Belly Dance Somerville

How Big Are the Classes?

Nadira — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:46:46 +0000

The classes are limited to 15 people, so I can provide individual attention.

To reserve your spot, be sure to register for the full session. Students are welcome to attend the class on a drop-in basis if there is room, but I can only reserve spots for those who pay in advance.

If the session you’re interested in has sold out, you can contact me to join the waiting list.

Fall 2011 Music Recommendations

Nadira — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Here are some of the songs we’ve been using in the Fall 2011 semester:

Songs for shimmy drills

Sharuk from Ya Bahaia by Samer Issa
Raks al Tabla from Modern Belly Dance from Egypt by the Gizira Band
Tatli Chiftetelli from Asena (my 3-minute shimmy song)
Don’t Make Me Blush from Unveiled

Songs used for combos

Daglar Kizi Reyhan (Reyhan the Mountain Girl) from Anatolian Wedding by Selim Sesler
Sisheler from Armenian and Anatolian Folk Music by Okbari
Nassam Alayna al Hawa from Practice Music for Drummers and Dancers Vol. 1 by Mary Ellen Donald
Karoun Karoun from Practice Music for Drummers and Dancers Vol. 1 by Mary Ellen Donald
Cleopatra from Practice Music for Drummers and Dancers Vol. 1 by Mary Ellen Donald
Vart Kaghelen Kookas Yar from Armenian and Anatolian Folk Music by Okbari
Zeina from Magical Belly Dance
Ah Ia Zen from Belly Dance by Arabesque

Songs for Slow Drills

Chiftetelli from Live from Detroit by Ara Topouzian (the warm up song)
Shubra from Gedida by Natacha Atlas
Yarus from Oasis by Oasis

Veil songs

See Songs for Veilwork

Note: Many of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means that if you make your purchase using those links, I get a small payment (typically less than 50 cents).

I only recommend music and products that I own and like, and that I think would be useful to you at your current level.

However, if you’re not comfortable with affiliate systems, feel 100% free to buy them without using my link. If you do a Google search for the titles, you’ll find them easily, without giving me credit for your purchase.

Songs for Veilwork

Nadira — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:28:41 +0000

Common Songs

These are some of the most commonly-used songs for lyrical veilwork.

Bir Demet Yasemen
Armenian and Anatolian Folk Music by Okbari
Sirocco by John Bilezikjian

Misirlou
Live from Detroit by Ara Topouzian
(This album also has the chiftetelli we use for the warm-up song)

The Joy of Belly Dancing by George Abdo

Erev Shel Shoshanim / Amen Aravod / Yarus / Varter
(This song has been recorded in Hebrew and in Armenian, and is often released under different names)

Now Sounds of the Middle East by George Mrgdichian

An Oriental Bouquet by Harry Saroyan

Oasis by Oasis

Cleopatra

Practice Music for Drummers and Dancers Vol. 1 by Mary Ellen Donald
This is the version we use for the drills.

Mandoubala

Tapestry of the Dance by John Bilezikjian

The Original Versions by Aris San (not arranged for belly dance)

Less Common, but I love:

Unknown Veil Song
Mystical Veil by Mal Barsamian (New England artist!)
The veil piece is the second song in “Mid-East Routine”, which is a whole routine in a single track.

Mosafere Azizam

Saroyan Sings An Oriental Bouquet by Harry Saroyan

Sagapo

Santorini by the Noga Group

Note: Many of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means that if you make your purchase using those links, I get a small payment (typically less than 50 cents).

I only recommend music and products that I own and like, and that I think would be useful to you at your current level.

Homework: September 7th, 2011

Nadira — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:22:56 +0000

If you choose to practice this week, here are my recommendations:

Finger Cymbals:

(play out loud if you can, muffled or “air zils” when you can’t)

Bolero Zil Pattern: “shave and a haircut for my chicken”

Bolero Combination:

Step-cross in front (R)
extend leg to side (L) with slight lean, gaze to the foot (out of the corner of your eye)
Variation: add two hip hits (“butt-cheek, butt-cheek!”)
Repeat on other side

Tip: Practice this in layers. Start with just the footwork, then add the lean and gaze, then the finger cymbals, then the butt cheek.
Challenge: Explore other moves to use instead of the butt-cheek accent.

Hip Clicks & Shimmies

Single Hip Clicks
Double Hip Clicks
Hip Shimmy

Challenge: practice layering the hip shimmy on a hip slide (like we did in the drill)

Veil Background

The veil is a piece of fabric, not clothing (not related to religious veiling)
Roots: Egyptian dancer Samia Gamal’s ballet teacher (arm carriage exercise), and Western modern and interpretive dance (ex. Loie Fuller)
Used in Arabic styles for entrances, and in American and Turkish style for lyrical dancing

Challenge: search Google Images for pictures of Loie Fuller dancing with silks.

Cross-step Footwork

Cross over R
Step out to the side on L
Step back onto R foot in its original place

Challenge: practice this at different speeds

Veil Scoop:

Arms start in horizontal
Scoop R arm down across the body, then open at chest height
Repeat other side

Tip: this move looks good with the cross-step footwork. Scoop the veil down while you cross your foot over.

Veil Combination:

Cross-step with veil scoop on the R
Cross-step with veil scoop on the L
Slow turn counter-clockwise (4 steps, arms in strong V)
Cross-step with veil scoop on the R
Repeat on other side

Challenge: practice this at different speeds

Quiz:

Q: What are the two ways we use the veil?
(Post your answer in the comments.)

Homework: August 24th, 2011

Nadira — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:54:38 +0000

Thanks For a Great Semester!

Thanks for allowing me to teach you this summer. It was a pleasure having you in class, and I was so impressed with how much you all learned.

The fall semester will begin on Wednesday, September 7th. You can find details and package options on the registration page. As always, contact me if you have any questions or prefer to pay offline.

Cheat Sheet

If you’d like to practice in the meantime, or if you’d just like to bask in the AMAZING amount of material you’ve learned, you can download the summer semester cheat sheet.

This Week’s Song: Ya Mustapha

Sung in Arabic and French (possibly Lebanese?)
Rhythm: typically Maqsoum (Dt, tDT), but not always
Typically used for an introduction, but can be a middle piece.

Last Week’s Quiz:

Congrats to Allison for her correct answer!

Q: How is the Nawari rhythm different from the Saidi rhythm?
A: Saidi goes DT, DDT; Nawari goes TD, TDT. The timing is identical, but the dums and taks are in different places. This gives Saidi a heavier feel, and Nawari a more rolling, upbeat feel.

Homework: August 21st, 2011

Nadira — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:47:58 +0000

Thanks For a Great Semester!

Thank you for allowing me to teach you this summer. It was a pleasure having you all in class.

The new session on Sunday, September 11th. I hope to see you then. You can register online, or contact me if you have any questions or prefer to register offline.

Cheat Sheet

In the meantime, I’ve posted a cheat sheet, with all the moves we’ve covered this semester, as well as the plug & play choreography notes.

Last Week’s Quiz

Q: What is one way to make sure you don’t overshoot when you have a long time to circle the stage?
A: There are two ways:

1) Count it out carefully, so you reach the half-way point when you’ve used half of the music. (Ex, if you have 16 counts, you should be on beat #8 when you’re halfway through your circle)
2) Circle twice!

Homework: August 17th, 2011

Nadira — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:03:15 +0000

News & Announcements

Registration is now open for the fall session. You can find details and package options on the registration page.

If you choose to practice this week, here are my recommendations:

Finger Cymbals:

(play out loud if you can, muffled or “air zils” when you can’t)
Try some simple dancing (hit-step, figure 8, hip slides) with the following patterns:

Singles
Doubles
Runs (1e&a2)
5-5-13 (1e&a2, 3e&a4, 1e&a2e&a3e&a4)
Beledy (I like chicken wings, not chicken legs)
Shave and a hair cut

Hip Shimmy

Continue to practice!

Challenge: practice with arm frames, arm movements and the “arm transitions dance” (hold for 0-4 beats before transitioning to the next frame).

Egyptian Nailed

Based on the fwd-place-back-place pattern (4-step)
Placing foot does not lift off the floor
One hip click per step
Keep your hips under you, and square to the front

Challenge: try turning or traveling with it.

Traveling Hip Twists

Based on the step-together pattern (2-step)
Placing foot does not lift off the floor
One hip click per step
Keep your hips under you, and square to the front

Challenge: challenge suggestions

Combination: Turning step-hits

Traveling forward, do:

Step-hit
Step-hit
Turn-hit
Turn-hit

Tip: imagine that you’re doing it on a balance beam: every step takes you forward.
Tip: you don’t need to get all the way around in two steps. You can finish your turn as you start your next step.

General Review:

Movements you already know that go with heavy/earthy music:

Hip drop
Hip clicks
Triple clicks
Step-hit
Sidestep-hit
Hip shimmy
Shoulder shimmy

Soft movements that contrast with heavy/earthy music:
(use these when the melody has a soft or rolling quality, over a heavy beat)

Hip circles
Figure 8s
Undulations

Note: that’s just a sampling. There are many more!

This Week’s Song: Al Ya Ein Mulayitein

Lebanese debke (line dancing) song
Because the name is transliterated, there are many spellings
Also popular in Turkey as “Saskin” or “Shashkin”
Rhythm: Nawari (tD, tDT)
Heavy, earthy, sassy, and happy
Great for the middle piece of a full set.
Version used in class from Art of Belly Dance by Suhaila Salimpour. Amazon affiliate link , non-affiliate link

Quiz:

Q: How is the Nawari rhythm different from the Saidi rhythm?

Homework: August 10th, 2011

Nadira — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:44:40 +0000

Finger Cymbals:

(play out loud if you can, muffled or “air zils” when you can’t)

Review all the patterns we’ve covered so far:

Singles
Doubles
Runs (1e&a2)
5-5-13 (1e&a2, 3e&a4, 1e&a2e&a3e&a4)
Beledy (I like chicken wings, not chicken legs)
Shave and a hair cut (1, &a2, &)
3-5-5 (&a1, 2&3&4, 5&6&7)

New pattern: rolls (&a1, &a2, &a3, &a4)

Arm Concepts: Frames

Start from the basic symmetrical positions:

Look at my butt
Relaxed horizontal
Extended forward
Behind head
Strong V
Temple pose

Challenge: mix and match to create asymmetrical positions.

Framing practice:

Repeat one smooth movement, with multiple arm frames. To transition, either float/sweep to the next position, or bring your hands into the heart & back out.
Challenge: try it with sharp movements.

This Week’s Song:

Ah Ya Zein
Arabic, but not clear if Syrian, Egyptian, or other.
Rhythm: typically maqsoum (DT,TDT), but I’ve also heard it done in Ayyoub (D, kDT)
“Repeat all” structure, sometimes with taqsim interludes

Improv Exercise:

Noodle, with no belly dance moves allowed
Noodle, allowing in some belly dance moves
Dance-noodle, still going for weird & playful, but using mostly belly dance moves

Tip: work with happy and/or silly music, and start with non-belly dance music.

Homework: August 7th, 2011

Nadira — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:47:34 +0000

IMPORTANT: There is NO CLASS next Sunday, August 14th. Class will resume the following Sunday, August 21st.

Continue to Review:

Triple hip clicks (one step per three clicks, add “i love you, you can’t have me arms when ready)
Triple step, or chasse (palms up, advancing), You Can’t Have Me (palms down, retreating) combo
Hip, knee, and twisting shimmies

Plug & Play Choreography, Final Section

Music: “Leyla” from Belly Dancing for Fortune and Fame by the Mogador Band.
(I have it for sale in class, if you want it.)

Introduction

Not taught yet.

Verse 1

Travel in a large circle, with the movement of your choice.

Chorus 1

Acknowledge the accents using the movement and mode of your choice. Some modes for acknowledging the accents:

1234 (all the notes – may be too busy)
1-34 (the most prominent notes)
Just the first note (“1″)
Just the last note (the “4″ is the most prominent)
Setup & BOOM! (just the last note, but with a preparatory move, such as changing your arm frame)

Challenge: brainstorm some different moves that you could use for an accent.

Verse 2

Travel in a V shape (advance to L corner, retreat to center, advance to R corner, retreat to center), with the movement of your choice. This can be the same movement as in Verse 1, or something different.

Chorus 2

Acknowledge the accents using the movement and mode of your choice. This can be exactly the same as in Chorus 1, or you can change the movement, the mode, or both.

Taqsim

Play with one of the following options:

Hip shimmies (with or without arms)
Soft hip movements (slides, circles, figure 8s)
Arm & hand movements

Verse 3

Travel in a large circle, with the movement of your choice. This can be the same movement as in the earlier verses, or something different.

Chorus 3

Acknowledge the accents using the movement and mode of your choice. This can be exactly the same as in an earlier chorus, or you can change the movement, the mode, or both.

Finale

Spin for 8 counts (arms in pretty position)
Slowly come into your final pose
Hold & smile until the music comes to an end

Tip: If you don’t end up facing forward at the end of 8 counts of spinning, cheat! Use the first beat or so of the music to finish turning.

Quiz:

Q: What is one way to make sure you don’t overshoot when you have a long time to circle the stage?

Last Week’s Quiz Answer

Q: Why do I recommend practicing slowly first?
A: It helps your brain break through the “brainteaser” quality of what you’re practicing.

Homework: August 3rd, 2011

Nadira — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:29:37 +0000

If you choose to practice this week, here are my recommendations:

Finger Cymbals:

(play out loud if you can, muffled or “air zils” when you can’t)

Continue to work on the quality of the “ring” sound
Beledy: I like chicken wings, not chicken legs (123&4, 5, 6&7)
3-5-5: (&a1, 2&3&4, 5&6&7)

Horizontal Figure 8s, Outward Direction

Work on:

Getting it into muscle memory
Keeping it horizontal
Making it smooth

Challenge: play with size, speed, and arm complements.

Hip Drops

Loose drop vs. accented (squeeze opposite butt cheek)
Optional foot release on every other drop

Challenge: work on isolation: don’t let the head bounce, and don’t sit into the other hip.

Step-Touch Transition

Based on the 1 1/2 step pattern (step, touch, step, touch)
Use it to switch sides when doing a move in the “one toe forward” position
You can step back or forward, depending on the effect you want to create
Do it on the “7,8″ beats

Challenge: practice this transition with hip drops.
Extra Challenge: see if you can do it in one beat (“8&” instead of “7,8″).

Hands to Heart Transition

Bring your hands in front of your heart, then out to the next position
Use it to change arm frames
Dance the transition (i.e., it’s a move in it’s own right, not just a way to get from point A to point B)

Challenge: practice this with different starting and ending arm frames.

Combination:

3 Hip Drop-Releases on the R hip, arms in L-shape, opening to the right (beats 1-6)
Switch to the other side, using Step-Touch Transition and a Hands to Heart Transition at the same time (beats 7-8)
Repeat on L side

Concept: Call and Response

This is a musical pattern: one voice (human or instrumental) says something, then another one replies back. You can dance to both, but it’s usually more effective if you choose one role.

This Week’s Song: Habibi Ya Eini

Lebanese: composed by George Yazbeck, first sung by Maya Yazbeck
Rhythm: typically maqsoum (DT,TDT), but I’ve heard it done in Saidi (DT,DDT). May also have interludes of different rhythms (ex: chifetelli) or accents

Improvisation Drill: Noodling

No belly dancing, no dancing, just play with movement. And get as wierd as you can. Then get wierder. A LOT wierder. You can find a list of songs I recommend for noodling (including “Mahna Mahna”) at:
Nadira’s Soundtrack for Noodling on Amazon* or in the iTunes Music Store.

Quiz:

Q: Come up with chicken-themed lyrics for the 3-5-5 pattern.

*Note: the Amazon list is an affiliate link, meaning I’ll receive a small commission (literally pennies) if you buy it through my link. If you’re not comfortable with that, feel 100% free to buy it through this non-affiliate link.