Thread: Video Clips of Greek Bellydance?

I just wanted to say thank you to you all for all the info and video clips that you posted. It was really helpful.

I just danced at the restaurant, and it was a blast. This restaurant doesn't usually have dancers (the location doesn't bring the right crowd for it), but they advertised dancers as the entertainment part of the meal for their anniversary celebrations, so everyone in the house was excitedly waiting for me to dance. Its so nice to dance for an enthusiastic crowd.

Anyways, I was really nervous because my style is very much Egyptian (I've had Egyptians come up and ask me if I was Egyptian), so I was worried I couldn't pull off Greek styled bellydancing. I watched all your clips religiously, practiced dancing at home yada yada. The music I picked was not entirely Greek, but I needed to have some familiar pieces to take the edge off. Only 2 of the tracks I used were Greek, one from Bellydance at its Best (the one Rania dances to), and one that I think was a bouzouki solo called Mitropanos. So I walked into the restaurant and went to the back, took a few breaths and decided I'm just going to dance my style and have fun with it. And it was! It was great! I did throw in a lot of figure 8's and shoulder shimmies and hand gestures that I wouldn't normally do, but other wise I just smiled and danced and had a blast. The only thing that I thihnk gave me away was when I got a gentleman up to dance with me and the manager brought a shot of Ouzo, one for the man, and one for me, but I said no thank you (I can't dance and drink, and I was playing zills, I would have just spilled it all over myself). But the manager drank it herself, and all was good after that.

Okay, this post has ended up being longer than I planned, so I'll stop. But thanks again, you guys were a great help. And I've really taken a liking to Greek music too... I found a lot of great songs on Limewire. This has been such a fun project!..l;,

Great thread, and I'm happy to hear you had a nice time, Talula!

Bravo !!!! its great you had fun and enjoyed it !!!
And yes ouzo and dancing doesnt go together lol

Maria Aya..g.:

I don't know if it would help you personally but theres a Greek artist that I really enjoy dancing to. Kati Garbi is her name and she has a few albums out that have some great stuff. It doesn't have the same feel or sound as Arabic music (an I wouldn't expect it to) but it lends itself really well to the style of dance I think your aiming for. You can always go with the more traditional Rembetiko classics or remakes but choose your music carefully. Rembetiko music focuses a lot on subjects that aren't "family oriented." (I think thats the polite way to put it...*chuckles*) My favorite album is "IT Bouzouki Tracks Party Pak Vol. 1" Its a little cheese cake but it has some stuff in there that makes you want to get up and dance!

Maria Aya had some absolutely fabulous advice and visuals so that was really nice to see. I bet that will help a lot and I bet you'll do great. ;-)

~*Genisis*~

I'm so glad that people listen to greek music, but unfortunately the really good greek music isnt sold online :(
As for Keti Garbi, she have great songs but a) some are from greek composers but b) her biggest hits are stolen (exact) music from arabic songs or turkish. So they are not greek actualy :(

Kisses
Maria Aya

...you never seize to amaze me!

Kiniti egkikopedeia!

Originally Posted by norma

I used to dance in Greek clubs for years. I don't know of any good clips.

I don't know what area you are in but if you are near Chicago, my friend Shadiah will be performing a Greek style belly dance routine for a workshop concert.

http://www.bellydanceralexandria.com/mohamed_shahin.htm

I'm so curious about Alexandria! Are there any clips of her online to view?

everytime anyone i know (or myself) goes to greece, at least 1/4 of my suitcase is greek music CDs. either from the stores or from dj friends.

I LOVE Greek music. I have been toying with fusing Greek dance with Arab dance and while I am far from being the expert, my Greek friends get a kick out of it. I think they appreciate more the fact that I try to include them in the bellydancing genre than my actual style but I hope to see someone come along and really tie it together. It is a dance form that is almost a sleeper waiting to be awakened into the bellydance community.

Pardon the corny language but I am just surprised someone hasn't done this yet. Thanks to Norma who has also helped to bring more attention to this.

Originally Posted by bonnywhiteford

I LOVE Greek music. I have been toying with fusing Greek dance with Arab dance and while I am far from being the expert, my Greek friends get a kick out of it. I think they appreciate more the fact that I try to include them in the bellydancing genre than my actual style but I hope to see someone come along and really tie it together. It is a dance form that is almost a sleeper waiting to be awakened into the bellydance community.

Pardon the corny language but I am just surprised someone hasn't done this yet. Thanks to Norma who has also helped to bring more attention to this.

I've heard a rumor that they are finally, finally, opening a Greek restaurant in Detroit and they intend having music and dancing. I don't know if they are having any belly dancers though. I was wondering to myself what local dancers would be able to do it. None of them were around when the original Greek clubs existed so they've never seen that type of show. There are a couple originally from NY that have training in American Caberet style, they'd probably adapt to the music a little easier. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this place has dancers.

Originally Posted by norma

I've heard a rumor that they are finally, finally, opening a Greek restaurant in Detroit and they intend having music and dancing. I don't know if they are having any belly dancers though. I was wondering to myself what local dancers would be able to do it. None of them were around when the original Greek clubs existed so they've never seen that type of show. There are a couple originally from NY that have training in American Caberet style, they'd probably adapt to the music a little easier. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this place has dancers.

That sounds like a good reason to make a trip to Detroit

I was hoping I could lure you here! LOL! Actually the location is just a couple miles down the street from my day job. So it will be easy for me to track it's progress!

Keep us posted, Norma.