you a superstar. Bottom line: Trust in your own talents and make them the best you can be.
• MYTH #4: When you see a dancer on the internet frequently, she/he must be great. REALITY: Just because someone is skilled at internet marketing, doesn’t mean they are any good. The internet is a great source to view dancers from all over the world, past and present. However, too many newcomers to oriental dance turn to the internet to ‘study’ technique and learn how to dance. Because of their lack of knowledge, they cannot tell if what they are seeing and being told via the internet is actually correct, artistic or even safe to do. To learn belly dance, no amount of internet footage can replace a good in-person coach. Also, be aware that some of the best artists that you could study with are the last ones to advertise heavily on the internet. Why? Not only are they too busy being full time artists, but many are from a generation that doesn’t focus on computer marketing tools. Bottom line: Posting oneself on the internet is so common, whenever you go there to see belly dancers, you must bear in mind that “Quantity does not mean Quality.”
• MYTH #5: Only the most beautiful, youthful and slim dancers will ever get ahead. REALITY: Just because someone looks pretty and has a great figure, doesn’t mean they are a better dancer. Sure, for a moment they are candy on the eyes but when you look past their surface beauty, they might not be the greatest in ability or charisma. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but learn to put more value on a command of the audience, understanding of the music, emotional expression, skill of body isolation and excellent control from head to toe. In fact, the most revered dancers are the ones who are well over 40 years old and don’t have the most perfect bodies! Bottom line: Life experience is more important than looks, youth and being slim.
• MYTH #6: There is no need to study for a long time before daring to audition for a gig and becoming a paid professional. REALITY: Those who are in a hurry to call themselves professional dancers usually take short cuts that hurt themselves, other dancers, and the business of belly dance overall. If you are eager to perform in public, your ambition is commendable. However, don’t let your ego get ahead of yourself. True professionals know they must train their skills constantly and should never stop studying their dance. Rushing to get a dance gig before you are well-trained and before you are well-acquainted with the pay scale and expectations of performers in your area will serve to lower the standards of what is viewed as a professional belly dancer. Anyone can finagle their way into getting a dance job. I can list you several dancers who I know who slept their way to the stage and others who lowered their fee enough that the owner of a restaurant could not pass up the opportunity to hire them. You must practice patience and respect the lineage of your art form so that you maintain the quality of professionalism in your area. Why care about that? Bottom line: If you are a quality dancer, you command a better rate, get better dance jobs, and in turn, you raise the bar for what your area will pay good dancers and provide better conditions in which to perform.
• MYTH #7: Participating in dance competitions is the best way to gain recognition and prove that you are an excellent dancer. REALITY: Just because you compete and even place doesn’t mean you are ‘great’. There are 5 elements you need to research before your consider entering any competition. First, find out who will be the judges. A competition is only as good as its judges. I’ve seen contests where the judges include the sponsor’s husband (an overall nice guy who has absolutely no rhythm and can’t dance his way out of a cymbal bag) and the owner of a nearby local Middle Eastern restaurant (see Myth #1). The judges need to have credentials that bear witness to their expert experience and knowledge about what they are judging. Secondly, competitions are only as good as the rules. Those rules must be fair and clearly explained. They must present a comprehensive structure where you can present your talents and knowledge in various categories. Thirdly, the contest depends a lot on WHO is in it. For example, decades ago I witnessed a popular west coast competition. In the category of Best Male Belly Dancer, there was only one contestant. He did not appear trained or even fit and did not even wear a nice costume, but he won hands down because he was the lone competitor. Was he really the Best Male Belly Dancer in America? Fourthly, the competition is only as good as its prize. What is point of the contest? Do you win anything of value, such as funding to study dance abroad? Or do you only win an overly inflated title? Lastly, there are a lot of dancers out there who are busy working, performing and/or teaching who don’t have the time to worry about placing third in some contest that will barely pay them back their entry fee! Bottom line: If you really have dreams to win a dance competition, do your homework before trusting that any contest out there is worth investing your time, money and energy.
• MYTH #8: It’s better to be an ‘eclectic’ belly dancer. REALITY: An oriental dancer can only bring real value to her art by knowing her roots. There are a lot of belly dance who don’t take the time to study the history, music, rhythms and traditions of oriental dance. They call themselves ‘eclectic’ because they derive their style from a diverse range of sources. They do not belong to any recognized school of thought and prefer instead to follow no specific doctrine except to blend various ideologies. A true artist knows thoroughly about her art form, loves to learn more about it, and in fact, can’t get enough of it, past and present. Once they have a solid background and much dance experience, they can explore evolving their dance by blending in new concepts. However, starting out by declaring that you are “eclectic” gives license to skipping your studies and doing anything you want to any music with any prop in any costume. Bottom line: Call it fusion if you want, but don’t make it Confusion.

These myth-busters are not meant to be offensive. Ignorance is often innocent and exists because someone has simply not been exposed to the truth. Those who truly love belly dance constantly crusade to keep the standards high, earn respect for an art form, and help other dancers who have yet to be enlightened. So next time you encounter a myth, who ya gonna call? Myth-busters!
I ain’t afraid of no myth!

To further your dance ambitions, please visit www.SakkaraDance.com 

I challenge you this month to put the “YOU” into Unique. So many dancers think they have to copy what they see others do, how they dress, how they move. While it is important to witness the trends in fashion and movement, if you ever want to stand out as a Middle Eastern dancer, you need to dare to be authentic.

“Authentic” is defined in the dictionary as “genuine, real, not false or copied”.  Authenticity comes from living the motto “what you see is what you get”. It allows you to develop into a unique artist and a valuable individual. It might not always be easy, but it is definitely rewarding. From how you move on the stage to how you carry yourself behind the scenes, authenticity transforms you and empowers you. It is a series of conscious choices where you take charge of the direction in which you are headed.

Take a moment to think about how you see yourself right now and notice if there is anything you wish to improve or change:

1. Do you trust your gut?  Who better than a belly dancer to connect with her ‘gut’? What we call ‘gut instincts’ are the feelings that rise from inside which resonate with your true self and compel you toward or away from something. What drew you to belly dance in the first place? Why belly dance and not something else? What was the first thing you did to try belly dancing classes? It all started with an instinct followed by an action step. Whether conscious or not, this combination repeated as you moved forward on your dance journey until you arrived at the point where you are now. Next, consider where you are going with your dance. Deep down inside your gut, whether or not you admit it to anyone else, do you ever dream big? For most of you belly dance is a hobby that is enjoyed in your spare time, but come on, how long do you think that hobby will intrigue you if you don’t let it evolve? Dreaming big is a great thing! Don’t doubt yourself. Be honest. What do you truly want to be when you grow up? After you admit it, you then need to…
2. Think outside the box: The moment you chose belly dance you already stepped outside the box. We all know Middle Eastern dance is not mainstream, not like jogging, ballet or yoga. Once you got involved in belly dance, you studied it and tried to emulate the instructors and performers that you admire. After a while, you need to stop copying others. It means stepping outside the box again, something that needs to be done over and over. The farther out of the box you go, the more exciting the experiences will be. You will challenge yourself both physically and mentally. You might go so far as to become an expert at your craft, a revered artist. Look around at the lovely dance enthusiasts that are your peers. If you only do what everyone else does, you will remain lost amongst the masses. If you want to stand out of the crowd, you need to do something that the majority doesn’t do. You must wear your thinking cap and…
3. Set a goal with a date:  Once you know the ultimate, long term goal, getting there will take a series of small steps. Remember the combination of instinct and action? Identify the first step towards that goal and put a date on accomplishing it. Maybe it is an exact day and time or maybe it is more loosely a month and year. An end date will assist your willpower and determination to make that goal without giving up. You will focus your abilities, turn on your creativity and give yourself a direction to make your dreams come true. Once you reach that goal, you should pause, reflect, look inside for what your gut is telling you and then choose another action step. Any step you take can always be altered along the way, but finding the power to use consistent, persistent action is the only way you will ever get there. As you take steps forward, you will find that you will someday have to…
4. Take risks:  The word ‘risk’ can be scary if it is something that is done without forethought. I’m not advocating rash decisions and throwing responsibilities to the wind. What I’m suggesting is a calculated risk that will get you ahead and possibly catapult you forward. Explore opportunities that you otherwise might not have considered. You will feel some measure of discomfort and, while that’s not fun, it is a sign that whatever you are considering can bring great returns. Some of the best experiences will come your way, things that will shape your destiny and create highlights in your life. So when you are offered your first dance job at a restaurant, take the risk. Go to that dance conference in another country. Take a trip to the Middle East. Enter that dance competition. Work with live musicians. Accept that teaching job. Facing the discomfort is small price to pay for gaining valuable experience and networking with peers and leaders who can help you. Your confidence will soar and you will be able to face and conquer other forms of discomfort. This especially includes the discomfort created by the…
5. Naysayers:   If you haven’t already encountered someone negative who wants to burst your bubble, you eventually will. The farther you travel on your dance journey, especially if you have set high goals, think outside the box and take risks, the louder and more aggressive the naysayers will become. They ridicule you either directly or behind your back. They make you feel bad and try to undermine your confidence. You can try to argue with them, but it doesn’t really change anything. You try to be nice to them, and they only find you weak. They don’t agree that your dreams are worth the effort. Or perhaps they are jealous of you and can’t bear to see you achieve something that they don’t have the courage to try or the talent to accomplish. No matter how hard it is to ignore them, the best thing you can do is say nothing and move on. You don’t need their approval. Just honor your authenticity, which has nothing to do with anyone else’s authenticity. Take the high road, even if it appears to be a lonely one. In the end you will be happy that you did what is right for you.

Maybe these guidelines seem like lofty ideas, so I will offer you some examples from my own personal journey that prove that they work.

• Trust your gut: My gut always felt that I had something special to offer oriental dance. I began dancing at 3 years old and by the time I was 16 I learned that ballet was not going to provide a career for me, mostly because I had the wrong body type (too curvy). So I explored other dance forms. When I tried oriental dance, I knew right away that this is where I belonged. This same gut instinct told me when to attempt my first night club gig, when to accept my first teaching position, when to travel to Egypt, and when to latch onto a great mentor, Ibrahim Farrah.
• Thinking outside the box and setting goals with dates: I stepped into oriental dance knowing that my family would not approve. Oh sure, they were amused but they didn’t believe dance could ever be a serious career. I studied and performed part-time for quite a while, but deep inside I promised myself that I would become a full-time dancer someday. I set a goal and put a date on it, and guess what? I met that goal exactly. It was 1991, feels like yesterday! Lol
• Taking risks: It was a scary when I was offered a job to teach for six months in an oriental dance school in Vienna, Austria, in 1993. I left the security of my home to live in a different country where I had never been before, did not speak the language, and did not know how different it is to live in Europe. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. There were performance and teaching experiences that I would never have acquired if I had stayed in the U.S.
• Naysayers:  My parents were my initial naysayers, but once they saw my success as a dancer, they became my biggest supporters. Other naysayers included Middle Eastern people who claim that only people born in the Middle East can ever perform oriental dance with the right ‘feeling’. What fun it was to see them impressed when I was invited to perform in a theater tour along side Nagua Fouad of Egypt. Other naysayers included a variety of ambitious students who studied with me for years only to eventually part ways, some quite notoriously aggressive, some passively aggressive. Can’t say I have heard much about their dance career afterwards. Instead, I focused on my goals and stayed out of the way of anyone who tried to derail me. You must to believe in yourself and be committed to your dreams!

You are the sum of all of your experiences. Make your journey exciting. Promise to value your unique self. Dance through your life in such a way that when you look back on your journey, you will feel no regrets. Strive to be fearlessly authentic!

When you want to develop your own dance persona, one of the greatest tools you can utilize is to choose an inspiring role model. You’ve got to take a close look around within the realm of belly dance and not be afraid to select the ‘stars’ that encompass all the things you’d like – from costuming to dance style, from charisma to business savvy. Consider any Middle Eastern artist anywhere in the world and also from any era, past and present. While personal experience is the best teacher, the second best is to learn from and copy those who have already acquired the look and success that you want. Select your role model(s) carefully. Have a clear picture of what you want from your dance. I hunted for role models back in the 1980s.  At that time in Egypt, there was a famous dancer who was extremely impressive. Her name was Suhair Zaki.
 
Suhair was born in 1944 and still lives today in Cairo, Egypt. She no longer performs, having retired in the 1990s at the height of a very successful career. I was fortunate to see her dance many times in Cairo, from the stages of smokey nightclubs to extravagant wedding receptions in grand hotel ballrooms. She is my favorite Egyptian dancer because she is not only an outstanding artist, she conducted herself 100% as a lady.
 
Suhair’s dance style was along the lines of Tahia Karioka. She did not rely on props to dazzle her audience, nor did she need a lot of space on the stage. She performed as a soloist with no background singer, dancers or troupe, as did some other well-known performers. Her only backdrop was her excellent orchestra. Music was specially composed for Suhair every six months, as were her costumes. One of the most famous costume designers, Madam Abla, created the stunning baladi dresses (more like cocktail dresses than folkloric dress) as well as the heavily fringed and beaded oriental outfits, complete with mesh over the midriff. They set the fashion trend for belly dancers around the globe.
 
Suhair’s shows were a class act.  Her group of musicians numbered between 15 and 30, and they connected with Suhair perfectly. Together they made magic happen on the stage. Suhair was the first oriental dancer to perform to music of Om Koulthoum, one of the highest revered singers in the history of Arabic music. It was a risk to do so, at first, because at the time Suhair was still young and not well known. But Om Koulthoum herself claimed that Suhair interpreted the music beautifully.
 
Many dancers in Cairo have choreographers that assist in the creation of their show. Suhair never did this. She claims that she always danced from her own inspiration and feeling, and that is what moved her body. She was quoted as saying that she needs the dance as anyone needs air to breathe. She believes that dance is art and must always be honored and respected. In that, she honored and respected herself as a dancer and as a woman. She did not compromise her integrity, not even when the trends dictated a change to more risqué costuming and flashier variety-show performances. She stated that on stage she wanted to feel like a princess.
 
Suhair danced with passionate emotional expression and amazingly precise hipwork. Her movements were feminine, graceful and rather reserved (less is more!). There were no high kicks, incessant spinning, or overly skimpy costuming. Instead, she used her hips, back and abs to create intricate contractions.
 
Today you can find online films of her performances. You will encounter music that was written for her, and many others that used her name to indicate the classical oriental style of the music, not that she was the producer. There are tons of photos of her in her dazzling costumes.
 
Suhair Zaki’s standards were high, and her name epitomizes the elegance and grace of oriental dance. If you choose Suhair as one of your role models, you will join the movement to promote and preserve the Art of Middle Eastern dance.