So here’s the deal:\u00a0 When I dared Ginger to take that bellydance class with me, it was like we’d both stepped into a whole different world.\u00a0 Half of the terms we heard seemed like they were in a different language.\u00a0 And guess what–it’s because they were.\u00a0 To keep you all from going nuts while you read this book, I’ve made a list of some of the weirder words we had to learn.\u00a0 By the way, since a lot of these words came from Arabic or Turkish or whatever,\u00a0they can be spelled in English about fifteen thousand different ways.\u00a0 Also, a lot of the time there is an Egyptian\u00a0term AND a Turkish term for the same thing, just to keep\u00a0it interesting.\u00a0 When you’re trying to look up a word, this causes all kinds of\u00a0 fun.\u00a0 Good luck.<\/p>\n
American Tribal Style (or just ATS)<\/strong>:\u00a0 This is actually a trademarked style of belly dance introduced By Carolina Nericcio, the founder of Fat Chance Belly Dance in San Francisco.\u00a0 It’s\u00a0designed for a group of dancers, all of whom are trained to recognize certain cues that introduce specific steps.\u00a0 After that it’s all improvised.\u00a0 One dancer takes the lead for a while and does the moves she thinks go with the music, then she gives way to another dancer, and they rotate.\u00a0 It’s pretty freakin’ cool!\u00a0 A whole troupe will be moving in unison, and you’d swear they’ve got every beat choreographed, but they don’t.\u00a0 They just have really good communication.\u00a0 The costumes are a lot more earthy than the sparkly-shiny outfits cabaret (see below) dancers wear.\u00a0 They wear a lot of real silver coins and decorations, long full skirts, heavy pantaloons and, sometimes, turbans.\u00a0 A lot of them have tattoos.\u00a0 They always remind me of pictures of Berber tribes, but it is a distinctly American take on the look and the dance.\u00a0 Since the 1970’s, when it really caught on, ATS has inspired a bunch of spin-offs–these are often called tribal fusion.<\/p>\n Assaya<\/strong>:\u00a0 “Ah-SAI-uh”\u00a0 Cane or stick.\u00a0 Raks assaya<\/em> or raks al assaya<\/em> refer to the cane dance.\u00a0 (See raks<\/em>, it’s coming up.)\u00a0 It really hurts to whack your elbow when you’re trying to spin one of these puppies, believe me!<\/p>\n Awwadi\/awadi<\/strong>:\u00a0 “Ah-WAD-ee”\u00a0 An improvised, \u00a0freestyle, and unmeasured solo that is performed by an instrumentalist in an Arabic band.\u00a0 This is where jazz solos came from, I’m telling you!\u00a0 You hear these a lot at the beginning of a belly dancer’s set.\u00a0 The dancer often won’t enter the room until the soloist is done–it’s the musician’s time to shine and set the scene for the dance.<\/p>\n Bedlah<\/strong>:\u00a0“BED-la” A place were you lah<\/em> down and go to sleep.\u00a0 Hah!\u00a0 Just kidding.\u00a0 Literally, bedlah<\/em>\u00a0 means ‘suit’ or ‘uniform’\u00a0in Arabic.\u00a0 It usually refers to the matched bra and belt set that\u00a0cabaret belly dancers wear, like it’s their uniform.\u00a0 Lots of sequins, lots of beaded fringe and crystals,\u00a0you get the idea.\u00a0 Of course, nowadays a lot of costumes don’t use a detachable belt, and all the ornaments are sewn directly onto the skirt.\u00a0 Sometimes\u00a0bedlah<\/em> refers to the whole costume shebang: bra, belt\/belt skirt, body stocking,\u00a0 headpiece,\u00a0arm bands\u00a0and other bits.\u00a0 Incidentally, it isn’t technically\u00a0a ‘traditional’ costume–it came from\u00a0an early 20th century\u00a0Western concept of what belly dancers were supposed<\/em> to wear, and that idea came from early paintings and movies!\u00a0 When nightclubs in Egypt started attracting Western visitors, they adopted the costume that Westerners thought<\/em> was traditional to rake in more dough.\u00a0 Pretty funny, when you think about\u00a0it!<\/p>\n Beledi<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0 “BELL-uh-dee” or “BAL-uh-dee” Oh wow, this word has about a million meanings, but\u00a0who’s got that kind of time?\u00a0\u00a0Here’s the quick and dirty explanation.\u00a0 Beledi (and this is one of those words that can\u00a0be spelled about a million ways–baladi, beladi, beledy, bellyday–Ok, I made that last one up!)\u00a0 is an Arabic word that\u00a0\u00a0means “of the village\/country\/region.”\u00a0 Sometimes it’s used nostalgically, referring to the old home town, and sometimes it’s like our word “hick” and is the term Egyptian city dwellers use when they’re looking down their noses at Egyptian country dwellers.\u00a0 Here are the ways it relates to belly dance:<\/p>\n 1. A specific drum rhythm that goes “Dum Dum, tek Dum tek.”\u00a0 That rhythm can also called masmoudi<\/em>.)\u00a0 Yeah, I know you don’t know what those terms mean yet, just hang onto your shorts and we’ll get there.<\/p>\n 2. A type of\u00a0costume associate with Egyptian folk dances.\u00a0 It’s kind of a long, form-fitting dress with bell sleeves and a scarf tied around the hips.<\/p>\n 3. An\u00a0\u00a0Egyptian folkloric dance.<\/p>\n Cabaret:\u00a0 <\/strong>This is the style of belly dance most westerners are familiar with.\u00a0 It’s usually a solo performed in a sequined or crystal-covered costume with lots of shiny fringe-y bits that shake when the dancer does.\u00a0 It’s often performed in nightclubs and, you guessed it, cabarets!\u00a0 The Egyptian term for it is raks sharki<\/em>.\u00a0 More on that later.<\/p>\n Choli:<\/strong>\u00a0 A form-fitting shirt that exposes the midriff.\u00a0 It originated in India, and is worn with Indian traditional dress, but was also adopted by tribal dancers.\u00a0 They often wear a choli under a heavy coin bra–a good idea, considering how often bellydance bras can go flying, I’m just saying…<\/p>\n Dum<\/strong>:\u00a0 It’s pronounced “Doom,” like the video game.\u00a0 It’s like a downbeat played on an Arabic or Turkish drum.\u00a0 When the drummer hits the middle-ish part of the drum it gives this loud, deep sound that actually sounds like it says “doom.”\u00a0 Dancers often emphasize a ‘dum’ with a heavy, downward motion with the hips or chest.\u00a0\u00a0 So you know what you\u00a0call it when an Arabic drummer’s\u00a0walking toward you?\u00a0 Impending dum<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0 Haaa, ha hah hah!<\/p>\n Dumbek\/dumbec\/doumbec, etc.<\/strong>:\u00a0 “DOOM-bek” A goblet-shaped drum used in Arabic music.\u00a0 In Turkey it is known as the dumbek<\/em> or\u00a0 darbuka<\/em> and, in Egypt, the tabla.\u00a0 <\/em>Because of course just having one word for stuff makes it too easy.<\/p>\n Habibi<\/strong>:\u00a0 If you listen to Arabic music you’re going to hear this word a lot<\/em>.\u00a0 It means “loved one” or “beloved,” and is repeated the same way “baby” is in Western songs.<\/p>\n Hafla<\/strong>:\u00a0 A party–but even better, a dance party!\u00a0 This is where people get together to dance, eat, listen to music, and generally have fun.\u00a0 Sometimes there’s a sign-up for people who want to try out their solos, but there’s usually open dance, too.<\/p>\n Ney<\/strong>: “Nay” Middle Eastern flute.<\/p>\n Oud\/Ud<\/strong>:\u00a0 “OOd”\u00a0 This is a very cool Middle Eastern instrument that was the ancestor of the European lute and the modern-day guitar.\u00a0 It has a bent neck and a big round guitar-ish body.<\/p>\n Raks\/Raqs:<\/strong> “Rocks” Basically this word means ‘dance.’\u00a0 You put Raks<\/em> in front of another word, and it says what kind of dance it is.\u00a0 So, Raks Beledi<\/em>\u00a0means a traditional, folkloric dance, Raks al-assaya<\/em> (we often shorten it to Raks assaya)\u00a0<\/em>means stick or cane dance, Raks Tahtib <\/em>means the tahtib dance, <\/em>and so on.\u00a0 Rakkasah<\/em> means a female dancer, Rakkas<\/em> means a male dancer.\u00a0 You get the idea.<\/p>\n Raks Sharqi<\/strong>:\u00a0 “Rocks Sharky” Bellydancing on top of a shark!\u00a0 No really, it means the “dance of the east” in Arabic, and it usually refers to cabaret-style belly dance.\u00a0 Again, lots of sequins and sparkles, and very intricate movements, usually improvised by a solo female dancer.\u00a0 It’s also called “oriental” dance.<\/p>\n Saidi: <\/strong>“Sah-EE-dee”\u00a0<\/strong>This refers to the region of upper Egypt called the Said, which is actually in the south, but it’s called upper Egypt because the Nile flows north and the region is upstream of the Nile delta.\u00a0 I know<\/em>, right?\u00a0 That’s geography for you!\u00a0 The people were mostly farmers, and a lot of the dances and music from here reflect an agricultural life.\u00a0 The saidi rhythm is a specific rhythm that goes Dum-Tek, Dum Dum Tek.\u00a0 Music with this rhythm is often used for cane or stick dances.<\/p>\n Shamadan<\/strong>:\u00a0 “SHA-ma-dan” A big candelabra that’s used in traditional Arabic and Egyptian wedding dances, and–get this–the dancer wears it on her head!\u00a0 Usually with real, on-fire candles!\u00a0 The dancer leads a winding procession, called a Zeffa<\/em>, of the bride and groom, followed by the wedding guests.\u00a0 It symbolizes the lighting of the way to the couple’s new home, since in early times the dancer would be leading\u00a0the bridal procession without the benefit of streetlights!\u00a0The procession, called a zeffa (or zaffa<\/em>) \u00a0includes musicians and other types of performers as well.\u00a0 The dance with the Shamadan itself is called, of course, Raks al Shamadan<\/em>, and showcases how many types of movements the dancer can do without dropping the candelabra or setting the joint on fire!<\/p>\n Souk\/Souq\/Suk<\/strong>:\u00a0 “Sook” Marketplace.\u00a0 Shopping.\u00a0 ‘Nuff said!<\/p>\n Tahtib<\/strong>:\u00a0 “TAH-teeb”\u00a0 This is an Egyptian martial art where men whack each other with sticks.\u00a0 There’s a lot more to it than that, of course, but that’s it in a nutshell.\u00a0 Men have sticks, therefore\u00a0men must whack each other with sticks–that’s the logical progression\u00a0in the male mind.\u00a0 It’s pretty acrobatic, and it’s been turned into a folk dance.\u00a0 It also became the ladies’ cane dance, which is a flirty way for women imitate the menfolk.\u00a0 Like, “Yeah, I’ve got a stick, too, tee hee!”<\/p>\n Tek<\/strong>:\u00a0A sharper sound on the drum, it is used as an upbeat in rhythms.\u00a0 Great place for a chest or tummy pop!<\/p>\n Tribal<\/strong>:\u00a0 A general term that refers to pretty much any style inspired by the original ATS.<\/p>\n Zaghareet:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0A long, shrill, ululating (try\u00a0saying that five times fast!) cry used\u00a0to cheer on dancers and musicians.\u00a0 It basically means, “Yay!”\u00a0To do it, say “lalalalalalalala” while you zing your voice up as high as it will go.\u00a0 Some people can actually vibrate their uvulas–that thing in the back of your throat–to do this, but most of us do it the easy way.\u00a0 If you want to see something really funny, try doing it behind a sleeping cat!<\/p>\n Zar\/Zaar<\/strong>:\u00a0 A trance dance or ritual, it is used throughout the Middle East to heal or throw out evil spirits.\u00a0 It also refers to a specific rhythm.<\/p>\n Zeffa\/Zaffa\/Zeffah<\/strong>:\u00a0 Weddings are a big deal everywhere, and the Middle East is no exception!\u00a0 A Zeffa<\/em> is a wedding procession, especially in Egypt but with variations throughout the Middle East.\u00a0 Dancers, musicians and other entertainers lead the procession.\u00a0 Dancers may carry candles, or elaborate candelabras may be balanced on dancers’ heads (this became popular early in the 20th century.)\u00a0Huge processions once lit the way through the streets to the bride’s new home, but nowadays it can be just one dancer leading the couple and guests around the reception room to symbolize the old tradition.\u00a0 A dancer at a wedding is considered to be good luck.\u00a0 She introduces the newly-wed pair to the guests at the reception, encourages them to dance, and helps get the party started!<\/p>\n Zills<\/strong>:\u00a0 Also known (in Turkey) as Zagat<\/em>, these are finger cymbals.\u00a0 A dancer uses four, one pair for each hand.\u00a0 They attach to the thumb and middle finger by elastic loops.\u00a0\u00a0If you think dancing is hard, try it while you keep on the beat with your cymbals!<\/p>\n Want to know more about belly dance?\u00a0<\/strong> Susan doesn’t have time to tell you everything! Go to http:\/\/shira.net\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So here’s the deal:\u00a0 When I dared Ginger to take that bellydance class with me, it was like we’d both stepped into a whole different world.\u00a0 Half of the terms we heard seemed like they were in a different language.\u00a0 … Continue reading