How to Belly Dance
Since I started my website I receive emails from people all over the world
wanting to know how they can learn to belly dance. The best way to
learn belly dancing is from an instructor. A teacher can work with
you and make sure you are executing a move correctly. You can ask
questions if you feel your are doing something wrong. I know I learn
from watching, so it's nice to have someone in front of you demonstrating
the movement. But let's face it, this is not always
feasible. This is not an all inclusive lists of sources, hopefully this page will start you in the right direction.
Check back from time to time, I will be adding more information to this
page as I find it.
Articles
Belly Dance Instruction on the Web
Books
Costuming
Finding an Instructor
Videos
Veil Dancing
Zills
Articles
Core Belly Dance Moves and Steps - by Atea
Give Your Dance a Face Lift - by Jasmin Jahal
How to Overcome Stage Fright - by Michelle Joyce
In Search of a Better Belly - by Jasmin Jahal
JUST DO IT: Making Your Belly Dance Debut - by Princess Farhana
Belly Dance Instruction on the Web - websites that offer instruction,
lessons and papers on belly dancing.
Belly Dance Lessons Online - learn Belly Dance in your home in your time to your schedule" by Charni of Happy Hips Belly Dance
Belly Dancing Classes Online - Get free classes, free video drills, and more with Samantha.
Dance Movement of the Month - Aszmara highlights a different move every month on her page.Datura Online - Learn belly dance, yoga + Pilates now with belly dance classes online from Rachel Brice's studio, Datura. 100's of lessons from multiple teachers that fit your budget, schedule, or style, available for rent or through subscription. Learn how to belly dance anytime and anywhere.
Elysium Classes Online - Elysium is Ma'isah's dark fusion belly dance style in a tribal style format, meaning moves have names and cues, and can be danced as choreography and strung together as improvisation. Twelve years of dance exploration and development have led her to create the Elysium format; she has been teaching and performing with Elysium through remote teaching systems in large and small groups, duets and as a soloist across Australia and beyond since 2009Expert Village - online video lessons
How to Do Belly Dance Moves - explanation of how to do various belly dance moves and more from Shira's website.How to Prepare to Perform Belly Dancing - online video lesson from Expert Village with Johanna Kryntzky
Kawakib's Dance Tips - Instructional papers on the art of Oriental (belly) Dance for beginners through teacher levels
Movements Page - from Middle Eastern Dance page
Books - there are more instructional books on this subject but they are out of print. Check used bookstores and your local library to find more sources.
Search Amazon for instructional books on belly dancing
Intermediate Belly Dancing by Vicki Corona. Provides a brief culture lesson on Saudi Arabia, describes how to do about 18 intermediate-level moves, offers a few finger cymbal rhythms, provides a structure for combining movements into a complete dance, and introduces what a dancer should know when beginning to perform for an audience.
Mass Market Paperback - 28 pages 1 Ed edition, Earth Dance International Publishing; ISBN: 1585130249
Nefertiti Presents...Belly Dancing "the basics"
a dedication to Nerfertit
by Sherry Jeffries (Ankestamen) Instructional aid, or just for fun! 40 page, GBC bound, flip style, illustrated book for learning basic belly dance moves. Detailed instructions on 20 basic moves, basic veil, floor work and zills.
Finding an Instructor - don't know where to look to find an instructor? Here are a few suggestions:
- check your local yellow pages under dance studios or dance instruction
- restaurants in your area that have dancers
- your local city's Parks & Recreation department
- the Internet - several websites have a dancer or teachers directory - also email dancer's that you find on the Internet, they might be able to help
- colleges and universities - some offer noncredit classes that might include belly dancing if it is not offered as a credit course
- health clubs
- new age stores
- Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)
- if you see a dancer perform, ask, they will be glad to help - this could be at the fair, a grand opening, a festival, a singing telegram or belly gram, etc.
Props - performing with props adds a lot to ones dance and is a lot of fun and at times can be challenging.
Cane (Raqs al Assaya)
Belly Dancing with a Stick - by Valeria Lolacono
Raqs al Assaya - by Lorelle
Fan Veils
video
Fabulous FanVeilzz with Mahsati Janan
Fantastic Fan Veils with Sedona Soulfire
Mirabai's Chinese Fan Fusion & Belly Dance
Yasmina's Belly Dance Lesson - Fan Veils - short instructional video on an introduction to fan veils / performance of double fan veil
Isis Wings
video
Isis Wings with Phoenix
Shamadan
Candelabra - by Sakti Rinek
Come on Baby Light My Fire: Raks Shamadan - by Princess Farhana
Snakes
articles
Belly Dancing with Snakes - by Neferteri
Dancing with Snakes - by Maria
More than you ever wanted to know about Living with Constrictors - by Eva Cernik
Snake Dancing - from Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide
Snakes and Shakes - by Jasmin Jahal
video
Belly Dance with Snakes
Sword
articles
Choosing and Dancing with a Belly Dance Sword - by Zarifa
How to belly dance with a Sword - by Christina Jordan
Selecting, Using and Strong Balanced Props - by Princess Farhana
Tips & Tricks for Swords - by Shira
video
Belly Dance for Balance
Sword Stylization with Belladonna
Tray
video
Bellydance Tray Balancing Technique
Veil Poi
video
Poi Spinning for Beginners
Voi
Veil Dancing - one of the most
moving, flowing, expressive and prettiest part of belly dancing. This is one of my favorite props to work with.
Articles
Dancing with a Veil - by Jasmin Jahal
The Great American Belly Dance Veil Routine - by Najia El Mouzayen (from the Gilded Serpent)
Books and DVD's/Videos
Bellydancing with Veils - video by Cory Zamora
Double and Single Veil - instructional video with Joynan
Fabulous Four Yard Veils with Shoshanna
Petite Jamilla Unveiled: double veil instructional
Seven Veils - romantic Bellydance
Veil Dancing - clips of various dancers from You Tube
Veil with Aziza - instructional DVD with Aziza
Yasmina's Belly Dance Lessons -
- Veil - short instructional video on an introduction to veil
- Basic Veil and Veil Drape - short instructional video on basic veil moves and a veil drape
- Veil performance - single silk rectangle veil performance, 3rd place at Wiggles of the West 2011
Videos - this is a wonderful way to learn
belly dancing. Doesn't matter if you are a beginner or a
professional dancer, you can learn from video
tapes. Don't think you can only learn from instructional videos, you
can learn a lot from performance tapes also. A video shouldn't
replace an instructor, they are a great tool to use along with
lessons. If you don't have an instructor or classes in your area
videos are the best.
The Internet is another good source. Try to find websites that have video
reviews. This will help you in making a decision on what to
buy. Also ask dancers about the videos they like before you
buy.
Online auction sites, like eBay are a great source for purchasing belly
dance videos.
Check out your local library to see if they might have a video to check
out.
Also check out bookstores, (don't forget the web bookstores) and
electronic stores, like Best Buys, that carry videos.
top
Zills - also known as finger cymbals, and sagats. These
circular disks really add a lot to your dancing.
I posed a question on my website asking dancers, "Do you play zills when you dance? I was amazed at the results, (see survey below). I love playing zills and it adds so much to your dance, so I decided to add more info to this section. Don't give up, keep trying you will succeed.
Articles
Rhythms & Cymbal Patterns - article by Jasmin Jahal
Books, Audio Tapes and Videos
Bellydance with Zils - instructional DVD with Elsa Leandros and Raquy Danziger
The Dancing Cymbalist - How to play music with finger cymbals & dance at the same time - by Jenna Woods
Finger Cymbal Fantasies - by Vicki Corona
Finger Cymbals for Belly Dance - instructional DVD, Tobias Roberson with Rachel Brice & Mardi Love
How to Play Finger Cymbals - video with Mesmera, beginning to intermediate (scroll down the page to the video)
Learn Finger Cymbals with Ansuya - DVD with Ansuya, beginning to intermediate
Playing Finger Cymbals - online video lesson from eHow.com
Zills & Drums: thrilling, chilling zilling - CD by Armando (scroll down the page to the CD)
Zills on Fire: a finger cymbal workshop - CD and instructional booklet. Page contains downloads of various rhythms
Zills with Zahira - Three's - DVD with Zahira, beginning to intermediate drills
Online Lessons
Online Finger Cymbal Workshop - find lessons, videos and books on how to play the finger cymbals. Great source from Shira's page.
Practicing with the Finger Cymbals (also known as sagats or zills) - article by Jasmin Jahal
Zills on Fire: the basics of music - learn about music tempo, pulse and zill patterns. Check out the instructional CD and workbook at the bottom of the page.
Zill Patterns
Arabic Segat Rhythms - by Karim Nagi Mohammed
Survey (1/04)
|
||||||||||||||
More about Yasmina
Teaching & Performances
Bio, Photos & More
Costume Business
follow me on
Spotlight Video
of the Month
Vintage Belly Dancers - search results from YouTube on some of the best known dancers from films. Includes dancers: Soheir Zaki, Fifi Abdo, Nagwa Fouad & Mona El Saaid
Spotlight Link
Vintage Belly Dancers - collection of photos of belly dancers through the years
What's NewUpdates:
Learn to
Belly Dance for fun!!
with Halyma's Belly Dance
Lessons on DVD
Great gift idea!
Available online and in Ottawa Stores now!
Clean and clear instructions for the basics of belly dance for any fitness level - no previous experience needed!
www.bellydancingforfun.com
Halyma@bellydancingforfun.com
phone: 613.241.3397
Tribal Soup
music available from:
Join us on Facebook
Sandybell Productions
Proudly Presents
Contact: Sandybell Fitness
www.sandybellfitness.com
Phone: 480-646-0138
The Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive™ & Festival
September 5-8, 2013
at the FLAMINGO Hotel & Casino
The Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive™ & Festival
is a 4-Day Extravaganza of non-stop entertainment, education, & excitement. There is a little something for everybody whether you are a seasoned dancer or a curious onlooker. This 2013 event will be held at the historic Flamingo Hotel & Casino next September 5-8, 2013.Join Kajira Djoumahna, Sherri Wheatley, Moria Chappell, Sahra Saeeda, Onça O'Leary, Ranya Renee, Kaeshi Chai, Ansuya as well as 30 other instructors who will be teaching a cumulative total of over 80 hours of instruction. There will be SHOPPING, a dance FESTIVAL, breathtaking SHOWS, an amazing CONTEST, and a Vegas-Style COCKTAIL PARTY.
Contact: Samira Tu'Ala
Website: www.bellydanceintensive.com/
Phone: 1-888-LV-RAKS-U
1-888-587-2578Email: Samira@bellydanceintensive.com
Your best source for quality silk veils
Buy 4 get 5th FREE troupe discount!
36 different colors in all sizes-
Standard, petite, semi-circle, 3/4 circle, & poi sets!
Always FREE shipping in the US
100% Habotai 5 mm silk
100% satisfaction guaranteed!
www.amirasbelly.com
Amira's
"Bellydance and
Yoga for
Pregnancy"
DVD
EMPOWERING EXERCISES
FOR
EXPECTING MOMS
Amira brings the ancient arts
of Yoga and Belly Dance
together in a modern world,
with a program that teaches
gentle and effective techniques
to help every woman on the
path to one of life's most profound
experiences - motherhood.
For more info please visit us at:
www.pregnantbellydance.com
See-fit Body Stockings
Your second skin
Designed to be worn under your costume,
in flesh, black or fishnet crystal Lycra.
For more info please visit www.see-fit.com
Dare to be Bare!
Shimmy Bliss Costuming Co.
Tribal Belly Dance Supplies
We receive in new items every month so please check back often
visit us on
eBay
our Etsy Store
Crafty Belly Dancer& our Storenvy Store
Shimmy Blissfollow us on
Would you like to see your ad here?? Check out the Ad Page for more info.
