Thread: Dance name

I hope I am putting this in the correct place.....

A few years ago I had a dance name. I was dancing with a troupe and everyone in the troupe took a dance name. When i left the troupe I dropped the name. I was only dancing for other dancers in Haflas so I really didn't feel the need for the dance name.

But now I am looking at dancing more. Maybe getting a web site. And my first name is spelled unique. I am afraid that I will be connected with my last name somehow (I don't know how, but I sure it can be done) and a stalker/weirdo will be able to find where I work. When you Google my full name everything about where I work comes up.

So my current dance teacher said Ashta was a good name for me.

Before I use it, does anyone know of any other dancers named Ashta? Especially on the East Coast?
I believe it means cream in Egyptian Arabic? Am I correct?
Does it mean anything in Turkish?
I don't want to take the same name I had years ago. I have grown so much since then that I feel like it doesn't fit anymore.

Or should I use the old name?

I think Ashta may be a variant of Eshta, but I can't think of what it means right now - I'm sure someone with a better memory will speak up :)

Do you like the old name you used or would you prefer something different?

I would prefer something different. I feel like I have changed so much.

Some one just e-mailed me and asked me if maybe it was supposed to be Eshta.
There is the chance my teacher spelled it worng and he meant Eshta but he spelled it Ashta. I will check with him.
I already know of an Eshta, so I hope he meant Ashta. I wouldn't want to take someone else's name :)

We have an Eshta here on Bhuz. Here website is Eshta Amar - Los Angeles based Belly Dancer. If you area in the same area she is you might want to look at a different name (she is in the LA area, I believe). It is my understanding that eshta does mean cream but can also be a code word for cocaine (as in the shaaby song Eshta Yaba)

Yup, I know Eshta! If I took her name I would hope that the costuming talents come with it! LOL!
No, I wouldn't want to take someone else's name.
Maybe I will use Ashta, nevermind the meaning. It is pretty. And different,

Just go t a message back from my teacher. He says it is Ashta.
?????
??
?
What the heck, it is pretty. I Googled Ashta Belly dancer and nothing came up. Should be fair game, right?

Originally Posted by CareyDances

Just go t a message back from my teacher. He says it is Ashta.
?????
??
?
What the heck, it is pretty. I Googled Ashta Belly dancer and nothing came up. Should be fair game, right?

I don't know for sure about the name he means, but it would depend more on how it's pronounced/how it's written in Arabic than how he spelled it in English. That something is translitterated with with an "a" in doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't be also translitterated with and "e"...and likewise "e" and "i" might be both used to translitterate the same sound/character sometimes. Depends on the accent/dialect and, more to the point, the translitteration system the individual is using. There are only three "short" vowels in the arabic language, (and to make it more complex, those often not seen in casual writing--you just need to know them contextually--and the differences in the sound of a short a, the longer a sound (different character) and the a dipthong may not be what you'd expect coming from English sounds.)

How's that for good and confusing?

Originally Posted by CareyDances

Just go t a message back from my teacher. He says it is Ashta.
?????
??
?
What the heck, it is pretty. I Googled Ashta Belly dancer and nothing came up. Should be fair game, right?

Carey, you are asking someone whose English and English spelling is still a work in progress. ..g.: Ashta = Eshta in this case. There is no one near here with that name (either spelling). I'd say go for it, it's pretty.

And like Eshta, you can always choose to use a second name. there are three tahira's who have made their names pretty well known. Two use last names. I just claim to be one of the rulers of the city. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help!!

Originally Posted by aamel_MirahAmmal

I don't know for sure about the name he means, but it would depend more on how it's pronounced/how it's written in Arabic than how he spelled it in English. That something is translitterated with with an "a" in doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't be also translitterated with and "e"...and likewise "e" and "i" might be both used to translitterate the same sound/character sometimes. Depends on the accent/dialect and, more to the point, the translitteration system the individual is using. There are only three "short" vowels in the arabic language, (and to make it more complex, those often not seen in casual writing--you just need to know them contextually--and the differences in the sound of a short a, the longer a sound (different character) and the a dipthong may not be what you'd expect coming from English sounds.)

How's that for good and confusing?

A little confusing, but it makes sense.....

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Carey, you are asking someone whose English and English spelling is still a work in progress. ..g.: Ashta = Eshta in this case. There is no one near here with that name (either spelling). I'd say go for it, it's pretty.

Thanks Samira.
You are right. I am going for it.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Carey, you are asking someone whose English and English spelling is still a work in progress. ..g.: Ashta = Eshta in this case. There is no one near here with that name (either spelling). I'd say go for it, it's pretty.

...This was what I suspected...