I have decided to retire the annual "Best Oriental Dans Videos on YouTube" article for good. If anyone wants to pick up where I've left off, you're welcome to! My fascination with oriental dans is not at an end, but hopefully I will soon be moving on to better things for which some sacrifice is required. All past articles - originally published on Yahoo Voices- are now on this blog. You can access them via the relevant labels in the cloud to the right. As consolation, here is the reigning queen of Tribal Fusion at her best. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube. Show all posts
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Monday, July 28, 2014
Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2013
(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on December 13, 2013. Links in this article were extracted then)
This year in bellydance has been phenomenal. The performances and choreography to be found on Youtube is superb. I started with about 400 videos and whittled them down - painfully - to the top 20. Unfortunately, not all styles of Oriental Dans enjoyed the same level of talent and skill this year. I had difficulty finding good videos of the more traditional forms of the dance. Either the filming itself was poor quality, or the costumes a little too revealing or sloppy, or the dance itself was not up to par. It seems, however, that Tribal Fusion is having a sort of glory days. An effort was provided to display the best of the best, as I do every year, and as great a variety as possible within that first over-ruling law. The videos are presented in no particular order. So, settle in and happy shimmies!
1. Youtube user blackzebra72 has uploaded "Mia Shauri Bellydance With Tamborine". This is easily one of the best examples of what the more traditional cabaret forms can be. Whoever was in charge of the music for this event obviously missed the end of the song and let it play through again. When it began playing a third time Mia, who must be exhausted, gives a shake of the head to indicate it should end. Thus, we find out that at least half this performance is improvisation. And it is delightful to watch repeatedly.
2. Illan Rivère gives us one of his own performances. This man from France is one of the best Tribal Fusion dancers practicing today. I never watch one of his dances without coming away in awe. He is breaking boundaries and carving out new directions for the dance constantly. In "Solo Illan. Tandem.", he is painted as if he were a golden image of some ancient god but moves as if he were actually made of rubber or water. This is the ultimate in Tribal Fusion bellydance.
3. Tori Halfon uploaded "Kami Liddle performs at The Massive Spectacular! 2011". Almost everything from the Massive Spectacular shows is amazing, and Kami Liddle is stellar. With her trademark fusion of Tribal Fusion bellydance with Modern dance, her graceful fluidity draws crowds from everywhere. When a Hall of Fame of Bellydance comes into existence, it is bound to include her.
4. From LongHairBellyDancer comes "Sadie belly dance (Sadie's complete belly dance)". Sadie shines best in her drum solo dances as has been seen in past articles of this type, but she excels at any style of cabaret. This video is classic Sadie.
5. Ebony Qualls pioneered the fusing of Tribal Fusion bellydance with hip hop and she has uploaded a wonderful group performance of just that. It is has the long, unwieldy name of "Hip Hop Bellydance - Tribal Fusion - Ebony and Raqs Caravan Urban - Rakkasah Spring Caravan". These girls are clearly having fun and so is the audience.
6. amiradance has uploaded her own dance (which is becoming increasingly common as Youtube gets tougher on copyright issues) with "Belly Dance tabla solo by Amira Abdi". This is just about the most traditional you can get in terms of cabaret: a bouncy, lively, full on assault of drums and flash and hips. Amira shows us how they are doing it in the Middle East with gusto.
7. Erson Cile gives us this remarkable performance by Giuliana that borders on but does not cross into Gothic Tribal dance. "Tribal Fusion Giuliana" seems like a fragment of a dark and memorable dream. This is superb dancing. Tough minded, hard-edged, drawing heavily from the flamenco influences on Tribal dance and technically near to perfect, this video gets better with repeated viewing.
8. Tori Halfon strikes again with another Massive Spectacular performance. "Deb Rubin peforms at The Massive Spectacular! 2011" is one video I will be coming back to in the future. Deb's bedlah is beautiful and the song she is dancing to is contemporary and powerfully evocative on its own (the song is called "In The Tower" by DeVotchKa. There's a poem hidden in that song, waiting to be teased out, but I digress). Her lines are so clean that it is as if every movement were ready made for a photographer. As we all know keeping the line clean is all important in dance. This performance enthralls me.
9. Zoe Jakes was on fire this year! Tori Halfon gives us this unusual performance that represents something new in Zoe's dance, "Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular!". It seemed that this year, Zoe was all about taking her art to the next level by turning her dances into stories. In this video, we run the gamut of emotions. The dancing itself is hypnotic. Halfway through, she pulls out the familiar beast to a Beats Antique song she has made classic.
10. missakiwikawaii uploaded "impro tribal/hip-hop". This video is made all the more exciting by what that title suggests - that it was not choreographed, but is improvisation. That is difficult to wrap your head around when you watch this. Léa N'Kaoua takes Ebony's idea of fusing hip hop with Tribal Fusion Bellydance, throws in some Gothic Tribal influence, and does something spellbinding, something you wouldn't believe if it hadn't been captured on video. Don't look away and try not to blink or you will miss something incredible.
11. IrinaDances gives us her own work that is always amazing. Irina is well on her way to bellydance superstardom and this video "Bellydance Fusion by Irina Akulenko" illustrates why. You might recall her sword dance as the personification of Justice in 2011's article. This year she dances to what sounds like a modern twist on Native American flute music.
12. You can't get much more authentic than Tamar Bar-Gil's offer of "Tamar Bar-gil - raks baladi". This is a form of cabaret bellydance. Tamar dances it as it was meant to be. Raks baladi is Arabic for "country dance" and this is it. I love this. Tamar gives it her heart and soul. Technicality is not her focus - she's more about just dancing for the enjoyment of it - but she's not lacking in technical skill either. This is refreshing to watch.
13. Kami Liddle (yes, that Kami Liddle) uploaded "Gold Star directed by Kami Liddle at Tribal Fest 2013". It is a group dance that embodies Kami's style and is pure fun. Zoe Jakes is also part of Gold Star for this performance as well as several other famous names in bellydance. These ladies are lovely and excellent. They define fabulous.
14. Tori Halfon must be very much involved in the Massive Spectacular! shows. Another video by that user is "Mira Betz performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular! Las Vegas". Mira Betz is one of the most well known names in bellydance and for good reason. Her style is a combination of Tribal Fusion dance and modern/interpretive dance. She loves to tell stories with her choreography. Here she gives us the muses as dancers. I love this performance for so many reasons. I'm sure you will, too.
15. ProduccionesPelusas uploaded "Eva Sampedro - Tribal Fusion Dance (Mission & Turkish Percussion Darbuka) (15-12-2012).mov". (There does seem to be a trend toward ridiculously long names for videos.) If there is such a thing as unadulterated, straight-on Tribal Fusion Bellydance, this is it. This has almost a vintage feel about it in everything, from the bedlah, to the music, to the lighting, and the choreography. Eva executes it as if she was born dancing.
16. Tori Halfon had most of the best videos this year, including "Joline Andrade performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular!" Joline has some of the most precise and cleanest lines in bellydance and she knows how to use them. It seems likely that she also studies ballet in order to keep them so very strong. In this dance, she pulls out classic poses drawn straight from ancient Egyptian paintings and Indian dance. That last pose alone is worth the video's place in this article. Well done, Joline!
17. Youtube user diliuke has been attending some bellydance competitions and uploaded our last cabaret video, "1st place in competition 'Queen of the Pyramid' 2010. Bellydancer Dovile from Lithuania (Kaunas)". Dovile is dancing to classic music from the Bellydance Superstars tours. Her dancing is almost too precise for cabaret. This is strong dancing, stronger than has been seen from cabaret in general lately, and that is encouraging. She dances with passion, but also manages to get the audience going as well. And her bedlah is gorgeous. This video represents hope that cabaret bellydance will pull out of its current slump.
18. Tribal UMRAH Festival uploaded the teacher's performance for us. "Rachel Brice & Illan @ Tribal Umrah 2012" has the two biggest names in Tribal Fusion dance working together in the same performance, Rachel Brice who invented Tribal Fusion and Illan who is the best male bellydancer in Tribal today. The result is astounding. I could never tire of this dance!
19. Again, here is Zoe Jakes to tell us a remarkable story in a dance that is possibly her best performance of the year. Tori Halfon uploaded "Zoe Jakes Fusion Belly Dance performed at the Massive Spectacular! 2013". This starts with the new side to Zoe's dancing that she has been developing this year, but ends with typical Zoe as we have come to know her until now. Fun stuff.
20. Rachel Brice (again yes, that Rachel Brice) has uploaded a group dance for us titled "Rachel Brice's Datura at Tribal Fest 13 - Full Set". Rachel choreographed, directed, and appears in a rollicking fun Tribal dance that includes some of the biggest names in bellydance, such as Ashley Lopez and Gothic Tribal legend Morgan Fey. The audience is on board before the dancing begins and it gets louder as it goes. This is what they have been waiting for. The dancing can't be beat. Every girl brings her best. And the sari skirts at the end was an inspired choice.
I hope you felt the need to zaghareet after every one of these videos. I did! Personally, I'm so excited for what 2014 will bring in bellydance! See you next year.
(Due to the shutdown of Yahoo! Voices on July 31, 2014, there will be no article of Best of Oriental Dans for 2014. The series will resume in 2015 on this blog.)
This year in bellydance has been phenomenal. The performances and choreography to be found on Youtube is superb. I started with about 400 videos and whittled them down - painfully - to the top 20. Unfortunately, not all styles of Oriental Dans enjoyed the same level of talent and skill this year. I had difficulty finding good videos of the more traditional forms of the dance. Either the filming itself was poor quality, or the costumes a little too revealing or sloppy, or the dance itself was not up to par. It seems, however, that Tribal Fusion is having a sort of glory days. An effort was provided to display the best of the best, as I do every year, and as great a variety as possible within that first over-ruling law. The videos are presented in no particular order. So, settle in and happy shimmies!
1. Youtube user blackzebra72 has uploaded "Mia Shauri Bellydance With Tamborine". This is easily one of the best examples of what the more traditional cabaret forms can be. Whoever was in charge of the music for this event obviously missed the end of the song and let it play through again. When it began playing a third time Mia, who must be exhausted, gives a shake of the head to indicate it should end. Thus, we find out that at least half this performance is improvisation. And it is delightful to watch repeatedly.
2. Illan Rivère gives us one of his own performances. This man from France is one of the best Tribal Fusion dancers practicing today. I never watch one of his dances without coming away in awe. He is breaking boundaries and carving out new directions for the dance constantly. In "Solo Illan. Tandem.", he is painted as if he were a golden image of some ancient god but moves as if he were actually made of rubber or water. This is the ultimate in Tribal Fusion bellydance.
3. Tori Halfon uploaded "Kami Liddle performs at The Massive Spectacular! 2011". Almost everything from the Massive Spectacular shows is amazing, and Kami Liddle is stellar. With her trademark fusion of Tribal Fusion bellydance with Modern dance, her graceful fluidity draws crowds from everywhere. When a Hall of Fame of Bellydance comes into existence, it is bound to include her.
4. From LongHairBellyDancer comes "Sadie belly dance (Sadie's complete belly dance)". Sadie shines best in her drum solo dances as has been seen in past articles of this type, but she excels at any style of cabaret. This video is classic Sadie.
5. Ebony Qualls pioneered the fusing of Tribal Fusion bellydance with hip hop and she has uploaded a wonderful group performance of just that. It is has the long, unwieldy name of "Hip Hop Bellydance - Tribal Fusion - Ebony and Raqs Caravan Urban - Rakkasah Spring Caravan". These girls are clearly having fun and so is the audience.
6. amiradance has uploaded her own dance (which is becoming increasingly common as Youtube gets tougher on copyright issues) with "Belly Dance tabla solo by Amira Abdi". This is just about the most traditional you can get in terms of cabaret: a bouncy, lively, full on assault of drums and flash and hips. Amira shows us how they are doing it in the Middle East with gusto.
7. Erson Cile gives us this remarkable performance by Giuliana that borders on but does not cross into Gothic Tribal dance. "Tribal Fusion Giuliana" seems like a fragment of a dark and memorable dream. This is superb dancing. Tough minded, hard-edged, drawing heavily from the flamenco influences on Tribal dance and technically near to perfect, this video gets better with repeated viewing.
8. Tori Halfon strikes again with another Massive Spectacular performance. "Deb Rubin peforms at The Massive Spectacular! 2011" is one video I will be coming back to in the future. Deb's bedlah is beautiful and the song she is dancing to is contemporary and powerfully evocative on its own (the song is called "In The Tower" by DeVotchKa. There's a poem hidden in that song, waiting to be teased out, but I digress). Her lines are so clean that it is as if every movement were ready made for a photographer. As we all know keeping the line clean is all important in dance. This performance enthralls me.
9. Zoe Jakes was on fire this year! Tori Halfon gives us this unusual performance that represents something new in Zoe's dance, "Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular!". It seemed that this year, Zoe was all about taking her art to the next level by turning her dances into stories. In this video, we run the gamut of emotions. The dancing itself is hypnotic. Halfway through, she pulls out the familiar beast to a Beats Antique song she has made classic.
10. missakiwikawaii uploaded "impro tribal/hip-hop". This video is made all the more exciting by what that title suggests - that it was not choreographed, but is improvisation. That is difficult to wrap your head around when you watch this. Léa N'Kaoua takes Ebony's idea of fusing hip hop with Tribal Fusion Bellydance, throws in some Gothic Tribal influence, and does something spellbinding, something you wouldn't believe if it hadn't been captured on video. Don't look away and try not to blink or you will miss something incredible.
11. IrinaDances gives us her own work that is always amazing. Irina is well on her way to bellydance superstardom and this video "Bellydance Fusion by Irina Akulenko" illustrates why. You might recall her sword dance as the personification of Justice in 2011's article. This year she dances to what sounds like a modern twist on Native American flute music.
12. You can't get much more authentic than Tamar Bar-Gil's offer of "Tamar Bar-gil - raks baladi". This is a form of cabaret bellydance. Tamar dances it as it was meant to be. Raks baladi is Arabic for "country dance" and this is it. I love this. Tamar gives it her heart and soul. Technicality is not her focus - she's more about just dancing for the enjoyment of it - but she's not lacking in technical skill either. This is refreshing to watch.
13. Kami Liddle (yes, that Kami Liddle) uploaded "Gold Star directed by Kami Liddle at Tribal Fest 2013". It is a group dance that embodies Kami's style and is pure fun. Zoe Jakes is also part of Gold Star for this performance as well as several other famous names in bellydance. These ladies are lovely and excellent. They define fabulous.
14. Tori Halfon must be very much involved in the Massive Spectacular! shows. Another video by that user is "Mira Betz performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular! Las Vegas". Mira Betz is one of the most well known names in bellydance and for good reason. Her style is a combination of Tribal Fusion dance and modern/interpretive dance. She loves to tell stories with her choreography. Here she gives us the muses as dancers. I love this performance for so many reasons. I'm sure you will, too.
15. ProduccionesPelusas uploaded "Eva Sampedro - Tribal Fusion Dance (Mission & Turkish Percussion Darbuka) (15-12-2012).mov". (There does seem to be a trend toward ridiculously long names for videos.) If there is such a thing as unadulterated, straight-on Tribal Fusion Bellydance, this is it. This has almost a vintage feel about it in everything, from the bedlah, to the music, to the lighting, and the choreography. Eva executes it as if she was born dancing.
16. Tori Halfon had most of the best videos this year, including "Joline Andrade performs Fusion Belly Dance at the Massive Spectacular!" Joline has some of the most precise and cleanest lines in bellydance and she knows how to use them. It seems likely that she also studies ballet in order to keep them so very strong. In this dance, she pulls out classic poses drawn straight from ancient Egyptian paintings and Indian dance. That last pose alone is worth the video's place in this article. Well done, Joline!
17. Youtube user diliuke has been attending some bellydance competitions and uploaded our last cabaret video, "1st place in competition 'Queen of the Pyramid' 2010. Bellydancer Dovile from Lithuania (Kaunas)". Dovile is dancing to classic music from the Bellydance Superstars tours. Her dancing is almost too precise for cabaret. This is strong dancing, stronger than has been seen from cabaret in general lately, and that is encouraging. She dances with passion, but also manages to get the audience going as well. And her bedlah is gorgeous. This video represents hope that cabaret bellydance will pull out of its current slump.
18. Tribal UMRAH Festival uploaded the teacher's performance for us. "Rachel Brice & Illan @ Tribal Umrah 2012" has the two biggest names in Tribal Fusion dance working together in the same performance, Rachel Brice who invented Tribal Fusion and Illan who is the best male bellydancer in Tribal today. The result is astounding. I could never tire of this dance!
19. Again, here is Zoe Jakes to tell us a remarkable story in a dance that is possibly her best performance of the year. Tori Halfon uploaded "Zoe Jakes Fusion Belly Dance performed at the Massive Spectacular! 2013". This starts with the new side to Zoe's dancing that she has been developing this year, but ends with typical Zoe as we have come to know her until now. Fun stuff.
20. Rachel Brice (again yes, that Rachel Brice) has uploaded a group dance for us titled "Rachel Brice's Datura at Tribal Fest 13 - Full Set". Rachel choreographed, directed, and appears in a rollicking fun Tribal dance that includes some of the biggest names in bellydance, such as Ashley Lopez and Gothic Tribal legend Morgan Fey. The audience is on board before the dancing begins and it gets louder as it goes. This is what they have been waiting for. The dancing can't be beat. Every girl brings her best. And the sari skirts at the end was an inspired choice.
I hope you felt the need to zaghareet after every one of these videos. I did! Personally, I'm so excited for what 2014 will bring in bellydance! See you next year.
(Due to the shutdown of Yahoo! Voices on July 31, 2014, there will be no article of Best of Oriental Dans for 2014. The series will resume in 2015 on this blog.)
Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2012
(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on January 6, 2013. Links in this article were extracted then)
It is that time again, folks! Time to list the best videos on Youtube of Oriental Dans for 2012. Which made the list? Let's see!
This year, I made an effort to narrow the videos down to fewer than the 2011 list. This has made it incredibly hard to choose and some very high quality performances sadly had to be left out. The result was a list that is a little less varied than past lists have been, but that includes performances by male dancers. Often when people think of Oriental Dans they assume it is a form of dance only for females, but traditionally it is performed by both genders. These male dancers show us just what people in general are missing!
Let's get straight to the videos. Listed in no particular order, they represent the crème of the crop of what is happening in belly dance today. These videos demonstrate the skill, artistry, passion, athleticism, and fun embodied by the dance. They also display at least some of the many subgenres within Oriental Dans and how the art continues to grow and stretch as the dancers experiment more and more with it. Happy shimmies!
1. "Inga Peterman Tribal Prague 2012", uploaded by tribalPRAGUE: This video shows us the talent that Germany has to offer in a performance of classic Tribal Fusion. Almost everyone who dabbles in the Tribal Fusion form has danced to the music, but Inga's choreography is flawless and lightly executed. Her bedlah is fabulous and her striking hair makes a performance that is fun and bears up to repeated watching. http://youtu.be/sDfbe6_hjh0
2. "Irina - Tribal Fusion Bellydance improvisation - World Dance New York", uploaded by StudioEast: I have to admit that Irina is always a favorite with me. I have never seen a performance of hers yet that wasn't absolutely stellar. This one is no different. Her choreography is always well thought out, subtle, and effortless-looking. I think someone said in the comments section that this is what Angelina Jolie would look like as a belly dancer. At any rate, she is a first class artist and this list would be incomplete without her. http://youtu.be/Az7bzVcLMSM
3. "Zoe Jakes", uploaded by IvanitaM09: This is classic Zoe Jakes, show-casing her unique style, and as usual, pairing it with the music of Beats Antique. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, this Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veteran has sass and wit. She dances with an edge, putting her personality and humor into every performance. If you want attitude, you got it. As the years go by, this style continues to evolve. She continues to astound and delight a loyal fan base. Watch and see why. http://youtu.be/OUJaJDZV95w
4. This video has a name in Arabic script that Blogger won't seem to accept. It is uploaded by supersa7ab: For a change of pace away from Tribal Fusion to something traditional, this video shows us how it's done in the Middle East. Unfortunately, there is no information given as to who the dancer is. Nevertheless, she is a perfect example of the art in its traditional cabaret form. There is not a single step or muscle movement misplaced here. This kind of dancing inspires every other subgenre of Oriental Dans out there. http://youtu.be/IrObpINmg8s
5. "Illan. Solo 1. Berlin 2011.", uploaded by illanriviere: Here is one of the male dancers on this list. Shot at the 8th Sommer Festival in Berlin, this video is spectacular. While the movements of belly dance seem to be invented with the female form in mind, the naturally superior physical strength of the male body means that male dancers can sometimes perform with more stamina than the female dancer can. The male dancer is often more technically precise. The results can be breathtaking! This particular performance is fantastic. I can't take my eyes off it. http://youtu.be/vS0xL7jAlP4
6. "Rachel Brice", uploaded by maja1785: This is my fifth annual list and somehow Rachel Brice always lands a spot. The reason is simple: she is one of the best! This mesmerizing choreography is an example why. Each muscle, each movement, is a graceful work of art. Even the way she places her feet on the floor. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is slack. This woman must literally live in a dance studio in front of those mirrors to have this kind of utter control. Yet it looks so natural, so easy to her! As if she is simply out for a stroll in her neighborhood! How can she not be on this list? http://youtu.be/NpEzfo90L6I
7. "Bellydance Superstars Tribal Fusions - L'art exotique du Bellydance - Moria Chapell", uploaded by gothla: This video made it into the list for several reasons. Primarily, it is one of the best performances by Belly Dance Superstar Tour veteran Moria Chapell that I've seen. Secondly, I was enchanted by the idea of Oriental Dans to bagpipes. Thirdly, it features the ever-smiling Issam Houshan on the tabla, who is well known and beloved in the belly dance world. The combination of these three things made it irresistible. http://youtu.be/ALa8TaSxKIY
8. "Belly Dancing Drum solo Festival Del Mar 2011 Melaque, Jalisco Mexico", uploaded by Uought2BeinPictures: A high-energy traditional cabaret solo performance that will leave you out of breath and a little in awe. Alida shows her dance troupe how it is done and is clearly a crowd favorite. I am almost exhausted by the end of this one and impressed with Mexico's Oriental Dans scene. http://youtu.be/87-dHI9OOiY
9. "Kami Liddle at Tribal Fusion Faire 2008", uploaded by Kami Liddle: Kami Liddle is one of my favorite dancers. Her choreography here is relaxed and not fully representative of her skills, but that's not to say that it is sloppy. By no means! She just chose to withhold a little for this performance, to understate. The music, however, is delightfully fun and sexy. Kami's facial expressions are as much a part of this dance as her body - and who can resist the humor of wearing hieroglyphics on her skirt? Yep, that's Kami! http://youtu.be/zur9fEl7yh4
10. "Beats Antiques8", uploaded by mustangdeet: A dance troupe that includes Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, and a pregnant Mira Betz rocks this dark stage in San Francisco on New Year's Eve 2012 (by which I assume is meant December 31, 2011). Once again, this is epic belly dance with attitude. Mira skirts the edges of what is safe choreography for mothers-to-be with fearlessness. The troupe supports her so beautifully that one has to know what to look for to notice how that situation is worked with and incorporated. This is magic. What can possibly be better than a Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veteran dancer? A whole troupe of them! http://youtu.be/UAlt6_sjLnM
11. "AL RACHID DOBLE VELO VIOLIN", uploaded by semidiosdragon: This is the second of the male dancers on this list. Al Rachid is one of the most famous Oriental Dans performers in the world and this video is ample proof why. Think a man can't handle a veil? Think again. His spins are outrageously amazing. This iconic music is challenging for any dancer to choreograph, but he does so with seeming ease. He makes dancing a double veil look like child's play and yet retains a very definite masculinity throughout. If I had a top five, this would be in it. http://youtu.be/t_JTdEN0uC8
12. "Sadie Marquardt Belly Dance", uploaded by avihass: World famous and truly lovely, Sadie Marquardt demonstrates Egyptian style cabaret in this video. Drum solos are perhaps her forte and especially her wide variety of shimmies. Everything she does is classy, from her choreography to her bedlahs. She is belly dancing's sweetheart. http://youtu.be/vPRySHJZOtQ
13. "Kami Liddle & Zoe Jakes perform at The Massive Spectacular! 2011", uploaded by DaughtersofDurga: Shot in Las Vegas, March 2011, Kami Liddle and Zoe Jakes continue to redefine Tribal Fusion with a duet that highlights their personalities even as they dance together. This performance is quirky, fun, and serious at the same time - everything that Tribal Fusion is. Basically, I get the feeling of a couple of friends who are just enjoying being with each other. The fact that the dance turned out incredible- well, that's just frosting on the cake! http://youtu.be/K97Wjs4DUdM
14. "Angelina @ Ya Helwa", uploaded by badkittylulu: This is a performance of gypsy dance and it is a fun one! Angelina is so bouncy. It's easy to see she's enjoying herself and the music. She has clearly put some real research into her gestures. The repetition of movement is perfect. The bedlah is beautiful. In all, this is a performance to make the heart happy! http://youtu.be/yoyFq8ectw4
15. "Strung Out por Joline Andrade | João Pessoa - Brasil", uploaded by Egyptianpb: This video would also be in the top five if I had that. Recorded on August 27, 2011 at the Egyptian Show in Brazil, Joline Andrade delivers a performance that is so strong that its imagery gets stuck in the mind. Her bedlah is lovely, not overdone. Her lines are strong. Everything about this is well done. I've never been able to watch this just once! http://youtu.be/qUIlOflOgzo
It is that time again, folks! Time to list the best videos on Youtube of Oriental Dans for 2012. Which made the list? Let's see!
This year, I made an effort to narrow the videos down to fewer than the 2011 list. This has made it incredibly hard to choose and some very high quality performances sadly had to be left out. The result was a list that is a little less varied than past lists have been, but that includes performances by male dancers. Often when people think of Oriental Dans they assume it is a form of dance only for females, but traditionally it is performed by both genders. These male dancers show us just what people in general are missing!
Let's get straight to the videos. Listed in no particular order, they represent the crème of the crop of what is happening in belly dance today. These videos demonstrate the skill, artistry, passion, athleticism, and fun embodied by the dance. They also display at least some of the many subgenres within Oriental Dans and how the art continues to grow and stretch as the dancers experiment more and more with it. Happy shimmies!
1. "Inga Peterman Tribal Prague 2012", uploaded by tribalPRAGUE: This video shows us the talent that Germany has to offer in a performance of classic Tribal Fusion. Almost everyone who dabbles in the Tribal Fusion form has danced to the music, but Inga's choreography is flawless and lightly executed. Her bedlah is fabulous and her striking hair makes a performance that is fun and bears up to repeated watching. http://youtu.be/sDfbe6_hjh0
2. "Irina - Tribal Fusion Bellydance improvisation - World Dance New York", uploaded by StudioEast: I have to admit that Irina is always a favorite with me. I have never seen a performance of hers yet that wasn't absolutely stellar. This one is no different. Her choreography is always well thought out, subtle, and effortless-looking. I think someone said in the comments section that this is what Angelina Jolie would look like as a belly dancer. At any rate, she is a first class artist and this list would be incomplete without her. http://youtu.be/Az7bzVcLMSM
3. "Zoe Jakes", uploaded by IvanitaM09: This is classic Zoe Jakes, show-casing her unique style, and as usual, pairing it with the music of Beats Antique. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, this Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veteran has sass and wit. She dances with an edge, putting her personality and humor into every performance. If you want attitude, you got it. As the years go by, this style continues to evolve. She continues to astound and delight a loyal fan base. Watch and see why. http://youtu.be/OUJaJDZV95w
4. This video has a name in Arabic script that Blogger won't seem to accept. It is uploaded by supersa7ab: For a change of pace away from Tribal Fusion to something traditional, this video shows us how it's done in the Middle East. Unfortunately, there is no information given as to who the dancer is. Nevertheless, she is a perfect example of the art in its traditional cabaret form. There is not a single step or muscle movement misplaced here. This kind of dancing inspires every other subgenre of Oriental Dans out there. http://youtu.be/IrObpINmg8s
5. "Illan. Solo 1. Berlin 2011.", uploaded by illanriviere: Here is one of the male dancers on this list. Shot at the 8th Sommer Festival in Berlin, this video is spectacular. While the movements of belly dance seem to be invented with the female form in mind, the naturally superior physical strength of the male body means that male dancers can sometimes perform with more stamina than the female dancer can. The male dancer is often more technically precise. The results can be breathtaking! This particular performance is fantastic. I can't take my eyes off it. http://youtu.be/vS0xL7jAlP4
6. "Rachel Brice", uploaded by maja1785: This is my fifth annual list and somehow Rachel Brice always lands a spot. The reason is simple: she is one of the best! This mesmerizing choreography is an example why. Each muscle, each movement, is a graceful work of art. Even the way she places her feet on the floor. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is slack. This woman must literally live in a dance studio in front of those mirrors to have this kind of utter control. Yet it looks so natural, so easy to her! As if she is simply out for a stroll in her neighborhood! How can she not be on this list? http://youtu.be/NpEzfo90L6I
7. "Bellydance Superstars Tribal Fusions - L'art exotique du Bellydance - Moria Chapell", uploaded by gothla: This video made it into the list for several reasons. Primarily, it is one of the best performances by Belly Dance Superstar Tour veteran Moria Chapell that I've seen. Secondly, I was enchanted by the idea of Oriental Dans to bagpipes. Thirdly, it features the ever-smiling Issam Houshan on the tabla, who is well known and beloved in the belly dance world. The combination of these three things made it irresistible. http://youtu.be/ALa8TaSxKIY
8. "Belly Dancing Drum solo Festival Del Mar 2011 Melaque, Jalisco Mexico", uploaded by Uought2BeinPictures: A high-energy traditional cabaret solo performance that will leave you out of breath and a little in awe. Alida shows her dance troupe how it is done and is clearly a crowd favorite. I am almost exhausted by the end of this one and impressed with Mexico's Oriental Dans scene. http://youtu.be/87-dHI9OOiY
9. "Kami Liddle at Tribal Fusion Faire 2008", uploaded by Kami Liddle: Kami Liddle is one of my favorite dancers. Her choreography here is relaxed and not fully representative of her skills, but that's not to say that it is sloppy. By no means! She just chose to withhold a little for this performance, to understate. The music, however, is delightfully fun and sexy. Kami's facial expressions are as much a part of this dance as her body - and who can resist the humor of wearing hieroglyphics on her skirt? Yep, that's Kami! http://youtu.be/zur9fEl7yh4
10. "Beats Antiques8", uploaded by mustangdeet: A dance troupe that includes Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle, and a pregnant Mira Betz rocks this dark stage in San Francisco on New Year's Eve 2012 (by which I assume is meant December 31, 2011). Once again, this is epic belly dance with attitude. Mira skirts the edges of what is safe choreography for mothers-to-be with fearlessness. The troupe supports her so beautifully that one has to know what to look for to notice how that situation is worked with and incorporated. This is magic. What can possibly be better than a Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veteran dancer? A whole troupe of them! http://youtu.be/UAlt6_sjLnM
11. "AL RACHID DOBLE VELO VIOLIN", uploaded by semidiosdragon: This is the second of the male dancers on this list. Al Rachid is one of the most famous Oriental Dans performers in the world and this video is ample proof why. Think a man can't handle a veil? Think again. His spins are outrageously amazing. This iconic music is challenging for any dancer to choreograph, but he does so with seeming ease. He makes dancing a double veil look like child's play and yet retains a very definite masculinity throughout. If I had a top five, this would be in it. http://youtu.be/t_JTdEN0uC8
12. "Sadie Marquardt Belly Dance", uploaded by avihass: World famous and truly lovely, Sadie Marquardt demonstrates Egyptian style cabaret in this video. Drum solos are perhaps her forte and especially her wide variety of shimmies. Everything she does is classy, from her choreography to her bedlahs. She is belly dancing's sweetheart. http://youtu.be/vPRySHJZOtQ
13. "Kami Liddle & Zoe Jakes perform at The Massive Spectacular! 2011", uploaded by DaughtersofDurga: Shot in Las Vegas, March 2011, Kami Liddle and Zoe Jakes continue to redefine Tribal Fusion with a duet that highlights their personalities even as they dance together. This performance is quirky, fun, and serious at the same time - everything that Tribal Fusion is. Basically, I get the feeling of a couple of friends who are just enjoying being with each other. The fact that the dance turned out incredible- well, that's just frosting on the cake! http://youtu.be/K97Wjs4DUdM
14. "Angelina @ Ya Helwa", uploaded by badkittylulu: This is a performance of gypsy dance and it is a fun one! Angelina is so bouncy. It's easy to see she's enjoying herself and the music. She has clearly put some real research into her gestures. The repetition of movement is perfect. The bedlah is beautiful. In all, this is a performance to make the heart happy! http://youtu.be/yoyFq8ectw4
15. "Strung Out por Joline Andrade | João Pessoa - Brasil", uploaded by Egyptianpb: This video would also be in the top five if I had that. Recorded on August 27, 2011 at the Egyptian Show in Brazil, Joline Andrade delivers a performance that is so strong that its imagery gets stuck in the mind. Her bedlah is lovely, not overdone. Her lines are strong. Everything about this is well done. I've never been able to watch this just once! http://youtu.be/qUIlOflOgzo
Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2011
(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on October 21, 2011. The links in this article were extracted then)
It is near the end of the year again. And that means that it is time to list the top Oriental Dans videos on Youtube.com for 2011.
This year, I made an effort to include what is going on in the Middle East as well as in the West. While most practicers of the ancient art can be found outside the Middle East today- Russia now boasts the most famous school of belly dance in the world and there are more dancers in the U.S. now than in all of the Middle East- it is important to remember that the dance scene there is still a vibrant one. In fact, Cairo, Egypt remains the holy city of belly dance, as it were. Every dancer hopes to perform in Cairo one day. As the mother of the dance, the Middle East has much to teach us concerning the art. You will notice that the various styles of dance there are less concerned with precise choreography, costuming, and skill than elsewhere. Instead, the focus is on the emotion and joy of the dance. And, since belly dance can be a storytelling dance, the instinctive understanding of the native tongues and rhythms of the music lend an easier quality to the performances than the carefully studied and even more carefully applied efforts elsewhere. Both the native expressions and the ever evolving styles of the West represent beautiful, artful performances of a dance as long in history as human life is and all are pure joy to watch and participate in.
So let's get to the videos! I have listed them here in no particular order or arrangement. Each year that I endeavor to make this list it becomes harder to narrow down the number included. The popularity of Oriental Dans is growing and it is even beginning to take a place in mainstream culture that it has never had outside of its countries of origin. This year, there are 28 videos of joyful, bouncing, intense, and sultry performances. Have fun!
1. I start out with a bit of cabaret. Youtube user RahelClaman has uploaded for us a video of presumably one of her own performances that she has titled "Rahel Bellydancing at VFS Impact Awards 2010". This is a three-part performance featuring familiar songs from the Belly Dance Super Stars canon: the first song is "Warda", followed by "Sahra Saidi", and finishing with "Sexy Saidi". This is an excellent example of cabaret in the West and what most folks commonly think of when presented with the words belly dance. Rahel is sweet, graceful, skilled, and wonderful to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejhct4mBy5Q&feature=channel_video_title
2. Next is a bit of American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance (a uniquely American take on Oriental Dans). User danomoon offers us a view of his wife's dance troupe WildCard BellyDance. He has titled this video as "WildCard BellyDance - Tribal Style Hafla 2011" and it gives us the group-feel inherent in that style. In this ensemble dance, both zills and swords come out to play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBJrdH3_g7w&list=FLxtmPHopi2cvhUfICpcOW5A&index=1&feature=plpp
3. Ansuya Rathor is one of the most celebrated dancers performing today and is a regular on the Belly Dance Super Stars Tour. User dreamtymefilms has uploaded for us a fairly good sampling of her cabaret fusion style that they call "DreamTyme Bellydance Presents: Ansuya Rathor on Maui". Besides Ansuya's energetic and mesmerizing skill, what I really enjoy about this piece is that one can actually hear the beautiful zing of the zills. Usually, the overdubbing of the music later silences such nuances, but here they ring out clearly. And that is appropriate since Ansuya is possibly the most skilled with zills in the West. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnteZZnOv4&feature=related
4. Now for a taste of the Middle East in our list. User sheihamar gives us Sabah performing happily with her orchestra in Israel. "Orit Maftsir!!! Sabah's Yana Yana" is a joyful experience. I love the way Sabah sings along as she dances. Clearly, this is a dancer who enjoys her work and she is good at it, too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjCBoJFGApQ
5. Over the years, Tribal Fusion (an outgrowth of ATS and the most popular form of Oriental Dans on Youtube) has continued to evolve as more and more is fused into the style, so we will see as we continue down our list. User genocida gives us Morgana performing her interpretation of the Immortal Serpent legend: "Immortal Serpent - Morgana (2006)". Morgana usually performs the Gothic style, but this is much less dark and sometimes one forgets that she is human and not a snake! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoarXuaYjGI&feature=related
6. In the world of belly dance, Petite Jamilla (another veteran of the Belly Dance Super Stars Tour) is known as the Queen of Turns or the Spinning Queen. User aaishayunuen's "Petite Jamilla" aptly demonstrates why. It also is an example of the diverse musical styles that are finding their way into the belly dance repertoire. For this performance, Petite Jamilla chose "Ajaja" by Ramses, a prog-rock band from Germany who often uses Middle Eastern rhythms in their music as well as Arabic song titles. Notice there are two veils in this performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KIII7g8-WQ
7. User PersephoneUnderw0rld uploaded the next video on our list. This is Tribal Fusion in its typical evolved form. Sherri (a.k.a. Cherchez La Femme) mesmerizes her audience with an intense solo performance and (as always with Sherri) fantastic music. Her bedlah (costume) almost reminds one of an owl and what hooked me is the opening few seconds. Does anyone else remember the 1980s Jim Henson film "Dark Crystal"? Then you'll recognize those first few haunting notes. It is also nice that one can hear the tinkling of her hip scarf and other ornamentation on her bedlah. To fully enjoy "SHERRI at TRIBAL CHIC'S SHOW (2 of 2) Luz de Gas, Barcelona", I recommend getting a firm hold on your chair. You just might forget where you are! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aBXBYhnHog&feature=feedrec_grec_index
8. More cabaret in this video and the most beautiful bedlah I've ever seen! User nucleoddv shares with us Ju Marconato of Brazil doing her stuff. In "JU MARCONATO BELLY DANCE", we get a very nice sampling of her take on the smooth, graceful methods of the Egyptian style. Well done, Ju! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVT53PG0fcg&list=FLxtmPHopi2cvhUfICpcOW5A&index=3&feature=plpp
9. The lady in this video needs no introduction in the belly dance world. The undisputed ruling queen of Tribal Fusion, Rachel Brice shows us how a drum solo should be danced in this video uploaded by taliajazel. "Rachel Brice insane belly dancing" is an example of why this Belly Dance Super Star is often imitated, never duplicated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDNCPR-u3rE&feature=feedrec_grec_index
10. Back to our Middle Eastern dancers, this is Fifi Abdou dancing with a live band. Fifi is a legend of the dance and you can easily see why. Her movements are easy, unforced, not over-thought. If one listens very, very closely, one does hear her zills at times. There is nothing shy in this clip. Fifi shows us what vitality is. User malikaalia's "Fifi Abdou Bellydancer" is worthy of repeat viewings- an excellent place to learn new moves to possibly incorporate into your own dances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvFJ7c_1t0g&feature=related
11. User 927272246 shares with us a sword dance worthy of a movie about Cleopatra. "Sword Belly dance" is an ensemble performance drenched in candle light. Watch out! There are a lot of swords here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhBB8OTccY
12. User MarimarBd has a reputation for top quality Oriental Dans videos and here is yet another example. "Sharon Kihara - Tribal Fusion Belly Dance" is a stunning example that belly dance, and in particular, Tribal Fusion, can be performed to anything. Sharon's music here is a combination of animal sounds and more. What she does with it is equally fascinating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRbjrug8Irw
13. User BellyJae offers us vintage Tribal Fusion in the form of Avasa. I first came across "Avasa" in 2006 and was fortunate to rediscover it by accident. The simplicity of both her movements and her bedlah speak to the era of Tribal Fusion to which it belongs. This video is all about attitude, and it is awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7X45EXe8r0&feature=feedrec_grec_index
14. "Petals of the Fire" uploaded by dervishashirin shows us what that world famous school in Russia is producing. This dynamic performance revs up the pulse and has something in common with interpretive dance. Christina Vlasova does an amazing mimicry here that you will watch over and over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqZ8GyF2qw&NR=1
15. User shakti10's "BELLYDANCER SAIDA -DERBAKE" shares the performance of one of the premiere belly dancers in the world today. Saida demonstrates dancing the derbake in Argentina. She is a good example of both the West and Middle Eastern aesthetics of the dance. Her skill is undeniable, her costume gorgeous, it is difficult to get more precise than this choreography; and yet the pure joy of dancing still shines through in her performances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJmBV47hm9w
16. User seraswan offers us "Sera Solstice: Rakassah West solo 2009" which demonstrates Tribal Fusion as the ever evolving art it is. Sera incorporates jazz dance into her style for a truly interesting and innovative dance that captures the viewer in wonder. I would really like to see more of this in the future. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPaAj1kUcd4&feature=related
17. User DaughtersofDurga has uploaded "Rachel Brice and Mardi Love Perform at The MASSIVE Spectacular! 2008". This features two members of the world famous dance troupe the Indigo, all of whom are Belly Dance Super Stars. In this performance, these amazing girls reach back to the beginning days of Tribal Fusion and show us a retrospective interpretation of the vintage style that they helped to create and continue to take to every imaginable level as it evolves. In fact, this piece has more in common with ATS than with Tribal Fusion as usually performed today. Clearly, they are just having fun with this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxiCQXBtHG0&feature=feedrec_grec_index
18. User ammura gives us a glimpse of belly dance queen Suheir Zaki in "Suheir Zaki". A legend of bellydance, Suheir shows us again the graceful, fun, and easy style of Egyptian cabaret. She has a modesty and fluidity to her dance (despite her bedlah, which is unusually revealing for a Middle Eastern dancer) that makes one think one is watching a ray of sunlight dancing in and out of shadows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu58AV6BsBo&feature=related
19. AmaliaMaya offers us one of her own performances with "Tribal Fusion Bellydance - Orientalia 2007". Amalia demonstrates Tribal Fusion with a fearless, take-no-prisoners attitude. Her bedlah is striking, particularly the headpiece. And I really like her choices of music for this. The overall effect is almost intimidating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ez8dhip_U&feature=feedrec_grec_index
20. wannabeonutubetoo gives us another performance by Petite Jamilla in the upload "Petite Jamilla Bellydance Superstars". I really love Jamilla's pants here. And her performance is splendid, almost exhausting. Here the Queen of Turns has more curly hair and demonstrates that she is just as skillful with the rest of the dance as she is with spinning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVwEztD9xnU&feature=related
21. I really can't say much about this video. The information included with it is in a language that I am not familiar enough to attempt to guess at what it says. User samantarizzato shares "Hadara Nur e Bia Fernandes - Dupla Campeã do Mercado Persa 2011" with us and I can say that these two ladies have perfect synchronicity. This is simple Egyptian cabaret, no frills or very many obvious embellishments, but done most beautifully. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhVfQAqhSmY&feature=feedlik
22. This upload by blackzebra72 is of one of my favorite dancers. Marina here demonstrates for us the Turkish cabaret style. My all-time favorite performance by Marina has apparently not found its way to Youtube yet, so this will have to do. "Marina Bellydance" is a traditional cane dance and Marina may be small, but she's a little riot of joy and energy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDAcQG5I9x4
23. User patinka gives us one of her own performances with the video "Patricia Tribal Fusion Solo Nov 2006". Patricia is an excellent dancer. This performance, which she bills as a tribute to Belly Dance Super Star Kami Liddle, fuses Bollywood movements and poses for a dance that I certainly watched more than once. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixKfrgGrvY&feature=feedrec
24. Back to the Middle East we go with a view of another belly dance legend. User Alice1968World gives us "NELLY FUAD Balady" which is just what it says: Nelly Fouad dancing to a baladi beat. This was filmed in the 1970s, I think, hence the multi-frame shots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRFKOU8sf4s
25. User TaiChiDancer has uploaded for us a clip from a cable television show that features the Ultra Gypsy Dance Troupe. "Ultra Gypsy" is an ensemble dance of gypsy fusion Oriental Dans with Jill Parker as lead dancer. If you watch carefully, you'll also be able to pick out Rachel Brice in what may be her only performance while wearing her hair down. The music is a live band and was composed especially for this performance. Here is some of the best belly dancing you'll see anywhere. And the joy that infuses this piece is contagious! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydMv17AsMJo&feature=feedwll&list=WL
26. User StudioEast shares with us one of the most powerful dances on this list. "Irina Akulenko - "Justice" from "Tarot - Fantasy Bellydance" DVD" is another dance that holds something akin to interpretive dance. Irina is wearing a very simple bedlah for this sword dance in which she personifies the concept of justice. She has embraced the idea that justice is blind by wearing a blindfold and the idea that it is in servitude to higher ideals by offering up the sword to an unseen figure at the end of the dance. She incorporates some Bollywood dance moves and the music she has chosen is simply beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XGIRLwcw4o&list=WL47056B2CA70145A1&index=5
27. User anmagi offers us a compilation piece of various lovely moments of the Indigo Dance Troupe's 2010 tour in "The Indigo "Serpent Rouge Tour" 2010". This is an excellent example of this amazing dance troupe's whimsical take on Tribal Fusion belly dance. The troupe is made up of Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veterans Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, and Rachel Brice and this video was recorded at the Market Theatre in Seattle. Although the video is quite long, it is so entertaining that one hardly notices. Unfortunately, I don't know who the male dancer is, but in order to clown with the dance so well he must be a good dancer himself, so I wish I knew. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WXo-xmSahA
28. For our final video, we return to the Middle East and user sheihamar for "Arabic bellydance- Orit". It appears that the dancer here is again Sabah with a risque piece- she removes some of her bedlah to change the look and feel for the second part of the dance, something that is sometimes viewed as vulgar in Oriental Dans wherever it is performed, but particularly in the Middle East. Still, as before, there is a collective joy to this performance that is rare in other parts of the world. If one listens very carefully, one will hear the crowd singing along to the song, even though it is played as an instrumental. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c35uT8EvBq4&NR=1
It is near the end of the year again. And that means that it is time to list the top Oriental Dans videos on Youtube.com for 2011.
This year, I made an effort to include what is going on in the Middle East as well as in the West. While most practicers of the ancient art can be found outside the Middle East today- Russia now boasts the most famous school of belly dance in the world and there are more dancers in the U.S. now than in all of the Middle East- it is important to remember that the dance scene there is still a vibrant one. In fact, Cairo, Egypt remains the holy city of belly dance, as it were. Every dancer hopes to perform in Cairo one day. As the mother of the dance, the Middle East has much to teach us concerning the art. You will notice that the various styles of dance there are less concerned with precise choreography, costuming, and skill than elsewhere. Instead, the focus is on the emotion and joy of the dance. And, since belly dance can be a storytelling dance, the instinctive understanding of the native tongues and rhythms of the music lend an easier quality to the performances than the carefully studied and even more carefully applied efforts elsewhere. Both the native expressions and the ever evolving styles of the West represent beautiful, artful performances of a dance as long in history as human life is and all are pure joy to watch and participate in.
So let's get to the videos! I have listed them here in no particular order or arrangement. Each year that I endeavor to make this list it becomes harder to narrow down the number included. The popularity of Oriental Dans is growing and it is even beginning to take a place in mainstream culture that it has never had outside of its countries of origin. This year, there are 28 videos of joyful, bouncing, intense, and sultry performances. Have fun!
1. I start out with a bit of cabaret. Youtube user RahelClaman has uploaded for us a video of presumably one of her own performances that she has titled "Rahel Bellydancing at VFS Impact Awards 2010". This is a three-part performance featuring familiar songs from the Belly Dance Super Stars canon: the first song is "Warda", followed by "Sahra Saidi", and finishing with "Sexy Saidi". This is an excellent example of cabaret in the West and what most folks commonly think of when presented with the words belly dance. Rahel is sweet, graceful, skilled, and wonderful to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejhct4mBy5Q&feature=channel_video_title
2. Next is a bit of American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance (a uniquely American take on Oriental Dans). User danomoon offers us a view of his wife's dance troupe WildCard BellyDance. He has titled this video as "WildCard BellyDance - Tribal Style Hafla 2011" and it gives us the group-feel inherent in that style. In this ensemble dance, both zills and swords come out to play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBJrdH3_g7w&list=FLxtmPHopi2cvhUfICpcOW5A&index=1&feature=plpp
3. Ansuya Rathor is one of the most celebrated dancers performing today and is a regular on the Belly Dance Super Stars Tour. User dreamtymefilms has uploaded for us a fairly good sampling of her cabaret fusion style that they call "DreamTyme Bellydance Presents: Ansuya Rathor on Maui". Besides Ansuya's energetic and mesmerizing skill, what I really enjoy about this piece is that one can actually hear the beautiful zing of the zills. Usually, the overdubbing of the music later silences such nuances, but here they ring out clearly. And that is appropriate since Ansuya is possibly the most skilled with zills in the West. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnteZZnOv4&feature=related
4. Now for a taste of the Middle East in our list. User sheihamar gives us Sabah performing happily with her orchestra in Israel. "Orit Maftsir!!! Sabah's Yana Yana" is a joyful experience. I love the way Sabah sings along as she dances. Clearly, this is a dancer who enjoys her work and she is good at it, too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjCBoJFGApQ
5. Over the years, Tribal Fusion (an outgrowth of ATS and the most popular form of Oriental Dans on Youtube) has continued to evolve as more and more is fused into the style, so we will see as we continue down our list. User genocida gives us Morgana performing her interpretation of the Immortal Serpent legend: "Immortal Serpent - Morgana (2006)". Morgana usually performs the Gothic style, but this is much less dark and sometimes one forgets that she is human and not a snake! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoarXuaYjGI&feature=related
6. In the world of belly dance, Petite Jamilla (another veteran of the Belly Dance Super Stars Tour) is known as the Queen of Turns or the Spinning Queen. User aaishayunuen's "Petite Jamilla" aptly demonstrates why. It also is an example of the diverse musical styles that are finding their way into the belly dance repertoire. For this performance, Petite Jamilla chose "Ajaja" by Ramses, a prog-rock band from Germany who often uses Middle Eastern rhythms in their music as well as Arabic song titles. Notice there are two veils in this performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KIII7g8-WQ
7. User PersephoneUnderw0rld uploaded the next video on our list. This is Tribal Fusion in its typical evolved form. Sherri (a.k.a. Cherchez La Femme) mesmerizes her audience with an intense solo performance and (as always with Sherri) fantastic music. Her bedlah (costume) almost reminds one of an owl and what hooked me is the opening few seconds. Does anyone else remember the 1980s Jim Henson film "Dark Crystal"? Then you'll recognize those first few haunting notes. It is also nice that one can hear the tinkling of her hip scarf and other ornamentation on her bedlah. To fully enjoy "SHERRI at TRIBAL CHIC'S SHOW (2 of 2) Luz de Gas, Barcelona", I recommend getting a firm hold on your chair. You just might forget where you are! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aBXBYhnHog&feature=feedrec_grec_index
8. More cabaret in this video and the most beautiful bedlah I've ever seen! User nucleoddv shares with us Ju Marconato of Brazil doing her stuff. In "JU MARCONATO BELLY DANCE", we get a very nice sampling of her take on the smooth, graceful methods of the Egyptian style. Well done, Ju! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVT53PG0fcg&list=FLxtmPHopi2cvhUfICpcOW5A&index=3&feature=plpp
9. The lady in this video needs no introduction in the belly dance world. The undisputed ruling queen of Tribal Fusion, Rachel Brice shows us how a drum solo should be danced in this video uploaded by taliajazel. "Rachel Brice insane belly dancing" is an example of why this Belly Dance Super Star is often imitated, never duplicated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDNCPR-u3rE&feature=feedrec_grec_index
10. Back to our Middle Eastern dancers, this is Fifi Abdou dancing with a live band. Fifi is a legend of the dance and you can easily see why. Her movements are easy, unforced, not over-thought. If one listens very, very closely, one does hear her zills at times. There is nothing shy in this clip. Fifi shows us what vitality is. User malikaalia's "Fifi Abdou Bellydancer" is worthy of repeat viewings- an excellent place to learn new moves to possibly incorporate into your own dances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvFJ7c_1t0g&feature=related
11. User 927272246 shares with us a sword dance worthy of a movie about Cleopatra. "Sword Belly dance" is an ensemble performance drenched in candle light. Watch out! There are a lot of swords here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhBB8OTccY
12. User MarimarBd has a reputation for top quality Oriental Dans videos and here is yet another example. "Sharon Kihara - Tribal Fusion Belly Dance" is a stunning example that belly dance, and in particular, Tribal Fusion, can be performed to anything. Sharon's music here is a combination of animal sounds and more. What she does with it is equally fascinating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRbjrug8Irw
13. User BellyJae offers us vintage Tribal Fusion in the form of Avasa. I first came across "Avasa" in 2006 and was fortunate to rediscover it by accident. The simplicity of both her movements and her bedlah speak to the era of Tribal Fusion to which it belongs. This video is all about attitude, and it is awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7X45EXe8r0&feature=feedrec_grec_index
14. "Petals of the Fire" uploaded by dervishashirin shows us what that world famous school in Russia is producing. This dynamic performance revs up the pulse and has something in common with interpretive dance. Christina Vlasova does an amazing mimicry here that you will watch over and over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqZ8GyF2qw&NR=1
15. User shakti10's "BELLYDANCER SAIDA -DERBAKE" shares the performance of one of the premiere belly dancers in the world today. Saida demonstrates dancing the derbake in Argentina. She is a good example of both the West and Middle Eastern aesthetics of the dance. Her skill is undeniable, her costume gorgeous, it is difficult to get more precise than this choreography; and yet the pure joy of dancing still shines through in her performances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJmBV47hm9w
16. User seraswan offers us "Sera Solstice: Rakassah West solo 2009" which demonstrates Tribal Fusion as the ever evolving art it is. Sera incorporates jazz dance into her style for a truly interesting and innovative dance that captures the viewer in wonder. I would really like to see more of this in the future. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPaAj1kUcd4&feature=related
17. User DaughtersofDurga has uploaded "Rachel Brice and Mardi Love Perform at The MASSIVE Spectacular! 2008". This features two members of the world famous dance troupe the Indigo, all of whom are Belly Dance Super Stars. In this performance, these amazing girls reach back to the beginning days of Tribal Fusion and show us a retrospective interpretation of the vintage style that they helped to create and continue to take to every imaginable level as it evolves. In fact, this piece has more in common with ATS than with Tribal Fusion as usually performed today. Clearly, they are just having fun with this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxiCQXBtHG0&feature=feedrec_grec_index
18. User ammura gives us a glimpse of belly dance queen Suheir Zaki in "Suheir Zaki". A legend of bellydance, Suheir shows us again the graceful, fun, and easy style of Egyptian cabaret. She has a modesty and fluidity to her dance (despite her bedlah, which is unusually revealing for a Middle Eastern dancer) that makes one think one is watching a ray of sunlight dancing in and out of shadows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu58AV6BsBo&feature=related
19. AmaliaMaya offers us one of her own performances with "Tribal Fusion Bellydance - Orientalia 2007". Amalia demonstrates Tribal Fusion with a fearless, take-no-prisoners attitude. Her bedlah is striking, particularly the headpiece. And I really like her choices of music for this. The overall effect is almost intimidating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ez8dhip_U&feature=feedrec_grec_index
20. wannabeonutubetoo gives us another performance by Petite Jamilla in the upload "Petite Jamilla Bellydance Superstars". I really love Jamilla's pants here. And her performance is splendid, almost exhausting. Here the Queen of Turns has more curly hair and demonstrates that she is just as skillful with the rest of the dance as she is with spinning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVwEztD9xnU&feature=related
21. I really can't say much about this video. The information included with it is in a language that I am not familiar enough to attempt to guess at what it says. User samantarizzato shares "Hadara Nur e Bia Fernandes - Dupla Campeã do Mercado Persa 2011" with us and I can say that these two ladies have perfect synchronicity. This is simple Egyptian cabaret, no frills or very many obvious embellishments, but done most beautifully. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhVfQAqhSmY&feature=feedlik
22. This upload by blackzebra72 is of one of my favorite dancers. Marina here demonstrates for us the Turkish cabaret style. My all-time favorite performance by Marina has apparently not found its way to Youtube yet, so this will have to do. "Marina Bellydance" is a traditional cane dance and Marina may be small, but she's a little riot of joy and energy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDAcQG5I9x4
23. User patinka gives us one of her own performances with the video "Patricia Tribal Fusion Solo Nov 2006". Patricia is an excellent dancer. This performance, which she bills as a tribute to Belly Dance Super Star Kami Liddle, fuses Bollywood movements and poses for a dance that I certainly watched more than once. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixKfrgGrvY&feature=feedrec
24. Back to the Middle East we go with a view of another belly dance legend. User Alice1968World gives us "NELLY FUAD Balady" which is just what it says: Nelly Fouad dancing to a baladi beat. This was filmed in the 1970s, I think, hence the multi-frame shots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRFKOU8sf4s
25. User TaiChiDancer has uploaded for us a clip from a cable television show that features the Ultra Gypsy Dance Troupe. "Ultra Gypsy" is an ensemble dance of gypsy fusion Oriental Dans with Jill Parker as lead dancer. If you watch carefully, you'll also be able to pick out Rachel Brice in what may be her only performance while wearing her hair down. The music is a live band and was composed especially for this performance. Here is some of the best belly dancing you'll see anywhere. And the joy that infuses this piece is contagious! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydMv17AsMJo&feature=feedwll&list=WL
26. User StudioEast shares with us one of the most powerful dances on this list. "Irina Akulenko - "Justice" from "Tarot - Fantasy Bellydance" DVD" is another dance that holds something akin to interpretive dance. Irina is wearing a very simple bedlah for this sword dance in which she personifies the concept of justice. She has embraced the idea that justice is blind by wearing a blindfold and the idea that it is in servitude to higher ideals by offering up the sword to an unseen figure at the end of the dance. She incorporates some Bollywood dance moves and the music she has chosen is simply beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XGIRLwcw4o&list=WL47056B2CA70145A1&index=5
27. User anmagi offers us a compilation piece of various lovely moments of the Indigo Dance Troupe's 2010 tour in "The Indigo "Serpent Rouge Tour" 2010". This is an excellent example of this amazing dance troupe's whimsical take on Tribal Fusion belly dance. The troupe is made up of Belly Dance Super Stars Tour veterans Zoe Jakes, Mardi Love, and Rachel Brice and this video was recorded at the Market Theatre in Seattle. Although the video is quite long, it is so entertaining that one hardly notices. Unfortunately, I don't know who the male dancer is, but in order to clown with the dance so well he must be a good dancer himself, so I wish I knew. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WXo-xmSahA
28. For our final video, we return to the Middle East and user sheihamar for "Arabic bellydance- Orit". It appears that the dancer here is again Sabah with a risque piece- she removes some of her bedlah to change the look and feel for the second part of the dance, something that is sometimes viewed as vulgar in Oriental Dans wherever it is performed, but particularly in the Middle East. Still, as before, there is a collective joy to this performance that is rare in other parts of the world. If one listens very carefully, one will hear the crowd singing along to the song, even though it is played as an instrumental. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c35uT8EvBq4&NR=1
Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2010
(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on November 18, 2010. The links in this article were extracted then)
A couple years ago, I wrote an article that featured four Oriental Dans videos as found on Youtube.com. An update is in order. For this particular article, the list has been expanded to fourteen. These videos span a greater range of what is happening in Oriental Dans today. Some well known performers are featured and some who are as yet obscure. I have included one video that celebrates the folk dance in its most native form- among the everyday people- and one that is entirely for fun. The videos themselves are linked to out of respect for those who own them.
The first one was posted by MarimarBd. It is called "Urban Gypsy- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". It is described as cirque du flame and fire fusion. Brace yourself. This is the best fire dance I have ever seen. A plethora of props are used and it is performed to live music. Belly Dance Super Star Zoe Jakes is in the troupe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7GkLHDXB-U
Second on the list is another offer from MarimarBd. This one features two Belly Dance Super Stars veterans performing in sync. It is titled "Kami Liddle & Sabrina - Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". A more apt description might be human liquid gold. Kami Liddle and Sabrina are two of the most fluid dancers in Oriental Dans today. In this stunning display, they fuse the deliberate, earthy movements of Tribal Fusion with those poses we associate with Thailand and the Far East in an unforgettable routine. The costumes are fantastic and the sound of a bird's flapping wings at the beginning adds something uplifting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11pRd5jvnD4
The third video was posted for our enjoyment by daughteroftheworm. Much of the description is not in English. It is labeled "Kayra Danza Oriental/Bellydance". This is a more traditional dance. The bedlah (traditional belly dance costume) is lovely for Kayra's skin and she has long flowing hair. Her movements are smooth and confident. the performance itself seems to have been recorded at Bellyfest Fuengirola 2007. This is skillfully danced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhGMx3upq14
Fourth is a post by samirafloripa. There is almost no information with this video. It is called "Karina Iman". This is a full belly dance troupe in bedlahs that bring to mind wood sprites dancing on a spring morning. These girls are very well synchronized and a true pleasure to watch. This is excellent choreography. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHTPfH5w2U
Moving on to the more celebratory mood of traditional cabaret, bellydancestars gives us one of the longest titled videos on our list: "Belly Dance.bds. One of the Best Dancers (World Belly Dance)". The name is a mouthful and the dance itself is equally exuberant. Gimatdinova Lilia dances her heart out to a fast-paced mix of various traditional songs. This woman is not shy and she is very light on her feet in a challenging routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEcdUxj0xmk
Sadie gives us one of the most dynamic drum solo performances ever recorded. Omundodainternet shares with us the last half of an extraordinary dance from 2008. Sadie exhibits an amazing amount of control, skill, and grace. The audience is one of the most vocal I've heard. To say that this is impressive is an understatement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzDXvYAKEA
For our seventh video, we return to MarimarBd and Kami Liddle. Called "Kami Liddle- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance", this is a seductive offering in redish lighting and intriguing costume. Kami demonstrates more of her polished, controlled style in an evironment worthy of a Belly Dance Super Star. This is the Tribal Fusion style of Oriental Dans at its best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4dEYdEnkA
Carolina Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance invented a new form of Orential Dans that is the ultimate form of fusion. This dance is based on belly dance but borrows heavily from other folk traditions as well, including flamenco. She called this new form American Tribal Style (ATS). It is because of her invention that we now have Tribal Fusion. The former is the mother of the latter. Therefore, the dance troupe FatChanceBellyDance- based in Chicago- is now a legend among Oriental Dans enthusiasts. For that reason, I here include a video posted by FatChanceBellyDance itself. This is that legendary troupe performing an authentic ATS dance at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco as part of the 2008 WestWave Dance Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IezoTI31Dls
The next two videos are performed to the same music. The first is a rehearsal session (that goes perfectly) and is posted for us by cherchezlafemmedance. It is titled "Sherri Tribal Fusion Bellydance". It is without doubt one of the best examples of the mechanical ticking or stuttering that has recently been introduced to Oriental Dans via hip-hop. This cries out to be watched repeatedly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPEtjLbzT4A
Lest some think that Oriental Dans is only for the female gender, let me introduce you to Jonathan Contreras via this video offered to us by ImpactVideoProd. This was recorded at a talent show and demonstrates that, while the moves do seem tailored to the female physique, often it is the male who is better at technique. Jonathan shows us that belly dance can indeed be masculine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GlaWUqcauc
Currently in the U.S., Tribal Fusion is the most popular form of Oriental Dans as the videos available on youtube.com attest to. It is a very interesting form because it seems to have no limits. DeathKitten has given us a seminal performance in a very recent video that is dated 2010. In this video, we have Maureen O'Donnell dancing to original music by Stereognosis called "Sumerian Breakbeat". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ4qFTIhors
Kiaroskuro has posted another fine example of stuttering the muscles in a video titled "Asharah at Spring Caravan- May 2009. This is also an excellent example of the fact that, unlike traditional belly dance forms, Tribal Fusion can be performed to any kind of music- even the game geek sounds that finish this routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0LPlISOoSo
Now we are down to our final two videos. This one, put up for viewing by naimayazbek, celebrates the true nature of Oriental Dans. She captures Middle Eastern in the streets, at weddings, festivals, etc. dancing for the fun of it. No list of Oriental Dans videos would be complete without this one. The children are especially precious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLLIyBQkZhc
Lastly, here is one just for fun. U2 opened the gates to the opening date of their now legendary Zoo TV Tour in 1992 and were surprised to see a woman walk in wearing a full bedlah. She had seen the music video for "Mysterious Ways" which featured belly dancing and decided it would be fun to go to the concert in her costume. Even better for the band, she was indeed a professional dancer. They asked her to join them onstage and perform during "Mysterious Ways" on that night. She did- and on every night of the American leg thereafter. When U2 were preparing for the European leg, however, she could not continue with them on account of prior obligations. Morleigh Steinberg, who later became The Edge's wife, was also a professional dancer, but knew nothing of belly dance. She took a crash course and continued the performances throughout the rest of the tour. It is Morleigh who was immortalized as the "Mysterious Ways" belly dancer on the official VHS of the "Zoo TV Tour- Live In Sydney" and it is Morleigh who continues to choreograph the Oriental Dans images and lighting that accompanies each live performance of that song to this day. What of Christina, the original dancer who inspired the concept in the first place? Here she is in one of the American leg performances of "Mysterious Ways" in a rare video originally aired on TV at that time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQjadX3O8Ko
A couple years ago, I wrote an article that featured four Oriental Dans videos as found on Youtube.com. An update is in order. For this particular article, the list has been expanded to fourteen. These videos span a greater range of what is happening in Oriental Dans today. Some well known performers are featured and some who are as yet obscure. I have included one video that celebrates the folk dance in its most native form- among the everyday people- and one that is entirely for fun. The videos themselves are linked to out of respect for those who own them.
The first one was posted by MarimarBd. It is called "Urban Gypsy- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". It is described as cirque du flame and fire fusion. Brace yourself. This is the best fire dance I have ever seen. A plethora of props are used and it is performed to live music. Belly Dance Super Star Zoe Jakes is in the troupe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7GkLHDXB-U
Second on the list is another offer from MarimarBd. This one features two Belly Dance Super Stars veterans performing in sync. It is titled "Kami Liddle & Sabrina - Tribal Fusion Belly Dance". A more apt description might be human liquid gold. Kami Liddle and Sabrina are two of the most fluid dancers in Oriental Dans today. In this stunning display, they fuse the deliberate, earthy movements of Tribal Fusion with those poses we associate with Thailand and the Far East in an unforgettable routine. The costumes are fantastic and the sound of a bird's flapping wings at the beginning adds something uplifting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11pRd5jvnD4
The third video was posted for our enjoyment by daughteroftheworm. Much of the description is not in English. It is labeled "Kayra Danza Oriental/Bellydance". This is a more traditional dance. The bedlah (traditional belly dance costume) is lovely for Kayra's skin and she has long flowing hair. Her movements are smooth and confident. the performance itself seems to have been recorded at Bellyfest Fuengirola 2007. This is skillfully danced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhGMx3upq14
Fourth is a post by samirafloripa. There is almost no information with this video. It is called "Karina Iman". This is a full belly dance troupe in bedlahs that bring to mind wood sprites dancing on a spring morning. These girls are very well synchronized and a true pleasure to watch. This is excellent choreography. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHTPfH5w2U
Moving on to the more celebratory mood of traditional cabaret, bellydancestars gives us one of the longest titled videos on our list: "Belly Dance.bds. One of the Best Dancers (World Belly Dance)". The name is a mouthful and the dance itself is equally exuberant. Gimatdinova Lilia dances her heart out to a fast-paced mix of various traditional songs. This woman is not shy and she is very light on her feet in a challenging routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEcdUxj0xmk
Sadie gives us one of the most dynamic drum solo performances ever recorded. Omundodainternet shares with us the last half of an extraordinary dance from 2008. Sadie exhibits an amazing amount of control, skill, and grace. The audience is one of the most vocal I've heard. To say that this is impressive is an understatement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FzDXvYAKEA
For our seventh video, we return to MarimarBd and Kami Liddle. Called "Kami Liddle- Evolution Tribal Fusion Belly Dance", this is a seductive offering in redish lighting and intriguing costume. Kami demonstrates more of her polished, controlled style in an evironment worthy of a Belly Dance Super Star. This is the Tribal Fusion style of Oriental Dans at its best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4dEYdEnkA
Carolina Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance invented a new form of Orential Dans that is the ultimate form of fusion. This dance is based on belly dance but borrows heavily from other folk traditions as well, including flamenco. She called this new form American Tribal Style (ATS). It is because of her invention that we now have Tribal Fusion. The former is the mother of the latter. Therefore, the dance troupe FatChanceBellyDance- based in Chicago- is now a legend among Oriental Dans enthusiasts. For that reason, I here include a video posted by FatChanceBellyDance itself. This is that legendary troupe performing an authentic ATS dance at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco as part of the 2008 WestWave Dance Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IezoTI31Dls
The next two videos are performed to the same music. The first is a rehearsal session (that goes perfectly) and is posted for us by cherchezlafemmedance. It is titled "Sherri Tribal Fusion Bellydance". It is without doubt one of the best examples of the mechanical ticking or stuttering that has recently been introduced to Oriental Dans via hip-hop. This cries out to be watched repeatedly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPEtjLbzT4A
Lest some think that Oriental Dans is only for the female gender, let me introduce you to Jonathan Contreras via this video offered to us by ImpactVideoProd. This was recorded at a talent show and demonstrates that, while the moves do seem tailored to the female physique, often it is the male who is better at technique. Jonathan shows us that belly dance can indeed be masculine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GlaWUqcauc
Currently in the U.S., Tribal Fusion is the most popular form of Oriental Dans as the videos available on youtube.com attest to. It is a very interesting form because it seems to have no limits. DeathKitten has given us a seminal performance in a very recent video that is dated 2010. In this video, we have Maureen O'Donnell dancing to original music by Stereognosis called "Sumerian Breakbeat". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ4qFTIhors
Kiaroskuro has posted another fine example of stuttering the muscles in a video titled "Asharah at Spring Caravan- May 2009. This is also an excellent example of the fact that, unlike traditional belly dance forms, Tribal Fusion can be performed to any kind of music- even the game geek sounds that finish this routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0LPlISOoSo
Now we are down to our final two videos. This one, put up for viewing by naimayazbek, celebrates the true nature of Oriental Dans. She captures Middle Eastern in the streets, at weddings, festivals, etc. dancing for the fun of it. No list of Oriental Dans videos would be complete without this one. The children are especially precious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLLIyBQkZhc
Lastly, here is one just for fun. U2 opened the gates to the opening date of their now legendary Zoo TV Tour in 1992 and were surprised to see a woman walk in wearing a full bedlah. She had seen the music video for "Mysterious Ways" which featured belly dancing and decided it would be fun to go to the concert in her costume. Even better for the band, she was indeed a professional dancer. They asked her to join them onstage and perform during "Mysterious Ways" on that night. She did- and on every night of the American leg thereafter. When U2 were preparing for the European leg, however, she could not continue with them on account of prior obligations. Morleigh Steinberg, who later became The Edge's wife, was also a professional dancer, but knew nothing of belly dance. She took a crash course and continued the performances throughout the rest of the tour. It is Morleigh who was immortalized as the "Mysterious Ways" belly dancer on the official VHS of the "Zoo TV Tour- Live In Sydney" and it is Morleigh who continues to choreograph the Oriental Dans images and lighting that accompanies each live performance of that song to this day. What of Christina, the original dancer who inspired the concept in the first place? Here she is in one of the American leg performances of "Mysterious Ways" in a rare video originally aired on TV at that time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQjadX3O8Ko
Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube - 2008
(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 29, 2008. Links to videos were extracted then)
Here I share with you four of the videos oriental dans as found on Youtube.com. Out of respect to their original posters, I am providing links only. Feel free to comment on your thoughts concerning these videos or share your own favorites.
This first link takes you to vintage Tribal Fusion. It is Rachel Brice, Kami Liddle, and Kajira Djoumahna at Kajira's 1st Maui Intensive in 2005. It is among the best Tribal Fusion performances I've seen. Relish each movement- subtle and dramatic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6qKYTDFfGA
This is Kami Liddle again- post Bellydance Superstars Tours. This is at Tribal Fest (2008). Ms. Liddle's dancing is not as precise as Ms. Brice's, though I would feign to use the word sloppy. The best part about this video is Ms. Liddle's new look. The black hair- versus the blonde- and the costume is just sexy: tribal without being overdone. With the hair and the smile, she looks like a 1930s movie star here. The music is also delightful. Being Arabic, tribal ambient, and almost classic oriental dans music all at once. There is even a movie soundtrack moment in the middle and at one point I get slightly Duran Duran vibes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPnVIW2d5vc
This link is Egyptian dance par excellance. Bellydance Superstars Tour veteran Sonya delivers a most beautiful and graceful performance in her native Chicago worthy of watching repeatedly. Notice the unique floating capabilities of her veil and the lovely way she throws it away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2MxOVp1Rk
This is a child, maybe five? It may be that her name is Tarabana. There is really no information given for this clip. But the girl is amazing! To be so young and have such a grasp of the dance-wow! Drum solo magic. It appears that this may first have appeared on television somewhere. You have to see this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mxyr_mkvI
Here I share with you four of the videos oriental dans as found on Youtube.com. Out of respect to their original posters, I am providing links only. Feel free to comment on your thoughts concerning these videos or share your own favorites.
This first link takes you to vintage Tribal Fusion. It is Rachel Brice, Kami Liddle, and Kajira Djoumahna at Kajira's 1st Maui Intensive in 2005. It is among the best Tribal Fusion performances I've seen. Relish each movement- subtle and dramatic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6qKYTDFfGA
This is Kami Liddle again- post Bellydance Superstars Tours. This is at Tribal Fest (2008). Ms. Liddle's dancing is not as precise as Ms. Brice's, though I would feign to use the word sloppy. The best part about this video is Ms. Liddle's new look. The black hair- versus the blonde- and the costume is just sexy: tribal without being overdone. With the hair and the smile, she looks like a 1930s movie star here. The music is also delightful. Being Arabic, tribal ambient, and almost classic oriental dans music all at once. There is even a movie soundtrack moment in the middle and at one point I get slightly Duran Duran vibes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPnVIW2d5vc
This link is Egyptian dance par excellance. Bellydance Superstars Tour veteran Sonya delivers a most beautiful and graceful performance in her native Chicago worthy of watching repeatedly. Notice the unique floating capabilities of her veil and the lovely way she throws it away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2MxOVp1Rk
This is a child, maybe five? It may be that her name is Tarabana. There is really no information given for this clip. But the girl is amazing! To be so young and have such a grasp of the dance-wow! Drum solo magic. It appears that this may first have appeared on television somewhere. You have to see this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mxyr_mkvI
Monday, July 7, 2014
Welcome to the Launch of "A Muted Blue Star Muses"!
The title for this new blog comes from my poem "Valhalla: blue" found in the book "Following Hope" (Xlibris, 2007): "She grew up amid amateur paintings/And yellow walls-/A leather-clad, muted blue star."
The reason I am starting this blog is simple. I once free-lanced for Yahoo! via the site Yahoo! Voices (formerly Associated Content). As of July 31, 2014 that site is shutting down. The good news is that the rights to the majority of the articles I wrote there revert to me. But where to put them?
This blog is the solution. This blog will be home to the best of what I published on Yahoo! Voices, including many book reviews. Some of these articles will be reworked and updated; some will not. The Annual "Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube" articles that were among my most popular pieces on Yahoo! Voices will also be republished here. It is likely that I will not be able to post a 2014 edition due to the sudden nature of Yahoo! Voices' shut down, but I certainly plan a 2015 edition to be published here. I will continue to post new unpublished reviews and other articles here as well.
Of course, after about six months there will be adverts on this blog. I won't lie to you. But I am confident that the insightful, honest, and unique posts that will feature here will keep you coming back.
And I do hope that you will comment and let me know what you think about each and every post. I will read every comment and respond to most. I look forward to getting to know my readers in a way that I couldn't on Yahoo's platform. Thank you so much for following me over here and to the new ones who happen on to this. There would be little point in writing without you!
Other official sites to find my work are as follows:
Youtube
Facebook
Goodreads
PoetryZoo
Soundcloud
LinkedIn
These links can also be found at the top of this page.
I am sure that together we can make this blog - "A Muted Blue Star Muses" - a beautiful place to share thoughts, inspirations, and beloved books.
The reason I am starting this blog is simple. I once free-lanced for Yahoo! via the site Yahoo! Voices (formerly Associated Content). As of July 31, 2014 that site is shutting down. The good news is that the rights to the majority of the articles I wrote there revert to me. But where to put them?
This blog is the solution. This blog will be home to the best of what I published on Yahoo! Voices, including many book reviews. Some of these articles will be reworked and updated; some will not. The Annual "Best Oriental Dans Videos on Youtube" articles that were among my most popular pieces on Yahoo! Voices will also be republished here. It is likely that I will not be able to post a 2014 edition due to the sudden nature of Yahoo! Voices' shut down, but I certainly plan a 2015 edition to be published here. I will continue to post new unpublished reviews and other articles here as well.
Of course, after about six months there will be adverts on this blog. I won't lie to you. But I am confident that the insightful, honest, and unique posts that will feature here will keep you coming back.
And I do hope that you will comment and let me know what you think about each and every post. I will read every comment and respond to most. I look forward to getting to know my readers in a way that I couldn't on Yahoo's platform. Thank you so much for following me over here and to the new ones who happen on to this. There would be little point in writing without you!
Other official sites to find my work are as follows:
Youtube
Goodreads
PoetryZoo
Soundcloud
These links can also be found at the top of this page.
I am sure that together we can make this blog - "A Muted Blue Star Muses" - a beautiful place to share thoughts, inspirations, and beloved books.
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