Thread: Need more Raks Sharqi instructional and performance dvds

I just love Raks Sharki, the Egyptian is my favorite bellydance style. I have a large collection of various bellydance styles but I now want to concentrate more on Raks Sharki.

I love Randa Kamel, Leila of Cairo, Ranya Renne, Tamra Henna so what other egyptian style dancers will I like ? ?
Also who are your favorite dancers and which instructional and performance dvds would you recommend on Raks Sharqi ?

1. Shareen el Safy's videos and dvds cover Raqs Sharqi

2. The workshop videos from Little Egypt (in Texas) feature various Egyptian instructors and often focus on Raqs Sharqi.

3. Faten Salama videos are all Raqs Sharqi, Beladi and Folkloric styles, depending on the video.

4. Masters of Egyptian Choreography dvd series -- ? they advertise on Bhuz.

5. Raqia Hassan technique videos

off the top of my head, these are the best ones.


I love the Little Egypt performance videos of various dancers. And if you can get the old Saut Wa Soora performance videos, you can see a lot of the old stars and current stars like Dina when they were younger.

OK, first I'd say the Masters of Egyptian Choreography series. It features one native Egyptian dancer (Randa) and two dancers who have danced professionally in Egypt a long time. Also, these videos are a fantasitc value. I think I paid $99 for all three plus a CD. They include long choreographies, an interview of each dancer, and pretty extensive performance footage.

Next, I'd say the Ranya Renee DVDs out from World Dance New York. These are also a great value and very Egyptian. She goes into the whole posture of Egyptian Raqs Sharqi more than any other instructor I've seen, so maybe you would want to start with these.

I know people love Shareen el Safy, and she knows her stuff, but I have one video by her and I find it rambling and hard to follow. It's not that you won't learn anything, but they're pretty pricey for the way the material is presented.

From IAMED, I really like Ava Fleming's Dynamic Combinations. It's a collection of travelling combinations. I don't think it's sold as an Egyptian style video, but the combos look very Egyptian to me.

Oh, and for performance DVDs, I'd definitely say start with The Legends of Belly Dance. It has clips of famous Egyptian dancers in movie scenes from the late 40s through the 60s or 70s, so it's a great survey of Egyptian dance. It's digitally remastered to take out most of the graininess I've seen in other old movie clips and includes a little intro with the dancer name, movie, and year before each clip.

Oh ditto on Ranya Renee's dvds --- the Baladi set is so important that I don't think you can call yourself a dancer until you've watched it!

I second everyone else here - Little Egypt's workshop dvds, Ranya Renee, and the Masters of Egyptian Choreography are all on my favorites, but am surprised no one mentioned Hadia or Yasmina Ramzy. Both have choreography DVDs.

Get Mohamed Shahin's videos. They are about as authentic as you can get.

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I second everyone else here - Little Egypt's workshop dvds, Ranya Renee, and the Masters of Egyptian Choreography are all on my favorites, but am surprised no one mentioned Hadia or Yasmina Ramzy. Both have choreography DVDs.

You know, I have Yasmina's 3-dvd choreography set and I was really curious about it because it didn't really seem like the kind of Egyptian style I was used to. Is her style more old-school? It seems influenced by Golden Age dance a lot, in my limited understanding of Golden Age dance. Thoughts?

Aziyade, I don't think I'm an expert on Egyptian style as much as I'd like to be. Yasmina Ramzy's excyclopedic knowledge of Egyptian folklore styles, culture, etc that she shared with us at her workshop was enough to impress me and make me believe she knows her stuff. Of course, what she taught us was a mohammed ali street choreography, so it's hard to compare that style to anything else.

I think that the word "Raqs Sharqi" also implies more than just Egyptian style. It's primarily Egyptian but it's also what "Egyptian-style" dancers in other countries do, which may not look as Egyptian as what Egyptian-style dancers do. So that's why I'd count Hadia as a Raqs Sharqi dancer.

Now I want to go dance! All this talking of my favorite videos and instructors.

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

Aziyade, I don't think I'm an expert on Egyptian style as much as I'd like to be. Yasmina Ramzy's excyclopedic knowledge of Egyptian folklore styles, culture, etc that she shared with us at her workshop was enough to impress me and make me believe she knows her stuff. Of course, what she taught us was a mohammed ali street choreography, so it's hard to compare that style to anything else.

I think that the word "Raqs Sharqi" also implies more than just Egyptian style. It's primarily Egyptian but it's also what "Egyptian-style" dancers in other countries do, which may not look as Egyptian as what Egyptian-style dancers do. So that's why I'd count Hadia as a Raqs Sharqi dancer.

Now I want to go dance! All this talking of my favorite videos and instructors.

Ditto for me.

I agree! I wish an intermediate instructional dvd would go over moves like the "Duck-Walk" and the "Cairo figure 8" that have both been discussed here on bhuz.

Originally Posted by vron

I agree! I wish an intermediate instructional dvd would go over moves like the "Duck-Walk" and the "Cairo figure 8" that have both been discussed here on bhuz.

I think Dr. Mo talks about the duck walk - he uses that term a lot.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that Virginia's combinations & choreography teaches it but doesn't call it the duck walk. I know I've seen it on several videos. But I can't remember where I learned it the first time - I just always seemed to know it. I know it was from a video, not a class.

Cairo Figure 8 - the first time it made sense to me was when I learned it from a live instructor and I don't think she called it that - it's just how she does the figure 8s. But wait - I DO think that Nourhan Sharif goes over this style of figure 8 in her basic bellydance instructional.

no idea what "cairo 8s" nor the "duck walk" are!! :)

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I think Dr. Mo talks about the duck walk - he uses that term a lot.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that Virginia's combinations & choreography teaches it but doesn't call it the duck walk. I know I've seen it on several videos. But I can't remember where I learned it the first time - I just always seemed to know it. I know it was from a video, not a class.

Cairo Figure 8 - the first time it made sense to me was when I learned it from a live instructor and I don't think she called it that - it's just how she does the figure 8s. But wait - I DO think that Nourhan Sharif goes over this style of figure 8 in her basic bellydance instructional.

Oh thank you girl! ..g.: I've got Virginia's dvd, I'll check it out. I'll check out Nourhan's basic dvd. Dina- do a search here on bhuz, we've head several threads on the two subjects. :O)

ok cool thanks :)

Hi, Would someone please give more details on finding the Saut Wa Soora historical performance videos? Thanks.

If I remember correctly Hadia covers Duck Walk on her volume 5 DVD.

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I think Dr. Mo talks about the duck walk - he uses that term a lot.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that Virginia's combinations & choreography teaches it but doesn't call it the duck walk. I know I've seen it on several videos. But I can't remember where I learned it the first time - I just always seemed to know it. I know it was from a video, not a class.

Cairo Figure 8 - the first time it made sense to me was when I learned it from a live instructor and I don't think she called it that - it's just how she does the figure 8s. But wait - I DO think that Nourhan Sharif goes over this style of figure 8 in her basic bellydance instructional.

Hi,
In the past year Shareen El Safy has dropped the prices of her DVDs. Right now she is having a special 3 DVDs for $99.00 + $9.00 shipping & handling. Good time for someone to try her DVDs, if they havn't yet..g.:.
Tammy

Originally Posted by Zamira

OK, first I'd say the Masters of Egyptian Choreography series. It features one native Egyptian dancer (Randa) and two dancers who have danced professionally in Egypt a long time. Also, these videos are a fantasitc value. I think I paid $99 for all three plus a CD. They include long choreographies, an interview of each dancer, and pretty extensive performance footage.

Next, I'd say the Ranya Renee DVDs out from World Dance New York. These are also a great value and very Egyptian. She goes into the whole posture of Egyptian Raqs Sharqi more than any other instructor I've seen, so maybe you would want to start with these.

I know people love Shareen el Safy, and she knows her stuff, but I have one video by her and I find it rambling and hard to follow. It's not that you won't learn anything, but they're pretty pricey for the way the material is presented.

From IAMED, I really like Ava Fleming's Dynamic Combinations. It's a collection of travelling combinations. I don't think it's sold as an Egyptian style video, but the combos look very Egyptian to me.

I would second (or third or whatever) the Ranya Renee series and Shareen el Safy and would also recommend the DVD's by Hadia. She does a great job of explaining the moves.

If you are in search of top notch Raks Sharqi instructional DVDs I highly recommended picking up anything you can get your hands on by Zahra Zuhair. I have all of her DVDs including an old choreography video I believe is only available on VHS. A gorgeous piece of work to "Eshta Ya Amar"....Excellent break down of the movements & just a pure delight to watch dancing. :)

SAUT WA SOORA info for me too please!
I know there is an ebay seller Bellydance Marketplace who carries many Arab performance dvds.

Other suggestions? thanks!

DVD Selection

The Farha tours of the UK on DVD are an excellent way to see Dandesh and Randa in performance. I am sure American dancers have bought them and find them compatable but you need to check of course. Another interesting DVD is Yasmina's Journey of Desire..a doc.

Originally Posted by Tammyraks

Hi,
In the past year Shareen El Safy has dropped the prices of her DVDs. Right now she is having a special 3 DVDs for $99.00 + $9.00 shipping & handling. Good time for someone to try her DVDs, if they havn't yet..g.:.
Tammy

Can you give a link. I have 2 of her videos and would love to update. I have great respect for her.

Sure,
It's: Shareen el Safy

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Can you give a link. I have 2 of her videos and would love to update. I have great respect for her.