Thread: My First Beladi

Oh my goodness I am so in love with this style! I love the challenge of being more solid and purposeful rather than my "flighty/floaty" typical style.

Been working with Ranya's DVDs as well as what I've gleaned in class and from other performances. I still have lots to refine and embody but for my first performance I'm pretty darn pleased with it. Will continue marinading in it for future explorations. :D

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAwm3DNyd5k]YouTube - Nancy Asiya - Min Hob Fik ya Ghari with Taht il Shabak[/ame]

I'd love to hear critique, comments, suggestion. Please don't me mean or rude (don't think that really needs to be said here but, there ya have it)

Well I'm pleased too!

I really like your arms -- soft, smooth, simple. It's a joy to see dancing with no gimmicks, just the music and the dancer's feeling for it, the way it should be. I think you got the beledi thing of relaxed, but fun, and repetitive in a good way.

Middle Eastern dance is not dead yet! Yay!

Thank you Mirhrbanu! My arms have always been a challenge, I wind up with a bit of a identity crisis with them (used to dance ATS & Tribal) and so they get a little "flail-y" sometimes.

It was such a fun relaxed evening, the crowd was happy but very chill. Helped me settle in to the piece very easily.

Definitely going to do this again and play with it more.

It's a very good first attempt. Your technique is clean and you have a pleasant musical intuition for the piece. Still, you seem to be floating above the music and not quite dug into it in the way that natives do. They dance with a sort of sensuous determination that I wish you were tapping into more aggressively. Above all, the baladi style requires you to really let go and embrace the moment wholeheartedly.

One of my teachers is a native, and when she dances this style, you can tell she's thinking, "OH, HELL YEAH!...BRING IT ON!...YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT...AND I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!...BECAUSE I AM THE QUEEN!!!" and that's what I think you need to find within yourself to take this to the next level. More feeling, more intention, more attitude, more obvious enjoyment of the music and your own dancing.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

It's a very good first attempt. Your technique is clean and you have a pleasant musical intuition for the piece. Still, you seem to be floating above the music and not quite dug into it in the way that natives do. They dance with a sort of sensuous determination that I wish you were tapping into more aggressively. Above all, the baladi style requires you to really let go and embrace the moment wholeheartedly.

One of my teachers is a native, and when she dances this style, you can tell she's thinking, "OH, HELL YEAH!...BRING IT ON!...YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT...AND I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!...BECAUSE I AM THE QUEEN!!!" and that's what I think you need to find within yourself to take this to the next level. More feeling, more intention, more attitude, more obvious enjoyment of the music and your own dancing.

Yes, yes yes! That is where I want to go with it and feel like I'm scratching the surface a little bit but I want to get deeper! Going to keep marinating and embrace that idea of really sinking down and embodying the feel of this style. ..g.:

I know how frustrating it is to hear you're still floating That takes a while to get the feel of when you're a light, graceful dancer! I had trouble with it too when I first learned earthy folkloric styles.

Right now I'm teaching Ghawazee & some of them are going to be putting on weighted hip belts or ankle weights soon to bring them down to earth ..l;,
Have you tried that?

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

It's a very good first attempt. Your technique is clean and you have a pleasant musical intuition for the piece. Still, you seem to be floating above the music and not quite dug into it in the way that natives do. They dance with a sort of sensuous determination that I wish you were tapping into more aggressively. Above all, the baladi style requires you to really let go and embrace the moment wholeheartedly.

One of my teachers is a native, and when she dances this style, you can tell she's thinking, "OH, HELL YEAH!...BRING IT ON!...YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT...AND I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA...I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!...BECAUSE I AM THE QUEEN!!!" and that's what I think you need to find within yourself to take this to the next level. More feeling, more intention, more attitude, more obvious enjoyment of the music and your own dancing.

Originally Posted by anthea

I know how frustrating it is to hear you're still floating That takes a while to get the feel of when you're a light, graceful dancer! I had trouble with it too when I first learned earthy folkloric styles.

Right now I'm teaching Ghawazee & some of them are going to be putting on weighted hip belts or ankle weights soon to bring them down to earth ..l;,
Have you tried that?

Actually not that frustrating because I know why its such a challenge. Even during the piece I had to remind myself to "slow" down and just be in it, not tryign to flit around like the social butterfly I am.

I don't have any weights but might strap on one of my big heavy tribal skirts and see if that helps.

..g.:

Nice to see you dancing! I like it, just be a little bit bolder :-).

I love that definition solid and purposeful vs flighty/floaty. There has been a real change in how dancers dance over the last decade and you described it perfectly. I like solid, purposeful earthy dancing.

You just need to relax more and practice. The more you do it and get comfortable with the music, style and moves, the more you will be able to get into the feel of beledi.

Originally Posted by FifiFanForever

Nice video for a start.


Well I certainly hope so. Why say that in the first place? Thankfully there aren't any indications of it dying...c::

Thank you and i think she was meaning that there seems to be so much fusion that its good to see the Egyptian styles getting some love too.

Nice Nancy! I love the simple costume. The white scarf is great contrast. I've been fighting the floaty/flighty/flailing arms-thing also and I've never danced tribal. LOL

Funny thing is that on the days I was feeling sick or really bad, I got the most compliments on my dancing from the Egyptian crowd at Kasbah. LOL. Now I just imagine my bones being made of lead and really commit to a movement instead of trying to hit every noise in a song. Not only does it save me energy, it looks more polished and less "energizer bunny about to explode".

Thanks Crystal! Fighting the ADD Energizer bunny urge is a tough one. I think overall my dance is going to benefit through exploring this style. And maybe it will trickle out into life, so I enjoy it and don't rush through things. :D

I enjoyed your video very much. Your dancing is lovely ..... very Egyptian. I like your control. And wait 'till you perform in the Eman -- I think the way you will feel in that costume will make your dancing more "grounded" and elegant and your soft, lovely movements will be accentuated and energized! Can't wait to hear how the upcoming performance goes! Post pics/clips!

Thank you Naiya, I can't wait to dance in that Eman. Well I have been in the living room but get to take her out for a spin in a few weeks.

AND
I just found out that in October I'll get to dance to Taht el Shibbak with a live band and I'm already so stinkin' excited.

I do find this all a bit amusing, 2 years ago I was pretty hardcore tribal fusion and would not have guessed I'd be here, now. lol

Originally Posted by NancyAsiya

Thank you Naiya, I can't wait to dance in that Eman. Well I have been in the living room but get to take her out for a spin in a few weeks.

AND
I just found out that in October I'll get to dance to Taht el Shibbak with a live band and I'm already so stinkin' excited.

I do find this all a bit amusing, 2 years ago I was pretty hardcore tribal fusion and would not have guessed I'd be here, now. lol

Yay! Once you dance with a live band, taped music will never be quite good enough! So ..... welcome to the "not so dark side", LOL .... (although I admit to liking a lot of tribal costuming, but more FCBD Caroleena old-school more than fusion. However, I've got some wedding & white shredded Melodias stashed away for some future attempt, LOL .... love all the flowers)