Thread: Armenian Bellydance?

On another forum (yes Virginia, there are other bellydance forums) someone posted that there was an Armenian style of belly dance and used this person's youtube video as an illustration:

[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=y9YBeyG4wH8]YouTube - Sofia Sarkisyan - Bellydance1 /Armenian/[/ame]


Appears to be a Russian dance competition. She's a lovely dancer, but her performance looks to me like a high energy Russian dancers interpretation of Egyptian style. Lovely in and of itself, but not different stylistically from the umbrella "Egyptian" style.

So my questions are...

Is there a distinct Armenian bellydance style?

If so, what are the stylistic differences?

Any demonstrations out there that I could look at?

tia

I agree she is a good dancer, but I don't think there is an Armenian style of bellydance. The Armenian diaspora in exile has usually been associated with either Turkey or Lebanon, there fore influenced by these countries.
Most of the Armenians I have worked with in dance and in the jewellery business have come from Lebanon and Syria, and have related to the Levantine style of music and dance. All the Armenian dance and music I have seen is quite different rythmically and feeling wise.
That's how I see it, anyways.

Samantha

Ditto on everything Samantha said!

My Armenian friend performed Armenian folk dances, which are nothing like belly dance, and she tells me that belly dancers were usually Turkish in that area. I think the confusion with Armenians and belly dance comes from the fact that Armenian musicians such as John B. (can never spell his name) worked with a lot of dancers here in the States, and some Armenians (including my friend) have been professional belly dancers over here and maybe elsewhere, I don't know, but the influences were either Egyptian, Turkish or Lebanese.

I just thought of another thing.
Tabla player Setrak Sarkissian and Mher and Movses Panossian of Hollywood Music Center are producing so much Bellydance music. I would assume from their names that they are Armenian(correct me if I am wrong), but are definitely producing more Lebanese and Syrian style music than Armenian music.
Most of this music if there are lyrics are sung in Arabic and not Armenian.

Samantha

Hi,
Sofia Sarkissian is an Armenian living in Russia,I think she dances a very energetic style you may call Lebanese/Russian show(IMHO)
She competed and won with this number in Beirut 2006,here is a link:
HOME PAGE
(click on "the winner",it´s a flash gallery)
There is other choreos she performs to see on Youtube,but they spell her name differently.

Hugs Emma

OK, so far, no votes for a distinct Armenian style?

I hadn't thought there was one, but the poster planted a seed of doubt.

I've looked it up on youtube and find quite a few line dances demonstrated, but nothing really belly dancer-y.

Thanks for the info on the dancer, Emma. She's a lovely performer!

I used to be in an Armenian dance troupe (I was the token non-Armenian) and nothing that we did was anything like belly dancing. We did mostly fairly sedate line dances. The troupe leader, Eleanor Caroglanian -- a wonderful dancer who was certified in Erevan, Armenia, to teach and perform -- was actually worried that the rest of the troupe would be scandalized to learn that I performed Middle Eastern dance/belly dance, so we kept it a secret. As it turns out, the troupe found out, and they were fascinated rather than scandalized -- whew! What a relief! ..l;,

I think the Armenian association is just her name. Next to bellydance1 it's (Armenin) pointing to her origin/ethnicity, in my opinion. Sarkisian is an Armenian name.

I don't really like her dancing,though. She is wayyyy too fast.

Where's Cory Zamora? She dances for mostly Armenians, I think, she could tell us about.

So, Kina, you've been running around discussing with other bellydancers behind our backs? *sniffle*

I have Armenian friends who have been closely associated with belly dancers in the San Francisco Bay Area and ALL of them have categorically stated that there is NO SUCH THING as Armenian belly dance. They classify it as non-Armenian middle eastern, referring to Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, etc. I've seen many Armenians at picnics and other social events who get up and dance in belly dance style to music which is Lebanese, Egyptian, etc. When I asked about that, I was told that many Armenians, especially those who grew up in Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, etc., know the moves and know the moves are Arabic or Turkish and know which music pieces to dance to in that style.
P.S. Thanks for asking, Tia!..g.:

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Where's Cory Zamora? She dances for mostly Armenians, I think, she could tell us about.

So, Kina, you've been running around discussing with other bellydancers behind our backs? *sniffle*

no, never! just reading :-)

Weren't the family Jamila Salimpour boarded with back in Ye Anciente Days of learning about BD supposedly Egyptian Armenians? Or is that misinformation?

Armenians do dances such as this;
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj8doWPgXQc]YouTube - TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN DANCE[/ame] (mens linedance)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aEeD_slYqg]YouTube - Armenian Dance - Azgagrakan Par - Traditional Dance[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ8qjYpDxnU]YouTube - zvartnots Khach Kar[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdWodrEzba8]YouTube - Ani Ensemble - Davigh[/ame] (typical womens dance)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPewtXvXUBg]YouTube - Female dance from Armenia[/ame]

As you see Armenian dances consist of balletic stylized stage dances, line dances, Silkroad type dances and various folk dances. There is no hip work involved in Armenian dances per say.

However, Armenians love to watch Bellydance. The style of bellydance presented is a stylized version of Turkish style. The rhythms are similar in Turkish and Armenian music, many songs have the same melody - only the words are in different languages depending on which country the song is from.

Many Armenian musicians play bellydance music either in Armenian language or in Turkish or Arabic. It's really cool. John Bilazekjian and Mirage are two examples of musicians that have a wider range of audience and genres they present.

As far as this dancer in question goes; I'm a Norwegian born to East Indian parents in Norway, live in California and dance Egyptian Raqs Sharki. According to the thesis behind the question posted I'd be dancing Norwegian Raqs Sharki? A dance style is identified by the technique, stylization and music it is performed to, not by the nationality of the dancer or his/her name.

Cheers,

DaVid

Thank-you so much... DaVid, that was a great explanation. You're coming to Tennessee (Nashville) soon for a workshop, in January, aren't you?? Alright, I'm gonna be there....
My sister-in-law is Armenian, and she danced in the Armenian style at her & my brother's wedding. She did a lot of beautiful arm movements.
We also did some debke and I did some belly dancing at the wedding... and we mixed in some other styles too, such as Appalachian & Disco! What fun.
Jillanna

As far as I'm aware, there is no distinct Armenian style of belly dance. Seeing as I've got Armenian heritage and have taken an Armenian stage name, I did a bit of research myself to see if there were some distinct Armenian belly dance moves or styles I could incorporate into my dance, but alas, no luck finding any. I am interested in seeing an Armenian dance troupe coming through the Boston area in '08, just to see what they DO do. I think that the Armenian music I've heard for belly dance (Soode Soode for example) works just fine with Turkish-style dance. Since the Armenian side of my family was living in Turkey before emigrating to the US anyway, I figure that works for me!

i am here!
just worked with richard hagopian 2 weeks ago!
it is a term, "russo hye", i worked for a russo hye family resturant for 9 years.
they armenians from russia!they usually speak 3 tongues, ...including a bit of turkish.
in may, i had a job with richard...it was a private party, and we had fredom with the music...he sang "chopkin chopkin" and ended with a 9/8
but 2 weeks ago, it was at a hye church hall.they got away with having me, because they rented the hall...BUT...no turkish!
i did an old style double chiffti..veil/floor, ...no 9/8 either.
it depends on the hyes...at a birthday party for a hye , i worked with "mirage", it was the kanon players moms bday.....we ended in a 9/8, richard was a guest at the party....so, there is a "hye belly dance", but it is what the hyes got from the turkish.
true hye music is for line dances, folk stuff.
z

how odd....just got booked by a hye, ...a group of 30 somethings...they asked for non of "our parents picnic music"..they want upbeat, "hakim" type stuff....but then asked for the turkish glasses , for part of the show.
the further you get from the genocide, the more leway you have!
when john b played here last year, he waited till he say who was in the hall, before letting anything turkish rip!

Originally Posted by jillanna

Thank-you so much... DaVid, that was a great explanation. You're coming to Tennessee (Nashville) soon for a workshop, in January, aren't you?? Alright, I'm gonna be there....
Jillanna

I look forward to seeing you there then :) I will be there and I am really looking forwards to it.

DaVid