Thread: On defining your own style

The last hafla I was at, one of my bellydance heros, a true "AmCab" dancer complimented my performance and praised me as a very good Egyptian dancer. Even asked if I'd be interested in teaching my Egyptian style at her studio. Took my breath away a little, the feeling of being complimented by a superstar and being labeled as Egyptian styled dancer. I've always thought of myself as a good, wholesome, American Bellydancer. I've been a professional tribal fusion dancer and choreographer, danced in restaurants and haflas (AmCab style, I guess) and never before felt I was transcending into any other genre of bellydance other than well, plain ole' bellydance. I wasn't offended or anything, just perplexed. Have I been watching to many Randa and Tahia clips? Is Jillina sending out subliminal messages in her DVD's? Has anyone else suddenly found themselves "egyptianized"?

Egyptian happens

I do know I've made a concerted effort to sloooooooow down and to rely less on props. I'm not sure if that has to do with Egyptian influence from recent workshops I've attended, or if it's more of a function of my maturing as a dancer.

I focus exclusively on Egyptian and yet i've been told that I dance Turkish style. People see what they want. It's all good.

In America, where we learn so many different styles of belly dance, it is inevitable for some aspects of each style leak into whatever kind of dance we do. Similarly, i also always thought i was just amcab dancer, until i started dancing in a very egyptian club. from then on, i became an egyptian dancer and I began to consciously incorporate more and more Egyptian style into my dance.

Also, what SatinWorship said. You need to sloooooow down for Egyptian dancing and that was exactly what i did.

The music also dictates the way you move.

Originally Posted by rakgirl

I focus exclusively on Egyptian and yet i've been told that I dance Turkish style. People see what they want. It's all good.

I never saw that! I see North African/Egyptian mixed with Erika Badu!! ..l;,

Originally Posted by midnight_star56

The last hafla I was at, one of my bellydance heros, a true "AmCab" dancer complimented my performance and praised me as a very good Egyptian dancer. Even asked if I'd be interested in teaching my Egyptian style at her studio. Took my breath away a little, the feeling of being complimented by a superstar and being labeled as Egyptian styled dancer. I've always thought of myself as a good, wholesome, American Bellydancer. I've been a professional tribal fusion dancer and choreographer, danced in restaurants and haflas (AmCab style, I guess) and never before felt I was transcending into any other genre of bellydance other than well, plain ole' bellydance. I wasn't offended or anything, just perplexed. Have I been watching to many Randa and Tahia clips? Is Jillina sending out subliminal messages in her DVD's? Has anyone else suddenly found themselves "egyptianized"?

..g.:Well, you did spend a lot of time in my classes and I teach classical Egyptian style as the basis....so you probably absorbed tons there and then have been refining with your other styles and your own natural input. What a great compliment that the teacher was impressed by your dancing! I love to hear that! :)

(BTW - if it is who I think it is....wow! Congrats!)

* I was thinking about this for the past few minutes and I think I have part of it. Your movements have a very languid feel to them that can read as Egyptian. You also don't tend to rush your movements and you generate most of your energy from the core...other aspects that people think of as typically Egyptian. No matter what - sounds like your style is evolving as you keep dancing and you are defining *your own* dance style. Good job!

Originally Posted by midnight_star56

Has anyone else suddenly found themselves "egyptianized"?

Cute term!

Yes I have been Egyptianized since I first started studying this dance in Egypt over 7 years ago. And the more I study it and dance it, the more I understand and love it.

Yes Mahsati I do think the core of my dance comes from your dance classes which would explain alot of the egyptiatization (fun making up new words!) and I think the ballet classes may have had something to do with it as well now that I think more on the matter. How would bhuzzers define egyptian style other than slowing things down? What else could make me a "modern egyptian" dancer?

Originally Posted by midnight_star56

How would bhuzzers define egyptian style other than slowing things down? What else could make me a "modern egyptian" dancer?

I don't even think about the 'slowing things down' that is too generic and could apply to many styles including tribal. To dance Egyptian style with feeling you need to really understand the Egyptian culture as best you can, to understand how difficult their life is, how they find joy in the simple things like dancing, and how they use music and dance to celebrate life's events. Then you need to take that mentality and put it deep deep inside of you and let it ooze out of you as you feel both the pain and joy of life when you dance.

Now there are many things that could be suggested as far as the technical aspects of how to look Egptian style. Learning Egyptian folkloric dances and incorporating aspects of that may help, watch a lot of Egyptian dancers and see how they intepret the music, study under the Egyptian's whenever you can. And after reading this, if you haven't already, go read the thread on 'goo' in this section. And Norma just posted a clip of Mona Said, very gooey and Egyptian style.

Surely Egyptian Egyptian develop their own distinctive styles.
The best dancers will bring something special of themselves to whatever is their "base" style.

Sorry, goo is in the Student center.

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/student-center/32791-goo.html

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

I don't even think about the 'slowing things down' that is too generic and could apply to many styles including tribal. To dance Egyptian style with feeling you need to really understand the Egyptian culture as best you can, to understand how difficult their life is, how they find joy in the simple things like dancing, and how they use music and dance to celebrate life's events. Then you need to take that mentality and put it deep deep inside of you and let it ooze out of you as you feel both the pain and joy of life when you dance.

Now there are many things that could be suggested as far as the technical aspects of how to look Egptian style. Learning Egyptian folkloric dances and incorporating aspects of that may help, watch a lot of Egyptian dancers and see how they intepret the music, study under the Egyptian's whenever you can. And after reading this, if you haven't already, go read the thread on 'goo' in this section. And Norma just posted a clip of Mona Said, very gooey and Egyptian style.

YES!!!!!! This is one of the best and most concise definitions of "how to get Egyptianized" that I've ever seen!

Two Egyptian ladies attended my last hafla and got up to dance casually. I jumped up and danced with them, just to absorb some of the subtleties of their dance. I found myself wishing that I could just hang out with them and dance, all the time! It's like when I learned Salsa; a few dances on the floor with a native Salsero taught me more than a hundred classes.

I am definitely an American Mongrel. But I have had a lot of influence from several Egyptian based teachers and there are times when my dancing SCREAMS Egyptian.

So sometimes its just inevitable. . .

{{{HUGS}}}