Thread: Sexy Belly Dance Songs

Can anyone suggest some "sexy" belly dance songs - approx. 3:00 long? I have a shy, sweet student who is recently separated from her husband and she is having a rough time. She specifically requested a "sexy" song for our next routine. Any suggestions? Thanks everyone!

Interesting question! I can't think of any especially sexy songs at the moment, to me it seems more like what the dancer does with a song makes it sexy.

Old-school AmCab veilwork (the conceal/reveal stuff, or making an envelope around yourself and slinking out of it) feels very risque to me sometimes, and of course floorwork can feel very sexy.

Well, any song can be sexy if you make it so , but one thing that springs to mind is Natasha Atlas' cover of Whatever Lola Wants. Obviously that's fusion, but maybe having the English words would be helpful to your student. It's from the soundtrack to the movie Whatever Lola Wants, I found my copy on emusic.com.

I'd suggest a beautiful taqsim and teach people to improvise with it.


Or, if you prefer a song rather than a taqsim, here are some ideas.


You might consider John Bilezikjian's recording of "Jemilleh". It's on the CD titled "The Magic of John Bilezikjian" sold on his web site at dantzrecords.com


Erev Shel Shoshanim is romantic, some might think it sexy. There's a lovely version on one of the "Gems of the Middle East" CD's sold by Mary Ellen Donald.

Another way to go might be one of those, "Get out of my life, you worthless man!" songs, such as "Harramt Ahebak" or "Sabry Alil."

The answer to this question, as always, seems to be: what would Fifi do?

I realize that "sexy" is something rather personal in its definition but two things that come to mind:

Serpents Garden: (dj mosavo) mystic caravan - YouTube

nawal al zoghbi gheb 3n 3enya ///

HTH!

Ooooh oooh ooh! My personal favorite has got to be " Nebtidi Mnain El Hikaya", from the Bellydance Superstars CD set. Not sure which CD it's on, but it should be easy to find. It's a little bit slower, but soooo sensual and sexy in my humble opinion. Definitely check it out. :)

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

Well, any song can be sexy if you make it so , but one thing that springs to mind is Natasha Atlas' cover of Whatever Lola Wants. Obviously that's fusion, but maybe having the English words would be helpful to your student. It's from the soundtrack to the movie Whatever Lola Wants, I found my copy on emusic.com.

Despite all the inaccuracies, that movie is a guilty pleasure of mine. :) Another good choice, too!

Originally Posted by kemintiri

I realize that "sexy" is something rather personal in its definition but two things that come to mind:

Serpents Garden: (dj mosavo) mystic caravan - YouTube

nawal al zoghbi gheb 3n 3enya ///

HTH!

Oh, I don't know that I'd call that Nawal Al Zoughbi song "sexy"...more "tragic" imho. And I happen to LOVE that song. Check out the lyrics sometime. Falls into the category of KNOW what you're dancing to before you dance, in my book!

Originally Posted by ErikaOH

Oh, I don't know that I'd call that Nawal Al Zoughbi song "sexy"...more "tragic" imho. And I happen to LOVE that song. Check out the lyrics sometime. Falls into the category of KNOW what you're dancing to before you dance, in my book!

it is possible to be emo and sexy at the same. *shrug* I did say it is a personal preference. What would you suggest? Arabic songs that are about the sexy and only the sexy are not exactly abounding (save for Shaabi and fruit references, I guess :) ).

Another song to consider is El Tannoura by Fares Karam. In the lyrics, the male narrator is talking about how much he admires the mini-skirt and see-through blouse worn by a pretty young woman.

Here's a translation:

Arabic Music: English Translation of Lyrics for El Tannoura by Fares Karam

Sexy Chiftitelli by Raquy and the Cavemen. :D

TriBellas with Raquy & the Cavemen - YouTube

George Abdo's "Lila, My Love". But you would need to shorten it.

Sehr oyounik (the enchantment of your eyes) - Hossam Ramzy

Personal favorite xoxo

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Another song to consider is El Tannoura by Fares Karam. In the lyrics, the male narrator is talking about how much he admires the mini-skirt and see-through blouse worn by a pretty young woman.

Here's a translation:

Arabic Music: English Translation of Lyrics for El Tannoura by Fares Karam

I don't know about this one. It strikes me as a pretty unorthodox choice. The uniquely masculine style of Levantine singing that guys like Fares employ will probably sound more like "angry" than "sexy" to an audience who is not used to hearing it, and an audience that is familiar with Arabic music is going to immediately recognize this song as a dabke. " El Tannoura" is not an obscure record. It was a defining moment in Fares Karam's career and one of the hits that pitted him against Assi al-Hellani for bragging rights to be the top contemporary male dabke singer in Lebanon.

You can do oriental moves to dabke music, but generally speaking, if you don't include some kind of nod to the Lebanese folkloric traditions in your choreography, a knowledgeable audience may assume that a foreign dancer who doesn't simply doesn't recognize what she's dancing to. (Miles apparently subscribes to that theory Debke vrs Saiidi - rhythm ?) Good Lebanese baladi certainly can be sexy, but I wouldn't guess that's the angle the OP's student wanted to pursue.

I was a bit skeptical clicking on this thread at first, but I love seeing what everyone else thinks of as a sexy song. First thing that popped into my head was putting on something a little more shaabi- Rico's Banat el Shobra always makes me feel sexy and powerful too, and I just melt for Adaweya's - well, most of his stuff, but I was listening to Bent el Sultan this morning.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

An audience that is familiar with Arabic music is going to immediately recognize this song as a dabke.

You can do oriental moves to dabke music, but generally speaking, if you don't include some kind of nod to the Lebanese folkloric traditions in your choreography, a knowledgeable audience may assume that a foreign dancer who doesn't simply doesn't recognize what she's dancing to.

I see your point, and I agree that a teacher creating choreography for her students would indeed want to include a nod to debke in the choreography, perhaps using a debke step or two to enter the stage, maybe incorporating a couple here and there later on. It could, however, be a nice opportunity for hourglassbellydance to teach her students a bit about folkloric dance without going completely folkloric.

I think it's a cute song, and it offers opportunity for some real attitude.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Another song to consider is El Tannoura by Fares Karam. In the lyrics, the male narrator is talking about how much he admires the mini-skirt and see-through blouse worn by a pretty young woman

I love this song! My teacher used to use it sometimes when dancing at a local Lebanese restaurant, and would throw in a little Dabke, which went down pretty well with the staff, though I think it may have bewildered the mostly British audience.

My own choice would be Warda singing Batwannes Beek. It's so very languid and lovely...

Or upon further reflection, a nice accordion baladi. Not sexy in an in your face kind of way, but can definitely be powerful and sensual, especially the opening taqasim and slow rhythmic sections. To improvise, you need to become one with your body and the music, and the accordion is so undulate-y and emotional that it's hard not to feel a bit sexy - and it also requires a confident, relaxed and self-assured presence which isn't 'oh look at me I'm so sexeeee' but can definitely be sexy in an effortless way :)