STYLES OF BELLYDANCE
- DANCE WITH A VEIL. The veil so precisely associates with east dance that seems as if it was in it always. However Egyptians speak, that the veil has come from Russia. In 1940th years the governor of Egypt Faruh has invited Russian ballerina Ivanova that she teach his daughters to art of ballet. Ivanova has teach the famous Egyptian dancer Samiya Gamal to a beautiful dance with a veil and to some movements with it, and the veil has got accustomed in Egypt.
- SAIDI is a dance with a cane. It has arisen in district of Egypt under name SAID where shepherds and soldiers who used bamboo canes as the weapon lived. Women had altered these aggressive movements in beautiful vigorous dance.
- DANCE WITH CYMBALS. Cymbals are one of the most ancient musical instruments in the form of two pair metal plates. The dancer uses their sound as music underneath to the dance.
- DANCE WITH A CANDELABRUM. Since long time it dance in Egypt. The big figured candelabrum with lighted candles the dancer carries on her head on wedding, shining for newlyweds a road to happy home life.
EGYPTIAN STYLE OF DANCE: Within Egyptian-style raks sharqi there are many sub-genres- but whether the dance is performed to classic orchestrated music, or more modern, Westernized Egyptian pop, this style has many distinct hallmarks, and the dancer is always elevated onto the balls of her feet. Some other trademarks of the style: stepping on the down beat, intricate hip articulations, both traveling and stationary shimmies, abdominal work, and full-body poses. Internal as well as external muscle movements are incorporated, and some of the resulting technique is so subtle that the casual observer or layperson may not even realize it is going on. Technique includes isolations, distinct hand gestures and surprising speed changes. A dance performed to classical Egyptian music, like an Om Kalthoum or Mohammed Abdel Wahab song may be a bit more "serious" than Modern Egyptian pop (most of the older songs seemed to be about lost love) but may also include a flirtatious, ultra-feminine attitude. A dancer performing to more Westernized Egyptian pop music may incorporate bits and pieces of ballet, jazz and even hip-hop, while still maintaining the dance''s Oriental style. Egyptian folk dance is another sub-genre, with too many variations to even mention here. The Egyptian-style Oriental dancer wears lavishly beaded costumes, rarely plays finger cymbals, never performs floor work (it is actually against the law in Egypt!) and uses a veil only during her entrance.
TURKISH STYLE OF DANCE: More lively and athletic than Egyptian style, much of Turkish "Oryantal" dance is based upon Rom (or colloquially and incorrectly called Gypsy) moves, still practiced in the Sulukele Quarter of Istanbul. Turkish cabaret-style dancers wear full-skirted costumes that show a lot of leg and fly during the whirls, spins and hops that are the hallmarks of this style, as are deep backbends and floor work. Finger cymbals are usually played in a quick 3/4 or 9/8 time signature, veils are used extensively.
LEBANESE STYLE OF DANCE: Lebanese style oriental dance almost looks like a cross between Egyptian and Turkish styles, as it incorporates movements that are subtle and internal and many layered shimmies, as well as those more athletic, such as quick level changes, deep back-bends and differentiation in speed. Many Lebanese dancers utilize assaya (canes) in cabaret routines, not necessarily using folkloric music while doing so. Finger cymbals are used at the discretion of the dancer, and taxims are more lively and less introspective than Egyptian style. Lebanese costuming is dripping with fringe, some of it extremely thick and lush. Dancers typically wear high heels, as well.
