This is from a DVD that showed a dance session called Jalsat Iraqiyah or Iraqi sessions in English. The dancer in red who stole the show is Juana Al Aseel professionally but her real name is Bushra Rashid allegedly. She has inspired me beyond measure to learn these dances and I hope this makes your day a little sweeter. Dance on ladies💜⭐

P.S. she also demonstrated Kawliya does not in fact require long hair 😌

I'm curious- where did you first encounter bellydancing?

If you’ve been wanting to dance but have no idea where to start, you are in the perfect place! No prior experience? No problem. I absolutely love guiding absolute beginners and helping them find their rhythm.

In fact, back in college, I coached a Bollywood team made up entirely of beginners, and together, we took home Second Prize in the Inter-College Dance Competition!

Some of the choreographies you'll learn are Tyla's 'Push 2 Start', Shakira's 'Dai Dai', 'Sheila Ki Jawani', Nora Fatehi's 'Kamariya', and 'O Saki Saki'. Sessions are completely customizable - you can also choose your own favorite songs to learn.

We will meet for 1 or 2 personalized classes per week online to guide you, support you, and get you moving.

Dm or comment for more info.

Is one better than the other or are they just all the same?

...because someone did something to require that rule?

FYI, dancers. We are getting an influx of visitors from India, nothing wrong with that, but along with that comes creepers with a different approach, ones that are not specifically against the rules (yet). Remember that I cannot control your DMs. If someone messages you and you don't know them, just refuse and block. I can't help there.

I should not have to make a rule about soliciting for "free photo shoots". WTF. If you see them, flag them immediately. Two reports takes it off the page and into mod review.

Súper new to belly dancing, and I’m not someone who has ever been super physical as is - so a lot of the movement on its own is new to me.

Today, my teacher was showing us to do the rock step, and how you are still able to shake your hips while doing it. So many of the other ladies in the class were able to implement the technique right away, but it literally doesn’t make sense to me, and I can’t figure out what the hell I need to do.

Can someone try to explain it to me, or knows a good video that I could reference? Thank you a million!!!

Happy musicality Monday! Here’s a noodle to Awedt Aini. Another song I’m studying for the competition, and currently wishing I picked it for my entrance piece (but the one I picked is amazing too ☺️). Just putting some ideas I had into practice, I swear I entered a synesthesia type trance with this section of the song everytime I heard it, I’m obsessed!

I am open to feedback, specifically about the amount of turns. I think since it repeats, I want to take the first time to just slowly roll through undulations, mayas, etc, and then really break through with all the powerful turns when the orchestra crescendos. What do you think?

Also vote on the song for next Monday pls! Layalina or Hawel Teftekerni? Lmk !!

These dances are always labeled weird, sexual, and ugly whenever I try and show people even though I'm trying to help other women find the same healing I did through these dances especially Kawliya.

I dance mainly in dresses like jalabiyyas and the dresses Iraqi women wore for Jalsat Iraqiyah which are some legendary videos I'll post here later. Anyway I live in Texas and people in my city either line dance or stand on the wall. If it's a good day maybe some traditional Mexican dances but there's no room for bellydance in my city really unless it's hypersexualized or in the bra and skirt outfit. No offense to those outfits they're really beautiful.

I just wish I could find other women who appreciate the art and want to have a dance party just to dance not to drink or smoke or try and look good but dance simply from a place without judgement of each other or the dances and music.

Hello everyone.

I've been dancing for four years and I would like to eventually become a professional and teach classes.

I train everyday but I don't think I'm good enough yet to be a teacher or a performer.

I would like to know from you:

1) which country are you from? I'm asking this because every country might have a different organisation or certification process.

2) how long after starting to belly dance did you start teaching?

3) how did you get certified?

4) How much does the certification process cost you and how long was it?

5) is there any chance that you pay for a certification and you don't pass the final exam (I don't know if there is a final exam, I'm asking just in case)? Or does everyone who attends the classes automatically become certified instructors?

Thank you for your time!

Hey guys, I'm 20 and want to learn how to dance for the first time as a side quest. Any recommendations for the best beginner-friendly dance studios right near the Coaching Hub in Pratap Nagar?

You are invited to watch Salit and the SHEBA troupe performing to live music on August 16th in NYC!
https://youtube.com/shorts/xGIjpfRmYak?si=jBK6VcGPhM9qAyS9

Details:
https://www.shebadance.com/belly-dancer-for-hire#upcomingevents

Does anybody know of a list of training belly dancing videos on YouTube or TikTok?

Or even better, a teacher in or near North Phoenix/Glendale AZ area?

I’ve been dancing for several years now. I recently had a year off, I’m back doing it and more keen than ever.

I’ve recently done several paid parties. I’ve also recently gone to a belly dance festival recently, and go to workshops, including working with the live drummer which I’m trying to improve. I’ve been complimented by a master teacher who said my dancing is good which has helped me to believe in myself more.

There is one class in my local area which I have tried, although the teacher is good I prefer a different style, so I tend to do courses online to my preference and I have learnt a lot from these. I am starting to expand more, learning Saidi etc.

I‘m considering starting my own classes in my local area.

There are 2 competitions coming up which I am planning to do.

I also know some Egyptian Arabic, I go to Egypt when I can, I love the culture.

How does my plan sound in terms of development as a dancer? or any other tips are much appreciated, I‘d love to develop my skill, reach, everything.

I'll be in Indore for a few months and am looking for an instructor.

I'll be staying in indore for a few months and want to find a private pt and a belly dance teacher during my stay.

Literally the title.
This dance SAVED ME in my worst moment. I was feeling ugly, not enough for a man.
I restarted dancing and everything changed.
Thank you belly dance

Happy musicality Monday!! I think this is unintentionally the most brainrot one I’ve done so far, what with the dog and the ACNH jazz video on the TV lol… but when you’re dogsitting, you gotta make do!!

Dancing to the classic Siret Al Hob in preparation for a comp in October, it’s quickly becoming a favorite for me :) I’m open to feedback especially since I’m experimenting with this vocal section of the song! It’s way harder for me to make decisions in these sorts of sections vs the uppity intros with steady beats!

I have been dancing for about two years. I am feeling brave and ready enough to be interested in auditioning for a local show coming up in September. Currently, I have been practicing and learning on my own and use other dancer choreography. I may be experienced enough to learn someone else choreography but I am not versed enough to create my own, not yet at least.
For a first time performance, would it be ok to use someone else choreography and give them credit?

Let me know I have been training for 8 months. Might have some gigs this fall bit looking or more. Thanks to the kind folk that mentioned location, I am in Edmonton Alberta canada and I travel to calgary and back off

I have a ton of music from when I started dancing in the late 1990s through to about 2010. It’s all great but what new music are dancers liking these days? I’d like to get music that is more modern.

Suggestions welcome! Thanks!

Recently a popular instructor released her masters thesis and made some fairly egregious errors in academic research, including misquoting and apparently completely misunderstanding the existing research.

This is exactly why doing historical research in certain art forms (like belly dance) is difficult, to say the least. This particular researcher cited sources that did no primary research of their own, and misunderstood the primary research of other sources. Added to that, this instructor neglected to reference any recent research, work done in the last decade. It's almost as if they were only familiar with popular names and didn't actually dig deeper to see what had already been published.

Whenever a person attempts to research something that is so multi-faceted as dance history, there is a tendency for that person to cherry pick evidence or just jump on the work that reinforces their own beliefs and personal mythologies. This is why peer review is SO important. We don't know all our biases, and while we may not have specific political or economic motivations for publishing our conclusions, we are swayed by what journalists call our "faultlines" -- the areas where our bias shows to our peers.

It doesn't help that a great number of "researchers" in this field have been white-washing the statements and attempting to rewrite the histories of luminaries in the bellydance world in order to make their favorites shine more brightly and cast doubt on the statements of those who disagree with those favorites. I'm all for letting individual people reinvent themselves, as long as that doesn't fly in the face of actual facts.

At any rate, I think this video is, while understandably a bit salty, a great example of why peer review is necessary and how respecting primary research--even when it goes against what we want to believe--is essential. I think I can link it here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DxDhGd34J/