Cory Zamora

[Elibelinde]

Cory is a wonderful dancer, artist and teacher. She's a member of a pioneering generation of American oriental dancers who worked within immigrant Middle Eastern communities - note the plural.

Today, we have issues today with "purity" - here's Zorba on The Gilded Serpent:

http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/201...olice-purists/

It's important to realize that one of the great things about America is the fact that cultures who'd be at war elsewhere work, play and create together here.

Thus oriental dancers in the US were privileged to work with communities and artists from all over the Middle East and North Africa - Turkey, the Arab countries, Israel and other Jewish communities, Armenians and Russians, Greeks and Berbers. Musicians like the Feenjon Group and George Abdo reflected this multiplicity and richness of culture - which in turn influenced dance artists. They were typical of musicians who played in the clubs until the economy of the late 1980's pretty much finished off a wonderful phenomenon - something today's belly dancers must regard as a Golden Age here in America.

And - we were most emphatically not "pure." Thank goodness!

The art of the dance and the art of Oriental music blended into something rich and lovely here in America and that has continued to blossom into new forms - and in turn has influenced art in the East.

This is nothing new really. There's a discussion in the teacher forum about Turkish dance here, where issues of complexity and cultural influences are discussed:

http://www.bhuz.com/showthread.php?4...-poor-tecnique

The fact is, the Middle East itself is one of the richest cultural crossroads in the world. So it isn't surprising that in the melting pot of the US, artistic influences would continue to overlap and inspire creativity - especially in one of the most curious generations of Americans ever - people who pioneered studies into history, religion, art and culture and also - women's rights.

Cory Zamora has stuck with her art through thick and thin - no mean feat in a world where artists generally have a tough row to how - and women especially.

As a dancer, she's flat beautiful. Her floorwork is probably the best I have ever seen and she appears effortless performing it - and - it's hard. She makes a difficult and demanding art look easy, and she's a generous and inspiring teacher who continues to be creative and open-minded.

Bravo, Cory! Thank you for all the inspiration. May you dance forever!

Watch Cory here:

[zamora]

Cory is a wonderful dancer, artist and teacher. She's a member of a pioneering generation of American oriental dancers who worked within immigrant Middle Eastern communities - note the plural.

Today, we have issues today with "purity" - here's Zorba on The Gilded Serpent:

http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/201...olice-purists/

It's important to realize that one of the great things about America is the fact that cultures who'd be at war elsewhere work, play and create together here.

Thus oriental dancers in the US were privileged to work with communities and artists from all over the Middle East and North Africa - Turkey, the Arab countries, Israel and other Jewish communities, Armenians and Russians, Greeks and Berbers. Musicians like the Feenjon Group and George Abdo reflected this multiplicity and richness of culture - which in turn influenced dance artists. They were typical of musicians who played in the clubs until the economy of the late 1980's pretty much finished off a wonderful phenomenon - something today's belly dancers must regard as a Golden Age here in America.

And - we were most emphatically not "pure." Thank goodness!

The art of the dance and the art of Oriental music blended into something rich and lovely here in America and that has continued to blossom into new forms - and in turn has influenced art in the East.

This is nothing new really. There's a discussion in the teacher forum about Turkish dance here, where issues of complexity and cultural influences are discussed:

http://www.bhuz.com/showthread.php?4...-poor-tecnique

The fact is, the Middle East itself is one of the richest cultural crossroads in the world. So it isn't surprising that in the melting pot of the US, artistic influences would continue to overlap and inspire creativity - especially in one of the most curious generations of Americans ever - people who pioneered studies into history, religion, art and culture and also - women's rights.

Cory Zamora has stuck with her art through thick and thin - no mean feat in a world where artists generally have a tough row to how - and women especially.

As a dancer, she's flat beautiful. Her floorwork is probably the best I have ever seen and she appears effortless performing it - and - it's hard. She makes a difficult and demanding art look easy, and she's a generous and inspiring teacher who continues to be creative and open-minded.

Bravo, Cory! Thank you for all the inspiration. May you dance forever!

Watch Cory here:

wow, what a day ..first zorba...then that "other forum"...now this ! yea 2011 !!!!!!
thank you so much sophia..(.btw, your skirts went out 2day fedex )

[ANA_bellydancer]

Sophia, you're not going to believe it, but I was going to start a fan thread about Cory Zamora within a few minutes!!!

[ANA_bellydancer]

Ok... Let me help:

[ANA_bellydancer]

[ANA_bellydancer]

[ANA_bellydancer]

[ANA_bellydancer]

[ANA_bellydancer]

[Elibelinde]

Sophia, you're not going to believe it, but I was going to start a fan thread about Cory Zamora within a few minutes!!!

Great Minds Think Alike.

[ANA_bellydancer]

Great Minds Think Alike.

[ANA_bellydancer]

[zamora]

wow, what a trip...such kindness from those i have only met in soul . someday we will all meet, and it will be as if it has been forever. bless you all.

[zamora]

Cory is a wonderful dancer, artist and teacher. She's a member of a pioneering generation of American oriental dancers who worked within immigrant Middle Eastern communities - note the plural.

Today, we have issues today with "purity" - here's Zorba on The Gilded Serpent:

http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/201...olice-purists/

It's important to realize that one of the great things about America is the fact that cultures who'd be at war elsewhere work, play and create together here.

Thus oriental dancers in the US were privileged to work with communities and artists from all over the Middle East and North Africa - Turkey, the Arab countries, Israel and other Jewish communities, Armenians and Russians, Greeks and Berbers. Musicians like the Feenjon Group and George Abdo reflected this multiplicity and richness of culture - which in turn influenced dance artists. They were typical of musicians who played in the clubs until the economy of the late 1980's pretty much finished off a wonderful phenomenon - something today's belly dancers must regard as a Golden Age here in America.

And - we were most emphatically not "pure." Thank goodness!

The art of the dance and the art of Oriental music blended into something rich and lovely here in America and that has continued to blossom into new forms - and in turn has influenced art in the East.

This is nothing new really. There's a discussion in the teacher forum about Turkish dance here, where issues of complexity and cultural influences are discussed:

http://www.bhuz.com/showthread.php?4...-poor-tecnique

The fact is, the Middle East itself is one of the richest cultural crossroads in the world. So it isn't surprising that in the melting pot of the US, artistic influences would continue to overlap and inspire creativity - especially in one of the most curious generations of Americans ever - people who pioneered studies into history, religion, art and culture and also - women's rights.

Cory Zamora has stuck with her art through thick and thin - no mean feat in a world where artists generally have a tough row to how - and women especially.

As a dancer, she's flat beautiful. Her floorwork is probably the best I have ever seen and she appears effortless performing it - and - it's hard. She makes a difficult and demanding art look easy, and she's a generous and inspiring teacher who continues to be creative and open-minded.

Bravo, Cory! Thank you for all the inspiration. May you dance forever!

Watch Cory here:

i think you and Fotia plotted !

[ANA_bellydancer]

wow, what a trip...such kindness from those i have only met in soul . someday we will all meet, and it will be as if it has been forever. bless you all.

[ANA_bellydancer]

Cory and her beautiful troupe:

[zamora]

would love to see portugal !...you are so kind ! thanks for making it such a nice tuesday.

[Rosette]

I do so admire Cory Zamora!
Rosette

[gisela]

Wonderful! I have yet to see some ofthe videos but I am just prolonging the pleasure

[EternalStudent]

i think you and Fotia plotted !

No, they didn't! LOL - all of the credit for starting this thread is Elibende's.

[blksunwyn]

Cory is an amazing dancer. She dances as if she is breathing in the music. There's nothing like it. It makes me smile.

Tammy

[zamora]

Cory is an amazing dancer. She dances as if she is breathing in the music. There's nothing like it. It makes me smile.

Tammy

thank you so much tammy..means the world coming from you..hope to meet you at COS this aug. xxxx

[Devora]

Cory is the real deal - as you said, she learned from the grandmamas who came from "over there" from the various Middle Eastern cultures. I'm so privileged to be able to study with her in Fresno (Central California). She's a very positive teacher who focuses on each student's individual strengths. It's always a great experience, whether it's a one-on-one lesson or a room full of dancers. And as you can see on the vids, she's a first-class entertainer.

I wish Cory would hold more workshops (for old-school routine, "Floor," or any other specialty (you can see them on her DVDs), so more of you could work with her personally. I believe she's going to be at the next Carnival of Stars, but if any of you would want to host her elsewhere, I would heartily recommend you contact her and check her availability. I'd personally travel out-of-town for one of her workshops even though I have access to her locally.

-Devora

[aziyade]

Cory's energy and passion are amazing. I have always loved her dancing and I consider her to be ... well, if I say "classic" that gives the impression that's old and retired - LOL!! But she really is a CLASSIC in a classic and beautiful style of our dance. I too wish she would travel and do workshops, but she does have an extensive line of DVDs available.

Those of you who study with her in weekly classes: I'm so JEALOUS!!!!!!

[BreaMorgiane]

Wow! Sorry I'm so late chiming in here but I've been away from Bhuz. I have to say I heartily agree! Cory is a great teacher and very helpful; I also wish she would travel to give workshops. I wish I lived in Fresno so that I could take her classes on a more consistent basis.

[IrishLily]

Love, love, love this thread!!! Thanks everyone, have been feelin' very fangirly myself having recently gotten two of Cory's dvd's (floorwork and sword/tray). Have seen all the YouTube vids I can find and would like nothing more than to be able to dance under Cory's instruction, I know she'd kick my tall-gravity-center-challenged-isolated-dvd-only-trained butt, which is exactly what I need!


Ok, got this somewhat outta my system.

Now, am waiting for the new Amazon store to open...

[zorba]

Cory's Da Bomb!

[zamora]

Cory's Da Bomb!

thank you...hope you are feeling better

[LiesaB.]

Sophia, Can I use your descriptions for my students? Quoting you of course.
Thanks for your great well deserved tribute to Cory!
The Belly Dance you describe is how I "grew up" with it, through relatives' weddings, parties, the Greenwich Village NYC scene in the 60's....the little town in Ohio where I went to high school, where a Turkish family had a dance club in an art gallery...
my travels around the country in th 70's [loving that early Washington-Oregon scene!]... I have always loved the Belly Dance that I learned back in the day, what I have continued to learn, and still do.
What a lot of branches from an amazing tree.
In this incredible current world of widened communication, travel, and of course da internet, we can exchange even more with lovers of dance & music.!

"Cory is a wonderful dancer, artist and teacher. She's a member of a pioneering generation of American oriental dancers who worked within immigrant Middle Eastern communities - note the plural."

"It's important to realize that one of the great things about America is the fact that cultures who'd be at war elsewhere work, play and create together here.

Thus oriental dancers in the US were privileged to work with communities and artists from all over the Middle East and North Africa - Turkey, the Arab countries, Israel and other Jewish communities, Armenians and Russians, Greeks and Berbers. Musicians like the Feenjon Group and George Abdo reflected this multiplicity and richness of culture - which in turn influenced dance artists. They were typical of musicians who played in the clubs until the economy of the late 1980's pretty much finished off a wonderful phenomenon - something today's belly dancers must regard as a Golden Age here in America.
And - we were most emphatically not "pure." Thank goodness!
The art of the dance and the art of Oriental music blended into something rich and lovely here in America and that has continued to blossom into new forms - and in turn has influenced art in the East.
...The fact is, the Middle East itself is one of the richest cultural crossroads in the world. So it isn't surprising that in the melting pot of the US, artistic influences would continue to overlap and inspire creativity - especially in one of the most curious generations of Americans ever - people who pioneered studies into history, religion, art and culture and also - women's rights."

Cory Zamora has stuck with her art through thick and thin - no mean feat in a world where artists generally have a tough row to how - and women especially.
As a dancer, she's flat beautiful. Her floorwork is probably the best I have ever seen and she appears effortless performing it - and - it's hard. She makes a difficult and demanding art look easy, and she's a generous and inspiring teacher who continues to be creative and open-minded.
Bravo, Cory! Thank you for all the inspiration. May you dance forever!"

Double ditto!

[Elibelinde]

LiesaB. - of course! Please, use!