Thread: Oriental Routines

List your top fave 3! To qualify, must be at least 8 minutes long and meant for a belly dancer not a singer. Instrumentals only although vocal chorus is okay.

Mine:
Sit El Hassan
Ma'shaal
Mirhajan

Ok, love your top 3, so I will just add to the list.
Tamra henna
La'abat el Hob
Najwa

hmmm, do I have to stop at 3?

La'baat or Loubat el Hob?
I didn't think anyone knew that one any more! I almost forgot about it myself.

Don't stop at 3.

I also like the 12 minute version of Aziza. The shorter version is okay and more popular but I like the long one the best.

I guess I should throw in Sahara City even though that is under 8 minutes.

How about
Rhanat al Khul Khal
Nebtiti menen el hakayak

Love Sahara City, and Banat Eskandria
Also some of the newer ones like Layali Yasmina, and Sahara from a Beirut Mood.

Originally Posted by norma

La'baat or Loubat el Hob?
I didn't think anyone knew that one any more! I almost forgot about it myself.

Don't stop at 3.

I also like the 12 minute version of Aziza. The shorter version is okay and more popular but I like the long one the best.

I guess I should throw in Sahara City even though that is under 8 minutes.

Where can I get a 12-minute version of Aziza? I would love to have it!

My fav 3 (subject to change without notice)
Joumana
Set el Hosen
Journey of the Gypsy Dancer (Rihlat el Ghawzia)

I also love:
Ma'aschal
Amar 14
Zauber des Mondes
Amar el Laily

You can get the 12 minute version of Aziza on Belly Dance with Aziza. It's a Daniel der Sahakian Voice of Stars production. It's an old old classic but just came out as a new remix on CD. I got mine at rashid.com but I think dahlal.com also carries it. Aziza is conducted by Nicolas Dick who also conducted one of my all-time favorites CD, Belly Dance by Oum Khoulsoum, also a Daniel Der Shakian production. Aziza also features songs conducted by Aboud Abdel Aal who was a famous violinist.

I love Neptidi, my all time favorite to dance to, but it doesn't qualify as an oriental routine/musical as it is really part of a song sung by Abdel Halim.

For this thread I just want music that was written strictly for belly dancing. Of course, many of the old standby favorites are songs sung by singers but there is so much more music out there that was written for belly dancing. In so many threads I hear about how it's so important to know the lyrics of a song before you dance to it but there are so many beautiful songs out there that never had lyrics. All the emotion comes from the music itself. I want to find out what other dancers like.

I do have Amar 14 and Banak Iskanderia. The others mentioned are unknown to me. What CD's are they on?

As far as new, I'm starting to like Saher Al Sharq Etneen from Layali Al Sharq. I saw Amar Gamal do an amazing job to it but even after only 1 time, the music stuck in my head. I haven't actually tried dancing to it yet though. Sometimes what I like in my head, doesnt' translate out on the dance floor!

Tamra Henna already said all of mine! :) But, but, where can I find Joumana? I've seen video clips of other dancers performing it, and thought it was just fab. Is it still available somewhere?

Norma - Zauber des Mondes is on one of the Horacio & Beata Oriental Fantasy CDs. I think all of their CDs are wonderful, and they contain many oriental pieces, specifically composed for dancers. Amar el Laily is a CD written for Katia, the name of the CD is escaping me, but it's fantastic. And the rest are Jalilah series songs, all of her CDs are must-haves, imo. Sounds like you already have some of them? The only one I'm missing is the "Stars of the Casino Opera" , and I really need to get that!

Originally Posted by joanneraks

Tamra Henna already said all of mine! :) But, but, where can I find Joumana? I've seen video clips of other dancers performing it, and thought it was just fab. Is it still available somewhere?

I don't know! I have it on an old CD compilation someone gave me. I've looked at PeKo and Maqam and don't see it on CD anywhere, but surely it's out there somewhere.

It's a newie, but Hossam Ramzy's "Faddah", which is eight minutes, is really nice. One of my students just did her first orientale to it and it has lots packed in - several rhythm changes including a samaii section - and is running obsessively through my head now!

Joanneraks:
Stars of the Casino Opera has 3 nice routines. My favorite is the 3rd where they do a mix of the 2 parts of Neptidi m'neim el hikaya.

Could we please include the CD's these are on? I'm interested in checking a few out, but can't find them with an online search. :-)

I like the three on the Jalilah Raks Sharki 5 CD as well... Another favorite is Al-Houriyah from Jalilah's Raks Sharki 6.

Sit El Hassan
Ma'shaal
Mirhajan

You can get all three on Suhaila's Arabian Musicales, Vol 1, 2, 3.
Mirhajan is probably the hardest to find.

There are many other versions out there of the other two.

My favorite version of Sit El Hassan is the full 15 minute version by Setrak. I think it is Belly Dance with Samara. The track is called Samara and is an entire 1/2 routine so you would need editing software.

Jalilah Raks Sharqi has a version of Ma'shaal. I'm still trying to find the original version that starts out with organ chimes. I used to have it on cassette with no name.

There's a good version of Mashaal on Raks Balady by Bassem Ayoub.

Originally Posted by joanneraks

Tamra Henna already said all of mine! :) But, but, where can I find Joumana? I've seen video clips of other dancers performing it, and thought it was just fab. Is it still available somewhere?

I have it on vinyl (this record):
http://www.radiobastet.com/covgal/co...es/hobeika.jpg

A little more research found this:
"Joumana - Rafic Hobeika (10.49 min)
I love this tune and it can be found on many cd's - I found it on a CD called "Belly Dance (music for the orientale dance) 4". Produced by Voice of Lebanon. The rest of the CD is ok but this piece is just great. --Donna Lapre"
Middle Eastern Dance Music Recommendations

It's gotta be out there somewhere on CD!
Musicline.de - Belly Dance: Belly Dance Vol.4
AMD MegaStore CD - Arabian Nights - Oriental Flavour
Canzone.Online - Various Artists - Oriental Beauty (incl. Joumana)

Eshta ya Amar
Nagham
Layali Zaman

at least for today ;-)

Originally Posted by norma

As far as new, I'm starting to like Saher Al Sharq Etneen from Layali Al Sharq. I saw Amar Gamal do an amazing job to it but even after only 1 time, the music stuck in my head. I haven't actually tried dancing to it yet though. Sometimes what I like in my head, doesnt' translate out on the dance floor!

Oh yes, I love that one too! I just discovered that late last year, after reading a CD recommendation on Bhuz. I loved the song so much I used it for my solo performance at my end-of-year concert. I found it somewhat challenging - it took me a while to figure out what to do with certain sections, but it really is beautiful and I always love a tune with a good Khaleegy section in it.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

It's a newie, but Hossam Ramzy's "Faddah", which is eight minutes, is really nice. One of my students just did her first orientale to it and it has lots packed in - several rhythm changes including a samaii section - and is running obsessively through my head now!

What's a 'samaii section'? Wow, something more to know.

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

What's a 'samaii section'? Wow, something more to know.

10/8 rhythm. Lovely to dance to... Faddah is a really nice piece of music.

Latifa

Thanks Najma! Now I'm on a mission...

Originally Posted by joanneraks

Thanks Najma! Now I'm on a mission...

I have it, if you don't find it I would be happy to help you.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

I have it, if you don't find it I would be happy to help you.

ooh, I'll send you a pm

Originally Posted by norma

Sit El Hassan
Ma'shaal
Mirhajan

You can get all three on Suhaila's Arabian Musicales, Vol 1, 2, 3.
Mirhajan is probably the hardest to find.

Anyone know where I can find a less keyboard-y version of Mirhajan?

1) "Mashaal" (Mokhtar Al Said/Jalilah's version as well as the version to which Horacio Cifuentes performed)
2) "Ro-He" (Hossam Ramzy, Ro-He)
3) "Yasamina" (Dancer's Trail)
3.5) "Holom" (Amir Sofi) ('coz it's only 7:40)