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North African bellydance DVD's/VHS

topic posted Tue, January 23, 2007 - 9:35 AM by  Nuru 		Share/Save/Bookmark
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Hi all

I took my first bellydance class this Monday with Camila Karam. I really loved the class and it was more then I expected. I'm wondering if anyone knows of or maybe selling some beginner DVD's on North African bellydance. I would really appreciate any advice.

Thanks
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Nuru
offline Nuru
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  • Valizan
    Valizan
    offline 427

    Re: North African bellydance DVD's/VHS

    Tue, January 23, 2007 - 12:47 PM
    Hiya Nuru,

    When you say "North African Bellydance" what do you mean?

    - North Africa is a large area that includes Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, and represents a lot of different styles of dance.

    - You say you took your first bellydance class this Monday (congrats!) but what did your teacher teach you? If she taught you basic raks, you can find beginner videos all over the net. Ask for recommendations.

    - When you ask for North African bellydance, I more likely think of North African folk dances. Aisha Ali's "Dances Of North Africa" or "Dances Of Egypt" would be the first place I'd point you. Ali spent a lot of time documenting the dances from a lot of different places in North Africa by filming them.

    www.aisha-ali.com

    V.
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    • Bran...
      Brandon F.
      offline 293

      Re: North African bellydance DVD's/VHS

      Wed, January 31, 2007 - 6:11 AM
      This is a very touchy subject to some folks, I brought it up in my tribe last year and got soem interesting feedback, because the ''home'' of bd, Egypt is located in North Africa, not the Middle East...and that's when the cans of whoop-ass got opened (in a good way). A spirited debate was started via PM by many folks on if N. African dance (bd-related) deserved more recognition or a simplistic seperate recognition of its own. Malika (DC) has also focused using the term ''North African'' a lot when discussion or lecturing folks about bellydance as well, I think at some point (especially dealing with a combo of bellydance and folkloric interpretations), ''North African dance'' or ''North African bellydance'' will be more of a mental and communication vehicle, but that's just me. Whether it carries over into videos, DVD's, CD's, a ''North African'' fusion-style remains to be seen, but I think would be highly welcomed, by dancers and audience alike.

      B.

      (Did I make any sense whatsoever, just now?) :D
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      • Valizan
        Valizan
        offline 427

        Re: North African bellydance DVD's/VHS

        Wed, January 31, 2007 - 9:15 AM
        You kinda made sense, yes, Brandon. :)

        When I hear the term, North African dance, i don't think of Raks Sharki. I think of Ouled Nail dances and Moroccan dances, Algerian pot dances and such.

        While I agree totally that Egypt is part of North Africa, they are much more associated with Araby. It is almost like the link between Turkey, Lebanon, Persia and the other Middle Eastern countries is bellydance. Because you don't tend to see Ouled Nail dances in those other countries, but you DO see Raks.
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