How to Belly Dance
Since I started my website I receive emails from people all over the world
wanting to know how they can learn to belly dance. The best way to
learn belly dancing is from an instructor. A teacher can work with
you and make sure you are executing a move correctly. You can ask
questions if you feel your are doing something wrong. I know I learn
from watching, so it's nice to have someone in front of you demonstrating
the movement. But let's face it, this is not always
feasible. This is not an all inclusive lists of sources, hopefully this page will start you in the right direction.
Check back from time to time, I will be adding more information to this
page as I find it.
Articles
Belly Dance Instruction on the Web
Books
Costuming
Finding an Instructor
Videos
Veil Dancing
Zills
Articles
Core Belly Dance Moves and Steps - by Atea
Give Your Dance a Face Lift - by Jasmin Jahal
In Search of a Better Belly - by Jasmin Jahal
Learn How to Belly Dance - the Atea Method - by Atea
Zaramaya's Tips for Flawless Technique - from Zarasemporium website
Belly Dance Instruction on the Web - websites that offer instruction,
lessons and papers on belly dancing.
Aziza Sa'id's Lessons Online - two lessons are currently available, Hip Lift & Drop and Shoulder Shimmy. Aziza Sa'id did an excellent job with the graphics.
Belly Dance Lesson Online - three lessons - beginning, intermediate and advance from Ankestamen's website. Also included is a beginning cane choreography.
Cassiopeia's How to Execute a Bellydance Move - from how to belly dance online videosDance Movement of the Month - Aszmara highlights a different move every month on her page.
Egyptian Belly Dancing: putting moves together - 20 short video clips covering basic move, zills, putting it all together and costuming.
Expert Village - online video lessons
How to Do Belly Dance Moves - explanation of how to do various belly dance moves and more from Shira's website.How to Prepare to Perform Belly Dancing - online video lesson from Expert Village with Johanna Kryntzky
Kawakib's Dance Tips - Instructional papers on the art of Oriental (belly) Dance for beginners through teacher levels
Movements Page - from Middle Eastern Dance page
Books - there are more instructional books on this subject but they are out of print. Check used bookstores and your local library to find more sources.
Search Amazon for instructional books on belly dancing
Intermediate Belly Dancing by Vicki Corona. Provides a brief culture lesson on Saudi Arabia, describes how to do about 18 intermediate-level moves, offers a few finger cymbal rhythms, provides a structure for combining movements into a complete dance, and introduces what a dancer should know when beginning to perform for an audience.
Mass Market Paperback - 28 pages 1 Ed edition, Earth Dance International Publishing; ISBN: 1585130249
Nefertiti Presents...Belly Dancing "the basics"
a dedication to Nerfertit
by Sherry Jeffries (Ankestamen) Instructional aid, or just for fun! 40 page, GBC bound, flip style, illustrated book for learning basic belly dance moves. Detailed instructions on 20 basic moves, basic veil, floor work and zills.
Finding an Instructor - don't know where to look to find an instructor? Here are a few suggestions:
- check your local yellow pages under dance studios or dance instruction
- restaurants in your area that have dancers
- your local city's Parks & Recreation department
- the Internet - several websites have a dancer or teachers directory - also email dancer's that you find on the Internet, they might be able to help
- colleges and universities - some offer noncredit classes that might include belly dancing if it is not offered as a credit course
- health clubs
- new age stores
- Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)
- if you see a dancer perform, ask, they will be glad to help - this could be at the fair, a grand opening, a festival, a singing telegram or belly gram, etc.
Props - performing with props adds a lot to ones dance and is a lot of fun and at times can be challenging.
Cane (Raqs al Assaya)
Belly Dancing with a Stick - by Valeria Lolacono
Raqs al Assaya - by Lorelle
Fan Veils
video
Isis Wings
video
Isis Wings with Phoenix
Shamadan
How to Bellydance with a Shamadan - by Juliet Myfanwy Johnson
Shemandan Dancing - by Lucy Smith
Snakes
articles
Belly Dancing with Snakes - by Neferteri
Dancing with Snakes - by Maria
Dancing with Snakes - by Shira
More than you ever wanted to know about Living with Constrictors - by Eva Cernik
Snake Dancing - from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide
Snakes and Shakes - by Jasmin Jahal
video
Belly Dance with Snakes
Sword
articles
Choosing and Dancing with a Belly Dance Sword - by Zarifa
How to belly dance with a Sword - by Christina Jordan
How to Choose a Belly Dance Balancing Sword - by Marisa Wright
Selecting, Using and Strong Balanced Props - by Princess Farhana
Swords and Scimitars - by Aziza Sa'di
Tips & Tricks for Swords - by Shira
video
Belly Dance for Balance
Sword Stylization with Belladonna
Tray
video
Bellydance Tray Balancing Technique
Veil Poi
video
Poi Spinning for Beginners
Voi
Veil Dancing - one of the most
moving, flowing, expressive and prettiest part of belly dancing. This is one of my favorite props to work with.
Articles
Dancing with a Veil - by Jasmin Jahal
The Great American Belly Dance Veil Routine - by Najia El Mouzayen (from the Gilded Serpent)
Making a Dance Veil - from Ruric-Amari website
The Wonderful Art of Veil Dancing - from Dancers of the Desert website
Books and DVD's/Videos
Bellydancing with Veils - video by Cory Zamora
Double and Single Veil - instructional video with Joynan
Fabulous Four Yard Veils with Shoshanna
How to Belly Dance with a Veil - online video dance lesson from Expert Village
How to Dance with a Veil - online video dance lessons from eHow.com
Petite Jamilla Unveiled: double veil instructional
Seven Veils - romantic Bellydance
Veil Dancing - clips of various dancers from You Tube
Veil with Aziza - instructional DVD with Aziza
Videos - this is a wonderful way to learn
belly dancing. Doesn't matter if you are a beginner or a
professional dancer, you can learn from video
tapes. Don't think you can only learn from instructional videos, you
can learn a lot from performance tapes also. A video shouldn't
replace an instructor, they are a great tool to use along with
lessons. If you don't have an instructor or classes in your area
videos are the best.
One of the best sources to find belly dance video tapes is the Middle
Eastern Dance Video Sourcebook edited by Donna Carlton.
It's a wonderful resource for both instructional and performance
videos. The guide is updated every year in April.
The Internet is another good source. Try to find websites that have video
reviews. This will help you in making a decision on what to
buy. Also ask dancers about the videos they like before you
buy.
Online auction sites, like eBay are a great source for purchasing belly
dance videos.
Check out your local library to see if they might have a video to check
out.
Also check out bookstores, (don't forget the web bookstores) and
electronic stores, like Best Buys, that carry videos.
top
Zills - also known as finger cymbals, and sagats. These
circular disks really add a lot to your dancing.
I posed a question on my website asking dancers, "Do you play zills when you dance? I was amazed at the results, (see survey below). I love playing zills and it adds so much to your dance, so I decided to add more info to this section. Don't give up, keep trying you will succeed.
Articles
Basic Dumbek & Zills for Dancers - from Heavyhips website. Includes zill patterns.
Finger Cymbals for the Beginning Student - by Miramar
How do I Clean My Zills? - FAQ from Aziza Sa'id's website
Rhythms & Cymbal Patterns - article by Jasmin Jahal
Zills - from the Middle Eastern Dance page. Topics covered are history of zills, care of zills and zill patterns.
Books, Audio Tapes and Videos
Bellydance with Zils - instructional DVD with Elsa Leandros and Raquy Danziger
The Dancing Cymbalist - How to play music with finger cymbals & dance at the same time - by Jenna Woods
Finger Cymbal Fantasies - by Vicki Corona
Finger Cymbals for Belly Dance - instructional DVD, Tobias Roberson with Rachel Brice & Mardi Love
Hahbi 'Ru The Cymbal Dance Level Three - advance zill/dance routine, awesome! (scroll down the page to the video)
How to Play Finger Cymbals - video with Mesmera, beginning to intermediate (scroll down the page to the video)
Learn Finger Cymbals with Ansuya - DVD with Ansuya, beginning to intermediate
Playing Finger Cymbals - online video lesson from eHow.com
Wanna Dance Zill Workshop with Shamina - video for beginner to intermediate.
Z-Helene's Finger Cymbals for the Intermediate & Advance Belly Dancer - video with Z-Helene
Zills & Drums: thrilling, chilling zilling - CD by Armando (scroll down the page to the CD)
Zills on Fire: a finger cymbal workshop - CD and instructional booklet. Page contains downloads of various rhythms
Zills with Zahira - Three's - DVD with Zahira, beginning to intermediate drills
Online Lessons
Online Finger Cymbal Workshop - find lessons, videos and books on how to play the finger cymbals. Great source from Shira's page.
Practicing with the Finger Cymbals (also known as sagats or zills) - article by Jasmin Jahal
Zills on Fire: the basics of music - learn about music tempo, pulse and zill patterns. Check out the instructional CD and workbook at the bottom of the page.
Zill Patterns
Arabic Segat Rhythms - by Karim Nagi Mohammed
Survey (1/04)
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More about Yasmina
Teaching & Performances
Bio, Photos & More
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Spotlight Dancer/Troupe
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MyrykaSpotlight Link
Global Belly Dance VideosWhat's New
Annual Fall Swap Meet -
Mark your calendars for Saturday October 10th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the swap meet and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for the show!!! Enjoy a day of shopping, workshops, networking with other dancers and having fun.Photo Gallery - finally I've created a page with some photos of myself, friends and troupes I've been in. I still have a lot more to add but it's a start :-)
Updates:
Who will win in 2009?
July 23-26, 2009
at Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
Wiggles of the West Belly Dance Contest
in Las Vegas, NV!!!
Come join us for the first Wiggles of the West held in Las Vegas.
We have
8 fabulous categories,
26 workshops taught by 23 fabulous Instructors from all over the west,
a "Meet & Greet" Hafla Dinner Buffet and Show
and 2 Luncheon Buffet Shows.
4 fabulous days of Belly dance!!!
www.wigglesofthewest.com
A New Belly Dance Magazine coming this summer!
Subscribe here: shimmy@esedona.net
Amira
International Emissary of Dance
Highest Quality Merchandise!
Check out Amira’s 5-Star Rated
“Bellydance 101” Instructional DVD,
and read over 60 reviews!
Amira travels extensively,
teaching and performing both
nationally and internationally.
Her students are
filled with her love for dance
and her mission to make a
difference in women’s lives
through bellydance.
For bookings and info:
www.amirasbelly.com
Learn to
Belly Dance for fun!!
with Halyma's Belly Dance
Lessons on DVD
Great gift idea!
Available online and in Ottawa Stores now!
Clean and clear instructions for the basics of belly dance for any fitness level - no previous experience needed!
www.bellydancingforfun.com
Halyma@bellydancingforfun.com
phone: 613.241.3397
Belly Dance
A Raqs Sharqi Magazine
3408 W. Burbank Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
818-567-3105
Amira's
"Bellydance and
Yoga for
Pregnancy"
DVD
EMPOWERING EXERCISES
FOR
EXPECTING MOMS
Amira brings the ancient arts
of Yoga and Belly Dance
together in a modern world,
with a program that teaches
gentle and effective techniques
to help every woman on the
path to one of life's most profound
experiences - motherhood.
For more info please visit us at:
www.pregnantbellydance.com
See-fit Body Stockings
Your second skin
Designed to be worn under your costume,
in flesh, black or fishnet crystal Lycra.
For more info please visit www.see-fit.com
Dare to be Bare!
Shimmy Bliss Costuming Co.
Tribal Belly Dance Supplies
We receive in new items weekly so please
Check out our websites
www.shimmybliss.comor visit us on
eBayWe will be vending at
Wiggles of the West
in Las Vegas
July 23rd - 26thYasmina's Annual Fall Swap Meet
October 10, 2009
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