Thread: What makes a dance & a costume Lebanese?

I've always been a little confused on this. There seems, to me, to be a lot of info out there on Turkish, Egyptian, Am Cab, Tribal, etc. But, what exactly makes a costume Lebanese? Or maybe, what markers in a costume make it NOT Lebanese? It is similar to an Am Cab costume?

Same with the style of dance, what makes the dance Lebanese? I know Debke is Lebanese, but I'm not talking about any kind of folkloric dance. Are there certain movements that are smack-you-in-the-face Lebanese?

I think they wear fuller skirts that are not form fitting like the Egyptian style, and I think they wear heels like Turkish style. Sometimes I even see that it's a blend of those two styles, which I'm assuming is not entirely correct.

Is anyone out there pretty knowlegeable on this topic? I'm picking out some music to dance to and I want to be able to wear a costume that's not inaccurate and I want to dance to fit the music. Thanks!

Okay, so any time you start a topic like this, you are making broad generalizations by default, so let's just accept that, & know that despite what i am about to say, yes I have met Lebanese dancers who do things like dance barefoot, skip a couple moves I'm about to mention, like the current Egyptian fashion etc. Now that we're past that :)

Heels are typical, and I have most often seen the bedlah with full skirt & nice high slits. The dancing tends to be a little more intricate with the hands than Egyptian, & maybe a little more layering as well. Very glam. Sometimes you do get a few debke moves thrown in. a few movements that it seems no Lebanese routine can do without (again, I'm making generalizations!)-
1) you've got the fish/reverse maya/ up figure 8 (whatever you want to call them) paired with hands reaching up and then coming down parallel with wrist circles (not floreos)
2)shuffling with a lightning fast choo-choo shimmy- looks like they are floating across the floor with a shimmy- love that one!!!
3) I know there is another highly typical one that my brain refuses to pull out right now (funny since I just talked about this with my class tonight...)
I also love watching all the barrel turns & walking with a hip twist shimmy (not 100% sure I'd really call it a shimmy, but that's what my teacher calls it & I don't have a better name) which aren't quite in *every* performance like the other 2 moves seem to be, but are pretty frequent.

go watch lots of video. when I am less tired, I will try to hunt some down, but a youtube search will surely get you somewhere... Meissoun also has an instructional DVD, as does Aradia.

A lot of the more recent Lebanese clips feature form fitting mermaid skirts with no slits. And platform heels.

Monochromatic costumes are very Lebanese, for some reason, and interesting textural decoration on the bras and belts. There's almost always a bra/belt/skirt, even if the skirt is a form-fitting one.

The "butt pop" is very Lebanese - and up and backward accent of the derriere. So is interesting and big use of space (a la Amani and Nadia Gamal), and what I call a "scoop" movement, where your arm scoops into your side, usually done with a big dropping hip movement on the same side.

Shimmies are almost always of the bent-knee variety, rather than the Egyptian-style straight-leg version.

As for musical interpretation, I've very seldom seen shimmies done to a qanoon. Usually this is interpreted with turns or vertical figure 8's (this is off the top of my head, and keep in mind I've just finished off a LARGE glass of vodka and grapefruit juice, haha).

Look up these dancers on youtube:

Nadia Gamal (scooping movment, traditional costuming, big movements, debke steps)
Amani (scooping movement, turns during a "shimmy" section, big movements)
Maya Abi Saad (butt pop, more modern style with good musical interpretation and good "lebanese style")
Dina Jamal (a nice hybrid of Lebanese and Egyptian)
Howayda Hachem (many variations on this spelling - good representative of Lebanese style circa the '80s)
Samara (butt pop, very elegant Lebanese style - excellent musical interpretation)

Wow, this is timely. The next style article I was working on was going to Lebanese, I've already collected the video clips and put together the outline. Hopefully I'll get it done in the next week or two and I can post it here for you.

CFMP's and mini skirts under a full skirt cut up to there? (where is the batting eye lashes icon when you need it?)

Another move which is very Lebanese (or so I have been told) is an upward hip lift with a extension on the standing leg. If that makes sense. Gives the whole body a lift.

I always find Lebanese style to be more athletic than Egyptian while still maintaining some of the internal work.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Wow, this is timely. The next style article I was working on was going to Lebanese, I've already collected the video clips and put together the outline. Hopefully I'll get it done in the next week or two and I can post it here for you.

oohhh thank you!

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Monochromatic costumes are very Lebanese, for some reason, and interesting textural decoration on the bras and belts. There's almost always a bra/belt/skirt, even if the skirt is a form-fitting one.

My second bra/belt set I bought was from a teacher and she said it was Lebanese. I never knew what made it Lebanese, but from this decription, it fits. It's very "textured." I'll try to post a picture...

I've also heard it is very cabaret with all of the fancy glitter and heels and slits up to there.

I made the skirt, so I'm not sure if it fits with the bra/belt as far as being Lebanese.

I am not up to date with the latest Lebanese dance fashion (hope to go back to Beirut next year). But generally speaking there are two styles:

Either very standard bra-belt-chiffon skirt with the bra being mostly straight all around. Plastic pearls instead of glass fringe.

Or totally crazy and unique. Pants, mini skirts, one-legged pants etc.

Depending on what designer you can afford :-)

Here's my Lebansese costume (not bought in Lebanon because they are very hard to find, but from a Bhuzzer)
:
This is also a common way to wear the veil for the entrance.

Modern Lebanese style IS more athletic than Egyptian, because you cover more space on stage, turn a lot and do some movements bigger.
One difference I noticed is that they do one-hip twists rather than hip drops.
And dramatic movements are always good :-)

I like Maya, there are a lot of typical movements in this video:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE_ig1r4bUA&feature=PlayList&p=89A91F6B7D9 833B2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=18]YouTube - Maya Abi Saad - Lebanese Oriental Dancer[/ame]

MEISSOUN

Very interesting-something I've wondered about as well.

Originally Posted by Fotia

I've also heard it is very cabaret with all of the fancy glitter and heels and slits up to there.

So would you say an Am Cab costume could be used for Lebanese music and vice versa?

I'm working on refining the styles article I wrote for my students, but the adjoining youtube playlist might get you started. Like any regional distinctions in a dance form it will vary from dancer to dancer and era to era, so your best bet is to just watch a lot of footage and draw from what you like. Here's the article:

Different Styles of Oriental Dance by Shems

Here's the playlist - it starts off organized, showing clips from the people I mention in my article - then it is just stuff that got randomly added after that, at least right now, click on the title to go to the play list as opposed to play which will just play the one clip:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B321478B37FB2794]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

A lot of the more recent Lebanese clips feature form fitting mermaid skirts with no slits. And platform heels.

Monochromatic costumes are very Lebanese, for some reason, and interesting textural decoration on the bras and belts. There's almost always a bra/belt/skirt, even if the skirt is a form-fitting one.

The "butt pop" is very Lebanese - and up and backward accent of the derriere. So is interesting and big use of space (a la Amani and Nadia Gamal), and what I call a "scoop" movement, where your arm scoops into your side, usually done with a big dropping hip movement on the same side.

Shimmies are almost always of the bent-knee variety, rather than the Egyptian-style straight-leg version.

As for musical interpretation, I've very seldom seen shimmies done to a qanoon. Usually this is interpreted with turns or vertical figure 8's (this is off the top of my head, and keep in mind I've just finished off a LARGE glass of vodka and grapefruit juice, haha).

Look up these dancers on youtube:

Nadia Gamal (scooping movment, traditional costuming, big movements, debke steps)
Amani (scooping movement, turns during a "shimmy" section, big movements)
Maya Abi Saad (butt pop, more modern style with good musical interpretation and good "lebanese style")
Dina Jamal (a nice hybrid of Lebanese and Egyptian)
Howayda Hachem (many variations on this spelling - good representative of Lebanese style circa the '80s)
Samara (butt pop, very elegant Lebanese style - excellent musical interpretation)

Yep. Those are the main dancers. Especially the legendary Nadia Gamal. That woman could shake it.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEFNil8v7gM&feature=related]YouTube - The Legend - Nadia Gamal[/ame]

Shems I can't believe you put all that footage together. It must have taken hours and hours.

I agree with most of what has already been said. Although there are not at present any designers selling mass produced belly dance costumes, there are designers/tailors/seamstresses who do make costumes for dancers. It will be custom made, cost more than an Egyptian costume but the quality is usually better. Remember, a lot of these designers have haute couture experience (trained in France or been trained by people who trained in France) so the quality is top-notch. I've seen there work upclose and personal and the quality is waaaaaaay better than any Egyptian costumer maker.

- The traditional "bedlet ra'es" is still the norm but you do see mermaid skirts, pants and other crazy things. Somewhere online there is a clip of Yousra Hanem dancing in a to-die for bodystocking costume covered in sequin roses...she looks nakey from far away!

- Beading is highly intricate, many times using the smallest sequins and very large beads instead of fine bugle beads for fringe.

- The bras tend to be cut and shaped differently as well.

- The slits on costumes tend to be on the side of the hips versus closer to the crotch.

I know Suha has all of her costumes made by Roni Eid. You can pm her if you are interested in getting something made. Some designers charge at least $1000 or more for costumes so they are definitely an investment...but an investment thats worth it!

Personally, I'd rather by one really well made costume versus 2 crappy ones.

Here's a clip of Lebanese costumes. Alot of these are by Roni Eid.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pexSDVIJCY0]YouTube - Lebanese bellydance costumes[/ame]


I have a pink Roni Eid.

the turquoise costume at :49 made my eyes bug out! Then by the last pink one, I kind of like the super mini in the front and long skirt in the back. I certainly can't pull that off, but it's interestingly different.

Oooo it is so fun to see some of the more updated stuff (this is what I get living vicariously through youtube & old movies!)
some of those costumes I just can't imagine actually dancing in, but that red & black one towards the beginning was just yummy & I liked the brown fringey dress. totally drooling over those boots, but I don't think I could ever actually wear them!

I googled Roni Eid
Here's an interview with him in Russian with pictures of his costumes:
Ëèâàíñêèé ìîäåëüåð êîñòþìîâ äëÿ òàíöà æèâîòà Roni Eid
Hope it works with all the funny characters.

I really must go to Lebanon next year and visit him!

MEISSOUN