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Advice for Bellydancers

Egypt Pictures - January 2006 Cairo Scenes - Dancers

Video Clip Guide NEW!!!

Do you have a question about bellydance? Is there something you just don't understand in your classes? Maybe a certain technique that just doesn't make sense. Perhaps you'd like to know more about dance styles or music? Or, are you a professional dancer seeking advice? Well, go ahead and ask Hannan!

Hi Hannan,

My question is I have been looking for belly dancing CDs, but because I don't really know a lot about that genre of music I am not sure who some of the great/good artists are. I really enjoyed some of the music you played in your class. Would you be able to give me some suggestions so that I can practise at home.
~In need of music

Dear In Need of Music,
One of the perks of developing an interest in Bellydance is that you will be exposed to a huge world of fantastic music. Middle-Eastern music contains a plethora of traditional folk styles, revered classical masters, and catchy modern pop. Add to that selection the huge genre of bellydance music that comes from outside of the Middle East, and you have quite a task in developing your CD collection! I have several examples of great music for bellydance, but please note that this list is NOT definitive, it barely scratches the surface! I will continue to give you information about Arabic music in this column and in class.
If you are looking for music especially for practice, you'll want to seek out music that has an even, 4/4 rhythm. Much of the best bellydance music is highly orchestrated and makes use of the large selection of frequently complex rhythms and modes. It can be challenging with all those rhythm changes. Your best bet for music to practice drills to is slower pop music or rhythm study cds. I sell Hakim’s Greatest Hits and A Tribute to Abdel Halim Hafez for people who want practice music. They are both great albums for training.
Arabic pop is fun and catchy, as well as being good for practice. Some revered pop artists from the Arab world are Hakim, Amir Diab, Ehab Tawfik, Nancy Ajram, Natasha Atlas, and Najwa Karam. That list is by no means definitive, see http://www.rashid.com/enter.asp for more artists.
If you want to become a good bellydaner, it is important to invest in music that might be difficult for you to dance to at first. Training your ear is as nessacary as training your body.
In the modern classical style, compositions are highly orchestrated and include traditional Arabic instruments as well as instruments of Western orchestras. Much of this music is suitable for bellydance. There are several instrumental and vocal recordings of the hits from this era. If you're interested in this style, for starters try the CD "Arabian Masters" from Peko Records. It is excellent and we sell it at the studio. Some of the most famous artists you should know are Oum Kalsoum, Abdel Halim Hafiz, Fairuz, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Farid Atrache, and Warda.
For music composed especially for Bellydance, my current favourites are Said Balaha, Bassam Ayoub, Hossam Ramzy, the Sami Nossair Orchestra, almost anything put out by Raqia Hassan, much of the Bellydance Superstars releases, and most of Beata and Horatios albums.

There is a huge variety of folk music from the Middle East. In our folkdance class at the studio, Nada teaches many of the Egyptian styles. Several of them have a lot in common with belly dance. For more information on styles of Arabic Folkloric dance, read this article from Atlanta Bellydance: http://www.atlantabellydance.com/Overview/EgyptianFolkloric.html

There is also great music for belly dance that does not come from the Arab world. Turkish, Greek, Moroccan, even some Bollywood music can be great for belly dance. If you are going to perform to music that does not come from the belly dance music of the Arabic world, do some research first so you create a respectable composition instead of an ignorant mish-mash. You don’t want to end up bellydancing to the Turkish soccer-anthem for an audience of Armenians (or anyone for that matter)!
Modern fusion artists like Toronto's Jesse Cook and Maryam Tollar have created beautiful contemporary pieces. If you like the fusion style, you should also check out Turbo Tabla, The REG project, Solace, and Oojami.
Much of it is not suitable for “proper” bellydance, but you’ll hear western pop artists like Shakira, Beyonce, and Britney Spears frequently work with an eastern flavour. On the darker spectrum, you'll find Peter Murphy, Dead Can Dance, The Tea Party, and even Einsturzende Neubatuen's Hecht working with Arabic and Turkish Styles.

I hope that this very brief introduction to the variety of belly dance music will at least steer you in the right direction. More to come!
~Hannan

Dear Hannan,
Could you please give me some advice on practicing between classes? You and my other teachers are constantly telling me to practice, but I honestly don’t know which way I should go about doing it.
~Ready to Practice
Dear Ready to Practice,
Good question!
Start by setting a goal for your session. Some examples of goals could be refining a movement, learning a step, reviewing choreography, or practicing improvisation. When you practice, always focus on good posture and good technique. I strongly advise that students take notes after class on what you covered and review this in your practice sessions.
Practice sessions can be as short as twenty minutes, but ideally you will have at least 45 minutes. Whatever your goal is with your practice session, always start with a warm-up. It is best not to start just by dancing because you could injure yourself or just burn out early in your session. Once you are warmed up, practice isolation drills, After that, review moves, steps and shimmies. Complete your session by working on your goal, be it a movement or a dance. Always cool down to avoid stiffness and injury.
Don’t confuse practicing with dancing around the house. Practice is something you should be somewhat organized and disciplined about. Dancing around the house and having fun is something you should enjoy morning, noon, and night!
~Hannan

Dear Hannan,
I really love my bellydance classes and have thought about maybe becoming a dancer at clubs and parties. I’d like to do it. Can you tell me how?
~Aspiring Dancer

Dear Aspiring Dancer,
I’m so glad that you are enjoying your bellydance classes! Bellydance is a wonderful hobby and can also make a rewarding career.
You probably had the experience in your first class of thinking “This looked so easy, but it is really hard!” Well, being a professional dancer is the same. It takes a lot of sweat, money, effort, and time to become a dancer worthy of being called professional. Let's first look at how to become a professional dancer, then we can later discuss how the industry works. Here is my advice:
• Remember why you are going to be doing all of this hard work, you love bellydance!
• Take lots of classes. If you are training to be a professional dancer, you should be in class at least three days a week and practicing practically every day.
• If you do not have a dance background, get one! I have not met anyone who would not benefit from taking ballet, jazz, or modern a few times a week for at least two years.
• Make the most of your lessons by taking notes, asking questions, and of course, practicing what you learnt in class.
• Take private lessons regularly with your main instructor. There are some corrections that just won’t happen in group classes.
• Study master belly dancers through DVDs and Videos.
• Take workshops with master instructors when they come through town.
• See performances frequently.
• Learn about the styles, music, culture, and history of the art form. Develop an unquenchable curiosity about bellydance.

• Take the opportunity to perform in any amateur performance available to you.
• Do not begin performing professionally before you are ready. You will only experience success when you enter the arena as a real pro.
• Do not ever perform for a rate below the local standard. You will be shooting yourself in the foot as well as making life difficult for all of the professional dancers in your area.
• Work on looking as good as you can (no, I don’t mean you should run out and get surgery!!!).
• Save your pennies because professional costumes are expensive and necessary.

• Be patient! This really does take years of hard work. Savor the experience of becoming an artist.
Please feel free ask me any further questions on this topic.
~Hannan

Dear Hannan, I'm interested in taking Belly dancing. But the only thing is,,,I'm not very graceful and following dancing steps, I think i'm pretty slow at that! But I think Belly dancing is sooo feminine and it would be awesome to learn such sexy moves and dance. Can you tell me exactly how I would fit in this class? Level 1 is perfect for me, but i know at times, when going to level 1, other girls may already know moves, and i dont want to look stupid and inadequate....
~Eager and Unsure
Dear Eager and Unsure, We start level 1 with the very basics. If other students know more than you, the most they have been studying is 12 weeks, not 12 years! It is natural to feel self-conscious when starting any new activity. Remember, everyone is concentrating on learning the moves themselves. Only the teacher is focused on you, and she is there to help you learn!
You DO NOT have to be natural dancer in order to become a good dancer! Good dancing is 100% something you can learn. If you pay attention in class, ask lots of questions, and practice at home regularly, belly dancing can help turn you into a graceful woman and confident dancer.
~Hannan
Dear Hannan, I am having great difficulty with vertical hip movement - I can elevate and lower my hips using my knees but I was told that is not the correct way to do it. I was told that you have to squeeze your buttocks to perform this and that doesn't seem to come easy for me. Are there any other techniques that I can use? I want to continue to take lessons in level one after my current class, but not being able to do this technique is really frustrating me especially most in my class seem to be able to this without much difficulty.
~Vertical-less in Toronto
Dear Vertical-less, Thanks for asking! The most important thing to do when you can't understand or produce a movement is to ask you teacher during class.
Here is an exercise that will help you learn to separate the torso from the hips. Lay on your back with your legs and arms outstretched. Be sure you do not arch your back. Imagine that you are pushing on a gas pedal with your left foot (flex your foot, don't point it). Extend your leg down all the way from the hip. Give it a lot of energy! Do not arch your back. Allow your right hip to lift up to your right ribs. Now, lengthen your left arm all the way up simulation sly with the leg extending. Repeat on the right and do this until your hips are vertically lifting towards your ribs.
Now stand up. Remember to establish excellent basic posture (the posture we start every class with) and make your abdominal muscles engage. When you do a hip drop it is fine to use your knees at first. The knee of the lifting hip will straighten (not lock). The other leg will bend just a little in response. The most important thing is that you move your hips without lifting and lowering the rest of your body, especially your head. Your buttocks can tighten on the opposite side to help define the movement and give it power. Practice squeezing one buttock at a time to help that come more easily.
~Hannan

Hannan's Travels in Egypt (coming soon)