Joan Goldstein of Rensselaer, 66, left, dances during a belly dance class at the Rensselaer Senior Center in Rensselaer, on Tuesday. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

Instructor Lynn "Meridya" Buell, 58, center, teaches a belly dance class at the Rensselaer Senior Center in Rensselaer, on Tuesday. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

Eleanor Tiffany, left, watches instructor Lynn "Meridya" Buell, teach a belly dance class at the Rensselaer Senior Center in Rensselaer. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

2006 showed dramatic increase in lesson requests by Jesse Jayne Rutherford.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) January 3, 2007 -- Across the country, people are putting their time and energy into private music and dance lessons, and they are searching more and more for their teachers online. According to San Diego-based Click For Lessons, a service that matches music, dance, art, acting, and language teachers with potential students, thousands of requests for lessons have poured in since the site launched a year ago.

We hardly do any advertising, so this data is a testament to the power of internet use today and word-of-mouth in the artistic community.

"In 2006, we saw over 200,000 students request lessons. Not only were parents requesting lessons for their kids, but we also saw a significant increase in adults wanting to learn a new artistic hobby," says Steven Cox, president and CEO. He expects use to increase in 2007 -- there are already over 50,000 requests per month nationally, and the site is little more than a year old.

The top five major metropolitan areas were New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cox's own San Diego. Here are the top ten types of lesson requests across the nation:

•   Piano lessons - 12.6%
•   Voice lessons - 9.6 %
•   Hip hop dance - 9.0%
•   Guitar lessons - 6.1%
•   Salsa dancing - 5.2%
•   Belly dance - 4.7%
•   Acting classes - 3.8%
•   Violin lessons - 3.7%
•   Ballroom dance - 3.5%
•   Drum lessons - 3.4%

The site (www.ClickForLessons.com) was founded in late 2005 when Cox, an internet executive and musician, saw how other musicians were struggling to make ends meet and had to supplement their income by teaching lessons. Yet this income was diminished because music schools skimmed large fractions of music lesson fees off the top, leaving little for the teachers. He wanted to come up with a fair way for teachers to find students, set their own schedules and terms of teaching, and keep their earnings for themselves. The site matches teachers with students, who submit their requests for free.

With thousands teachers registered through the site, Click For Lessons staff took a closer look at developing trends. "2006 taught us that people everywhere are open to learning new skills, that they are looking for an affordable way to do it, and that they are also willing to access the internet more and more to find a local teacher these days," says Cox. "We hardly do any advertising, so this data is a testament to the power of internet use today and word-of-mouth in the artistic community."

If you would like more information, or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Drew Davies, VP of Public Relations, at (858)488-4575.

Posted on: Sunday, 10 December 2006, 21:00 CST

Science Fare

Upcoming science, nature and technology programs on KNME-TV Channel 5:

...

Bellydance Fitness

Fusion Yoga

8:30 a.m. today

Instructor Suhaila Salimpour combines bellydancing and yoga to shape and tone the body, increase energy and flexibility and promote overall strength, incorporating the basic elements of yoga and bellydancing into a series of highly effective and challenging routines.

...

November 12, 2005

Bellydancers Aim To Set New Guiness Word Record

Remember those crazy sexxy belly dancers that danced for the finale of Bloggers.SG 2005? Well they're trying to set a new world record for largest mass participation of synchronized belly dancing.

Not a dancer? No worries!! Free classes will be provided for you. You can even learn the steps (choreograph for easy learning) and teach your friends if they could not make it to the practices. The online teaching will be launch on 14th Nov for this event at www.bellydance.com.sg . This is a great opportunity to learn bellydance if you have not tried.

The event will be held on Saturday, 26th November 2005 from 5.30pm at Sentosa, Cool Deck @Siloso Beach.

Saturday night party-goers stood agape watching these two belly dancers perform at the Warehouse, reports Sai R. Vaidyanathan
Belly dancers mesmerise party-goers

Party-goers in the City were treated to a feast of belly dancing at the Warehouse discotheque at the Chimney Heights resort on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway.

“The response to this four-week-old discotheque is overwhelming and the audience is pouring in from Chandigarh, Patiala, Ambala, Ludhiana and even Delhi. We can plan big parties because of our sheer size. Our lawns can accomodate 3000 persons and our disc can hold more than a thousand people,” he added.

Shake it all for a tummy tune-up Sep 12 2005 By Craig Thompson, The Evening Chronicle

There is an argument over the legitimacy of tribal fusion-style belly dance. Some say it is not really belly dancing. Local tribal fusion instructor Rachel Lazarus Soto pays little mind to the debate. She says belly dancing, tribal fusion or not, can change a person's life. "Tribal style caters to expression in all sorts of ways," said Soto. It has become known as the new American art form, American because of its basis in the absorption of different cultures and styles to create a "fusion" of expressive movements. The influences include Middle Eastern, African, Indian, Pacific Islander and even hip-hop. The growing popularity of the dance style found in Bollywood films is also making its mark in tribal fusion. The style was originally based on traditional cabaret-style belly dancing, which included a solo dancer wearing a lot of "flash and glitter." The movement emphasis is more flowing and graceful, said Soto. Tribal fusion is a group art form with a different emphasis. "It's more earthy," Soto said. The art form has its own vocabulary, and those who have taken classes quickly learn signature moves. Groups follow a lead dancer who indicates the move coming next through a series of physical gestures that are easily followed by the other dancers. This physical language allows any student of the art form to dance with another student who knows the basic moves. Every dancer puts his or her own variation on each move based on skills and body style, but everyone understands how to do a basic "choo-choo" or "ghawaze." As dancers continue to dance together they "start to learn the instincts of the lead dancer," Soto said. Soto began her studies in traditional belly dance, spending 14 years perfecting her art and teaching it to others. Five years ago she discovered tribal fusion and a metamorphosis began. Originally from Northern California, she moved to the area four years ago. She and her husband of two years now live in Highland, where she used to teach out of a karate studio. When the studio closed, she began teaching her classes at community centers in Colton and Yucaipa. She now teaches two levels of class and leads a performance group that includes three of her best students. Introductory classes offer a place where participants can share in expressive movement while physically exercising within their own limitations. "It's beautiful, it's sensual and it's not restrictive to body style, size or shape," said Soto. Unlike jazz or ballet, tribal fusion has a very "loose aesthetic." Where American beauty focuses on "thin boyish figures," tribal style emphasizes a more traditional Renaissance European or Middle Eastern concept of beauty, she said. The dance form appeals to new students of dance, as well. Though dance training of another kind can only add to the skills of the participant, Soto said that students new to dance can learn tribal fusion just as fast as experienced dancers. Students who move up to more advanced classes are provided with performance opportunities at festivals and charity functions. Her student performance group, Tribaleyes, performs at the community centers where classes are held, the Riverside Orange Blossom Festival and Middle Eastern cultural festivals. Soto's elite group of dancers, Devadasi, performs semi-professionally at fairs, festivals and private functions. Several members used to dance at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Riverside. They recently performed at Tribal Cafe, a three-day festival held last month in Redlands. Soto will serve as a competition judge for the "Hips of Fury" festival in October, while other members of Devadasi conduct workshops for attending dancers. Susie Hall is a Devadasi dancer who will conduct a workshop at "Hips of Fury." A professional performer who used to work in musical theater, Hall discovered tribal fusion through videos after she decided to explore something artistically different. "It awakened my inner confidence," said Hall. She and Soto agree that the dance form can create an environment that frees the mind of outside cares as participants focus on the activity. "You kind of turn off your brain," said Hall explaining that it becomes about freeing the body to follow the lead dancer. "That epiphanous moment," she said. Soto believes that it is important to find a "caring and nurturing instructor" as well. Many participants enjoy the bonding that occurs between instructors, students and fellow dancers. This is best accomplished in a supportive and reassuring environment that fosters development, said Soto. Both women are married to musicians. Soto's husband is the leader of a band called Solace, and Hall's husband plays percussion for the band. They play mostly Middle Eastern music blended with modern influences. Occasionally Solace plays accompaniment for Devadasi performances and the band also conducts drumming workshops at festivals. Though happy to share her art with students at city community centers, Soto is looking for a permanent home. "One of my goals it to create a dance studio," she said. She wants a suitable space in the area where she can open her own studio featuring classes in tribal fusion, cabaret-style belly dance, cultural music, drumming and other activities. She also has plans to include a lending library and lounge where people can learn about the different cultures the art form is based in. Until then she will continue to spread the tribal fusion craze in Colton, Yucaipa and any place where people want discover an environment based in expression and acceptance.

Belly beats
Tuesday, 13 September 2005

CENTRAL Park will be transformed on Sunday with Middle Eastern rhythms, belly dance performers and stalls where you can browse for all things exotic.

For more information on the event call Dekyong on 6550 4586 or email mncbdf@hotmail.com.

Ex-Marine teaches male belly dancers

By Lauren Smiley
Knight Ridder Newspapers

You gotta try pretty hard to stand out at Yaa Halla Y'all. Upon entering the Grapevine, Texas, Convention Center for a weekend of belly-dance performance and workshops, women named Phyllis and B.J. become "Soraya" and "Tambra." A guy hawking DVDs suggests the new release Lights! Camera!

Bellydance!

Backstage, the bellies waiting their turn to shimmy in the spotlight run from smooth to cellulite-pocked, alabaster to cinnamon, surgery-scarred to roll-layered. Actually, there are so many you stop paying attention, until you see this one: Hairy. No hips. All man.

Look up and there he is, the one the dancer in the lobby must have forgotten when she called the subculture a "sisterhood."

This is Drakon, what you'd call a male belly dancer. (He's really Danielle barAbba, 54, of Austin.)

Drakon wears a fringed skirt, blue shiny pants, curly red hair down his back.

Minutes before going onstage, he's stressing because a woman dancer before him is using the same drum solo he is. Another performer in a Star Trek-style dress assures him: "It'll look different."

Different indeed.

When the 6-foot-2 man takes the stage, one hand on hip and the other twirling a cane in a typically female folkloric style, a few chuckles erupt throughout the audience.

Drakon executes some body waves, then throws in a couple of hip shimmies while gripping the cane above his head, smiling widely the entire time.

While two belly dancers from Oklahoma let out a tongue trill of appreciation, a wide-eyed woman in a back row looks as if she is witnessing a jig of the Antichrist.

No you are not at a male strip club, and you better not laugh: To the small and still underground band of male followers, belly dance is about serious artistic expression.

Thirty years after Mikhail Baryshnikov proved that men could do ballet and John Travolta discoed his way into sex-object status, Drakon is one of the male aficionados who are putting an equal opportunity spin on the dance long associated with beaded bras, genie pants and coy femininity.

So what if women rave that belly dancing is great for toning childbirth muscles? Turns out some men like figure-eighting their hips, too.

The spectator reviews were mixed. One man used the word "fantastic."

But Los Angeles-based drummer Ziad Islambouli who performed at the convention, said such theatrical dancing would not go over in his home country of Lebanon.

"In America, I respect it 'cause it's an American thing," he says. "America is way more open.

"But in the Middle East, I wouldn't accept it. It's all about the woman and beauty, and it's a very feminine thing."

Actually, male belly dance performance has a long precedent in North Africa and the Middle East, says Anthony Shay, a dance historian at Pomona College in California, and co-editor of "Belly Dance," a book due out this month. For centuries, professional males dressed in a sexually ambiguous costume, working the same hip swivels as women.

They were even included in the 1893 Chicago's World Fair, where an American entrepreneur first coined the term "belly dance" to introduce the art form to the both titillated and scandalized U.S. public.

But colonial powers strengthening their dominance in the Middle East after WWI considered men's belly dance a scandal to Victorian morality and stamped it out (allowing women to continue).

But both men and women still "belly dance" at domestic social gatherings as they have throughout history, Dr. Shay says, although strict Islamic societies forbid women from dancing in front of men not related to them.

Dr. Shay says the West's "pink and blue syndrome" when it comes to dance moves isn't shared by other regions of the world, pointing to the similarities in female and male movements in salsa and Polynesian dancing.

"The idea that these movements are only appropriate to women's bodies is wrong," he says. "We think when a male articulates his torso he is somehow being effeminate, but that is really a culturally specific notion held by Anglo-Americans."

But guys aren't always welcomed in the Arab community, either. Marios Hedary, owner of Byblos Lebanese Restaurant in Fort Worth, says he hires a male folkloric dancer who "complements" the female belly dancers. But once, at a Thursday audition night in which amateurs can come try their talent on the restaurant stage, a man showed up wearing what Hedary recalls regrettably as an "I Dream of Jeannie" outfit.

"Sometimes you're not brave enough to stop something," he remembers. "I was very shocked, very embarrassed. It was Cinderella. It was hip shaking. It was very, very weird."

Hedary says he paced the restaurant until the dancer's half-hour performance was over, after which the dancer asked him what he thought. "I said, 'Listen, you are not a woman. You are a man. Do not dance like a woman ... that's not right. You're embarrassing everyone.'"

Bring on the naysayers, say the dancers: Breaking out of expectations is part of the allure.

Jeff Halpin of San Francisco identifies himself as a "typical man." He said his donning a black cloak and gold headdress at the event is "no different than a Cowboys fan getting into their blue and silver dress" at a game.

Halpin says he was hesitant for years to start belly dancing, and when he would inquire about male classes, he didn't feel welcome.

"Just as female belly dancers have to get past the stereotype that they're strippers, male belly dancers have to get past the stereotype they're doing something girlish." But now, after five years of lessons, he says the dance "gives you the strength to feel more of who you are." Pull up to Isis' Star Dancers Studio in Bedford, Texas, on any given Tuesday night, and a Ford F-150 is parked outside the window display of bejeweled bras and harem pants. A sign hanging from the license plate reads: "Once a Marine, Always a Marine."

Yep, the instructor of the male belly-dancing class is James Brantley of Fort Worth, Texas, ex-Marine and current Air Force computer specialist, or as he goes by in class: Shadid.

But he makes it clear that he is not dancing like a woman: Even in the tiny world of male belly dancing, there is a continuum of styles.

Men from the studio performed a staff dance at the convention, but Islambouli, the Lebanese drummer, says he wouldn't consider that belly dance, but folkloric dance, and "anything that doesn't have the feminine dress is OK."

"That would be acceptable" even in the most conservative societies," he says.

Brantley started taking classes six years ago after he was pulled up onstage by the studio's owner at his wife and daughter's recital, and she said the hip-hop dancer and martial-arts student had potential.

Once he enrolled in class, he learned to adapt the women's movements into a more masculine form: stepping flat instead of tiptoeing, keeping his fingers together instead of "dainty fingers."

While women at the studio learn to embody emotions while dancing — joy, sadness, anger — Brantley learned the male personas: the powerful sultan, the regal pharaoh and the aggressive warrior.

Not all were able to handle the belly-dance boot camp: He remembers eight men started the class, but only he graduated.

Women belly dancers seem to have differing opinions on men encroaching on what many see as their art: One dancer at the convention recalls a male belly dancer in sequins and fringe being "the sexiest man I have ever seen in my life."

Another says her 13 years of belly dancing has transformed her from a woman who hid under baggy clothes into one who performs confidently in front of crowds and says men "doing what the women do in a more masculine way doesn't translate for me."

But in an era of metrosexuals, when men are increasingly trespassing and being accepted into previously female domains, male belly dancing is just another adaptation (though the men in Brantley's class say they keep hair product use to a minimum).

As Drakon points out after his performance, many say that women originally danced with a cane to mock men fighting with a staff. So he thought he'd turn tradition on its head once more.

"I thought, OK, I'm gonna take the cane and make it a men's thing ... give it a more manly look. Hopefully. I don't know if I succeeded."

As for the drum solo Drakon was worried about, he waited for the song to begin while standing for applause after his first song, but the track never played, bringing his performance to a premature end.

Technical difficulty or subtle hint? He'll never know.

Tribal Power
Bellydance superstar Rachel Brice

By GIOVANNI FAZIO
Special to The Japan Times

Five years ago, you'd have been hard-pressed to find a bellydancer in this city outside of a few Turkish restaurants. These days, Tokyo is teeming with them, not only in restaurants, but at clubs, lounges, fashion shows, raves, parks -- almost anywhere you choose to look. There is the all-bellydance bar Scheherazade in Yotsuya, the annual Maharajan two-day festival featuring literally hundreds of dancers ranging from students to pros, and an ever-increasing range of teachers offering lessons.

Rachel Brice performing at Aoyama Cay July 15.

Perhaps the surest sign of the depth of this movement is the increasing number of dancers coming from overseas to do shows and workshops in Japan. The most eagerly anticipated has been Rachel Brice, a San Francisco-based dancer and member of the high-profile Bellydance Superstars troupe.

Brice is seen as representing all that is fresh, experimental and modern in bellydance. Unlike the Caberet style of bellydance that most casual viewers are familiar with, Brice explores the Tribal Fusion style. "With Tribal, there are no rules," explained Mishaal, the highly regarded Tokyo-based dancer who recently invited Brice to Japan. "It's not rigid or dogmatic; it's about being innovative and creative, putting together a fusion from all the different cultures you love, even stuff like tattoos or biker culture. It's in sync with the consciousness of young urban women today.''

In Rachel's case, the combination involves a love of the more "bohemian" side of bellydance, 14 years of involvement in Ashtanga and Hatha yoga, a rock 'n' roll attitude (complete with a massive tattoo of a sutra adorned with flowers), and the kind of drive that had her learning her art by studying videos frame-by-frame.

Featuring a strikingly unique look and a dance style to match, Brice's star is rising fast. Her performance on July 15 at Aoyama Cay drew a packed house. And Brice's show -- set to an eclectic mix of the cinematic beats of Amon Tobin, Arabic percussion, and even a rock-out track by The Black Keys -- definitely wowed them.

"I was hoping for some screams," said Brice, in an interview with Tha Japan Times. 'People don't scream for bellydance in the States." And she definitely got what she was hoping for.

How'd you get interested in bellydance?

Well, when I was 17, I saw a dance company called Hahbi'Ru at a Renaissance Faire in Northern California. They had this really earthy, bohemian vibe. It was really beautiful, and very dark, but at the same time really celebratory. And the women in it were different from those in Southern California [where Brice grew up], where there was a definite idea of what body type you were supposed to have. These women . . . they didn't fit any particular body type, but they had this elegance and pride and self-assuredness I hadn't seen before in someone who didn't fit a particular mold. They were so feminine, but without a hint of vulgarity, just this kind of elegance with sensuality. So many things blew me away at once. The next day I started taking classes.

How have your feelings about bellydance now evolved from your first impressions?

What surprised me is the simplicity of the dance. It looks so complicated and challenging for people who have only seen it, but it really only takes one to five years to really get it. But don't get me wrong, I'm continually working, I don't feel that I have it down. There are so many ways to approach a single move. You have to do these moves, like, 70,000 times till they're so smooth and slow.

What's the hardest move to master?

The chest lift. It's not a mobile part of people's bodies. It's really hard to isolate the chest, especially if you sit in a chair all day long at work. And it's the first thing to go if you don't practice all the time.

Do you prefer improvisation?

That's all I do! I mean, I've started choreographing lately and I enjoy it because it's a whole other part of my brain. But there's nothing on earth like getting on stage and having a piece of music that you know like the back of your hand, and then being able to do a different interpretation of it every time you dance.

Among the Bellydance Superstars, your style is a lot slower, deeper. Do some people have a problem with that?

Yeah, a lot of people don't feel that it's bellydance. But that's OK. If people need to fiercely defend the tradition of the art form, that's OK. People like to talk about what's Tribal and what's not, what's bellydance and what's not. But when you study dance ethnology, and you see where the intersections are, they're fuzzy. Everything is influenced by everything else, especially when you follow the Gypsies that start in one place and travel around, just picking things up and throwing things out. There is no "pure dance," really. So it's given me a lot of tolerance.

Why do you think bellydance is experiencing such a boom right now?

It's just time, I think. It's a great time for women right now, because in many parts of the world, women are given complete freedom to express themselves. It's a time too for women's sexuality and sensuality to be embraced, and it has been. Women are being given an element of freedom they've never been given before, and a chance to explore who they are. This is one of the first times a dance like this can be considered art and not stigmatized.

Do you find it ironic that in much of the Middle East, the dance can't be performed?

Oh, yeah. But it's probably one of the reasons that it is blooming everywhere else. People love anything with a taste of illegality. In the U.S., most people respond to bellydance but have no idea that it's Middle Eastern; a lot of them think it's from India. So people always ask where it's from, and I love telling them.

For the uninitiated, what's the difference between Tribal and Cabaret styles?

Cabaret . . . it's very, very flirtatious, cute, hands-in-the-hair style. First, in America [back in the 1950s/'60s], there was the whole Hollywoodization of Arabic culture, sort of glamorizing and Orientalizing the whole thing. "I Dream of Jeannie," super-sparkly evening gowns with the belly cut-out, or whatever.

Tribal Fusion is an interpretation of American Tribal Style, started by [dance teacher] Carolina Nericcio. It changed the posture and what it was communicating -- it displays power: shoulders back, chest up, elbows forward. And it brought in a lot of the more rural music of North Africa and India -- the Gypsy element of the deal, rather than the Hollywood element. And Carolina's whole posture and arm cycles, it's all very flamenco. American Tribal style is improvisation, but it's based on a set of movements, maybe 25 or so, that are done with three or more dancers, sometimes two, but generally more. And the improv is based on cues and transitions that are very specific.

What do you say to people who say, "Japanese don't have the body for bellydance?"

People told me that for years! "You can't bellydance, you don't have a belly." "You're too skinny, too Jewish!" (Laughs) If people find something that moves them, and practice till where it doesn't look human anymore, to me that's all it takes. It doesn't have to look like Turkish bellydance. A lot of people say Tribal isn't bellydance, and that's fine. Call it whatever you want. You just have to know that you like it. If you like it, it's all good.

It'll be interesting to see how Japan takes on bellydance and makes it its own. Because the body type is very different, and it's going to look totally different, but it'll settle in and become something of its own.

For a sample of live bellydancing in Tokyo, check out the Eid Lotus 2005: "Fata Morgana" show at Ueno Park's outdoor stage, Aug. 7, from 6 p.m. Tickets are 2,800 yen yen in advance, 3,000 yen at the door (Ticket Pia, 0570-02-9988). For more info, see www.alcamarani.com.

The Japan Times: Aug. 3, 2005
(C) All rights reserved

The Independent Newspaper of Morgan State University | Issue: 5/6/2005

From ancient art to modern workout

By Karen N. Faustin

Published: Friday, May 6, 2005

One of the most erotic forms of dance is the ancient art of raks sharqi, better known as belly dance. Smooth, complex, and sensual movements of the torso, alternated with shaking and shimmy-type motions, characterize this style of expression. Finger cymbals, or some other type of rhythm instrument, are used by the dancers to add a tantalizing backbeat to their routine. Although the theories on the origins of belly dancing range anywhere from participating in fertility ceremonies to enticing newlyweds, the modern uses of belly dance include getting into shape. No more aerobics classes with Denise Austin or Tae-Bo sessions with Billy Blanks. Today's modern woman has turned this centuries-old dancing style into a means of developing tight abs and a strong back. Crunches, sit-ups and push-ups have now been replaced with belly rolls, snake arms, and body rolls. The initial reaction of most people at the thought of using belly dancing as a way to work out is one of doubt. How can clanging little cymbals and swerving one's hips train the body? Meridian Dance Company director and choreographer, R'aina asserts that belly dancing is probably one of the best ways to work out. "Belly dancing really concentrates on tightening the abdominal muscles and strengthening the back." Belly dancing knows neither age nor size. 50 year-old women, who wear a size 14+, share classrooms with 20-year-olds, who sport a size 2. "All body types and ages are appreciated in Middle Eastern dance," says R'aina, a professional belly dancer. Worried that you can't keep up? No problem! "The movements can be as novice or intermediate as the student wishes," R'aina explains. "Belly dancing is all about layering steps. If it's your first class, you'll learn the basic steps. As you progress, you continuously add on to those basic movements." These hour long sessions are a great way to relax. MSU senior, Heather Joynes, has been a student of belly dance for almost two months. "It's one of the best ways to get my mind off of things, especially the stresses of being a senior in college." The class environment is fairly lax, especially when compared to other forms of exercise. "Everyone goes to have a good time and learn something different," comments MSU alumna and belly dance lover Mothyna James, a lover of belly dance for three years. Interested? For more information on belly dancing and classes taught by R'aina and the Meridian Dance Company, log on to www.meridiandance.com. At the rate of ten dollars a class or fifty for six classes, even college students can get the chance to belly roll with the best of them!

Posted on Fri, May. 06, 2005

R E L A T E D   C O N T E N T  CANDY G. MORSE-Special to The Herald Ernest Pusey receives kisses from two belly dancers, Herminda, left, and Tahja as he celebrates his 110th birthday at the American Legion, Post 24, on Thursday. The big 110 Bradenton resident celebrates historic birthday WENDY DAHLE Special to The Herald BRADENTON - Ernest Pusey of Bradenton was all smiles Thursday as Tahja, a belly dancer, crowned him with a sultan's turban and pronounced him "king for the day." Ernest, Manatee County's only living World War I veteran and one of only about 100 left in the United States, was celebrating his birthday. His 110th birthday. "He didn't know he was getting the royal treatment," the colorful dancer said after her 30-minute performance. "He's such a sweet man. He's just amazing." About 50 family members and friends attended the birthday festivities at the American Legion Kirby Stewart Post 24 to wish him well. "I've had some good birthday parties," Ernest said as he watched the revelry. Ernest was born May 5, 1895, in Washington, D.C., the same year as Babe Ruth and actor Rudolph Valentino. He has lived through 20 presidents and during three centuries. He was 16 when the Titanic sank. "The interesting thing about his longevity is when he was 8, his father was dying of tuberculosis," said his niece, Nola Sims. Ernest was sent to live with a school teacher while his father was sent away for treatment, said Sims. "Who would have thought this frail young man would live to be 110?" she asked. In doing so, he's outlived his wife, son and sister. At 21, Ernest joined the Navy and was stationed aboard the USS Wyoming during World War I. Although the ship never saw battle, he still remembers his Navy days. Once he overstayed a shore leave that cost him six months of restricted liberty, he said. Ernest laughed about it Thursday when his daughter-in-law prodded him to explain why he got in trouble. "We met a couple of girls," he said. Ernest worked for General Motors from 1926 to 1962 as a toolmaker and diemaker. He still gets a GM pension. Every year for the past six years, Ernest Pusey has had a belly dancer perform at his party. This year he had two dancers because Tahja gave the performance of another belly dancer to him as a birthday gift. "I don't know, but I think that's what keeps him going," said Bob Millard, post commander and one of the party organizers. In years past, Ernest has gotten up and danced with Tahja. But this year he was forced to sit and watch since suffering a fall in his home recently, said his daughter-in-law, Dora Pusey, the wife of Ernest's only son, Robert. Robert Pusey died in 1995, the same year as Ernest's second wife, whom he met in the Manatee Trailer Park when he lived there. "He's in a little pain all the time," Dora Pusey said. Ernest credits his longevity to a good life. Throughout his life he's stayed active with dancing, shuffleboard and fishing. And he never smoked or drank much. "I don't really have any secrets," he said. "You don't think you're going to live that long."

Lifting the veil

by Stephanie Wilson

The mention of “belly dancing” can occasionally elicit giggles and raised eyebrows. “I still sometimes get that reaction,” admitted Melissa Caldwell, who has been taking classes at Habeeba’s Dance of the Arts in Grandview for more than 10 years. “‘Oh, you’re a belly dancer? I bet your husband really likes that.’”

Those who aren’t familiar with belly dancing sometimes group it with erotic dancing. Others think of it as a passing fad, since it’s sometimes sold as a workout craze along the lines of aerobic striptease and the “Yoga Booty Ballet.”

But those who know and love the dance—like Catherine Habeeba Zeppa, known professionally simply as Habeeba—understand that it’s not a burlesque titillation or this year’s tae bo. It’s an art form with thousands of years of tradition behind it.

Self-taught and starting at a very young age, Habeeba has been belly dancing for more than 40 years, performing internationally from Las Vegas to Paris, teaching thousands of students, making television appearances, writing a book and even being inducted into the American Academy of Middle Eastern Dance Belly Dancer Hall of Fame. Of this last accomplishment, Habeeba remarked dryly, “Maybe they figured I’d been on this earth long enough I might have an idea of what I’m doing.”

Despite her intimidating credentials and the obvious respect Habeeba garners from her students, there’s an ease and affability about her that belies the years she’s spent building her professional reputation and doing her part to lift belly dancing “out of the gutter” to be recognized as a respectable art.

Those early days learning the dance in her hometown of Detroit were mostly trial by fire. “When I started dancing in 1960 there were no schools,” explained Habeeba, “so basically you learned as you did. The girls that I worked with were Turkish and spoke very little English. While I had the [Middle Eastern] background, I was considered American and had to be very humble and appreciate what they were doing.”

While her parents were supportive, Habeeba began dancing at a time when it wasn’t exactly the most respectable thing to do. “I fought very diligently to legitimatize belly dancing,” she said. “At the time, it was on the same level as ‘exotic stripping,’ when in reality we wear yards of clothing.”

In 1972, after more than 10 years of performing in big venues like the Tropicana in Las Vegas, Habeeba moved to Columbus and opened Habeeba’s Dance of the Arts, a school dedicated to Middle Eastern dance. There she began teaching and performing with her troupe at local YMCAs, striving to bring belly dancing to new audiences in family-friendly settings.

Television appearances helped reach the mainstream, too. “Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan… I did a lot of TV shows, actually,” laughed Habeeba. “Although Ed Sullivan kept calling me ‘Hareeba.’”

Students come to Habeeba’s Grandview studio for many different reasons—relaxation, exercise or just to have a good time. For many, the individuality associated with belly dancing it what makes it so special.

This perception of “uniqueness” sometimes causes Habeeba to worry that newcomers will take shortcuts or perform at levels they’re not ready for. “It bothers me when I see someone dancing and it’s not smooth or it looks like they’re in pain,” Habeeba said. “It bothers me when I see dancers that haven’t started with the basics, because it’s all about the technique.”

And, as Habeeba explained, dancers who don’t use correct techniques can also hurt their bodies. “While I’m glad people are getting into it, I’m concerned about the quality of what’s being taught, and I don’t want people to think of it as just a fad,” she said.

Many of her students, naturally, know better. “For me, it fulfills a spiritual need,” explained Caldwell. “It’s not for my family, not for my husband—it’s for me. It’s my dance.”

Erin Hill, a veterinary student at Ohio State University, has a background in ballet and tap but fell in love with belly dancing when she saw it being performed by a pregnant woman.

“It was the most amazing thing to see her dancing with all these other women, all shapes and sizes,” said Hill. “The dance looked phenomenal on everybody, and the music had so many layers to it they could all pick out different parts and make it unique to themselves.”

Danielle Inghram, another longtime student of Habeeba’s, agreed. “It looks good on everyone,” said Inghram. “Every woman wears it differently.”

“It’s extremely personal,” added Hill. “Dance is very much a form of expression in itself, but with belly dancing…you can really make it your own.”

Habeeba’s advanced belly dancing troupe will perform on Friday, May 13, as part of the Columbus Culture Fest at City Hall. For info on the fest, dial 645-1993 or click to community.ci.columbus.oh.us. For more on Habeeba, click to habeebas.com.

May 11, 2005

Copyright © 2005 Columbus Alive, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fifi Abdo replaces Abla Kamel

Posted: 11-05-2005 , 09:30 GMT

he makers of the upcoming television drama series “Al Sit Aseelah” (The Ideal Woman) have nominated Egyptian belly-dancer/actress Fifi Abdo for the leading role. Prominent Egyptian actress Abla Kamel declined the part claiming the script, written by Dr. Samira Muhsin, lacks comedy.

Abla explained that people have become accustomed to seeing her in comedic roles, and feels it has become part of her identity as an actor. She had requested some alterations to the script, but the writer refused leading her to decline the role.

Fifi accepted the serious role without hesitation and looks forward to shooting the scenes, scheduled to begin in June, once the set of the drama is complete at the Media Production City in Cairo.

On a different note, in an attempt to settle differences and apologize, Fifi announced that she never intended to hurt or insult Egyptian actress Shireen Seif Nasr by the remarks she made on the Lebanese Broadcasting Company (LBC) during the television program “For Those Who Dare Only” Fifi apologized to Shireen on the program “Al Bait Baitak” aired on Egyptian television, and revealed that she was answering questions spontaneously while on “For Those Who Dare Only.”   She claims journalist Abdul Fatah made her lose her temper and not consider carefully what she was saying.

Fifi added that she holds great respect for Shireen and the remarks she made were regarding Shireen’s ex-husband, Midhat Saleh, and were not a personal attack against Shireen.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Dina gives Brazilians private dance lessons

Posted: 15-05-2005 , 06:14 GMT

After receiving numerous invitations from dance training colleges in Brazil, the controversial, Egyptian belly-dancer Dina, visited as a guest lecturer about the art of Eastern dancing. The weeklong lectures drew large numbers of female students who are fascinated with belly dancing.

On a different note, an appeals court in Cairo has released a verdict of not guilty in the lawsuit against Egyptian businessman Hussam Abu El Fotooh, who was accused of filming pornographic videos of him and his ex-wife Dina.

The court reversed the one-year sentence against Hussam after Dina dropped all charges against him, and revealed that she had consented to the filming.  

Dina testified that the pornographic CD featuring her and Hussam, which was leaked to the public and posted on the internet, was filmed at his home and offices in London.

Hussam’s attorney in turn demanded that the case be dropped, arguing that the pornographic scenes were filmed abroad anyhow, and an Egyptian court does not have the authority to determine if such actions are legal in London.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Dynamic duo

BY LEAH RAY

NANCY and Ali Bakhshy are not twins, but these musical siblings from Azerbaijan have a twin-like sympathy and connection. It could be the music they both love that keeps them so in tune with each other, although Nancy lives here in Malaysia and Ali lives in Iran. He’s here on holiday currently, visiting his sister and helping her introduce Middle Eastern culture in Kuala Lumpur. 

The dancer 

Nancy has lived in Malaysia for 12 years and taught belly dancing for more than two years now. 

Growing up in Iran with two younger brothers, she was the spoiled darling of her family, and, she says without shame, “a very naughty girl!” And never one to sit on the sidelines. “If there was music playing, I was up and dancing, even when I was very small. I had to be the centre of attention!” 

Music and dancing come as naturally to Nancy as breathing. Her mother ran a gym and taught dance classes, while her extended family made music together at almost every gathering. “Everybody joined in,” she says, “dancing, singing, playing the drums, the Turkish harmonica, everything.” 

Nancy and Ali Bakhshy indulging in their twin passions, music and dancing.

Her mother taught her Turkish and Persian dance, while an Egyptian friend of her mother’s, Jamila, who saw she had real talent, introduced her to Egyptian belly dancing. 

It wasn’t always easy, as her father, although he loved music, was adamant that his children train for practical careers in engineering. Their mother was their secret ally, arranging for Nancy and Ali to pursue their artistic interests behind their father’s back. “We would say we were going to a friend’s house,” Nancy remembers. She and Ali had to excel academically at the same time, “so our father wouldn’t ground us”.  

By the age of 15, Nancy was working as Jamila’s assistant. Nancy says that Jamila told her: “Anytime you show me you can choreograph a dance to the music yourself, I will give you your own class. As long as you only copy someone else’s choreography, you will be an assistant.” 

It was another five years before ambition kicked in, and then Nancy became a teacher in her own right. To this day, she is proud of her ability to choreograph her own pieces for her students to learn. “A lot of teachers here learn something from a video or another teacher, and that’s what they teach. But if you can choreograph a dance piece of your own, you’re really a belly dancer. You have to create something new.”  

And she does, weaving Turkish and Persian movements into her belly dancing routines. “I can even blend in elements of salsa and flamenco,” she says with enthusiasm. The results are electrifying, a mesmerizing display of grace, fire and sensuality. 

The musician 

Ali is as much a creative force as his sister. Like her, his passion for music started in childhood and never abated. Even when his father insisted that he become an engineer, Ali knew where his true calling lay. “I went to school, they gave me a diploma, and I gave it to my father. He was the one who wanted it,” he says with a wry laugh. After a year as a civil engineer, Ali walked away from his job. “It was boring,” he says frankly. “I went back to my music.” 

It's all in the belly muscles...

A handsome, intense man with the well-developed physique of a body-builder (he models and acts as well as plays music in Iran, where he is a major celebrity), Ali is a natural percussionist, seeming to overflow with rhythm and vitality. Even at rest, he drums with his fingers and his feet. 

After working with various groups, he started his own band, Ham Seda. The literal meaning is “together sound;” the concept is that the musicians and the audience together create the music. 

Ali has a mission with his music: to bring people together and get them communicating. When he realised that young Iranians were not interested in traditional Iranian music, he set out to create a new style of dance music that would appeal across generations. 

“We introduced guitar and sitar sounds to the electric keyboard. I blended pop music and traditional music to make something unique.” He is proud of what he has achieved. “It really is something that everyone can enjoy. The older people find something familiar in it, and it’s not so loud that it annoys them, while the young people find it exciting.” 

Ali plays all kinds of percussion instruments, including traditional Middle Eastern ones such as the zarb, tempo and tabla, and other drums like the conga. When he plays, he really plays. “Sometimes,” he says, “I hit the conga until my fingers bleed, but I don’t care. It takes me into another world, and I love it.”   

The workshops 

Nancy and Ali are offering to share their passion for dancing and making music at two workshops.  

On Nov 26, a dance workshop with live percussion will introduce participants to Baba Karam dancing at The Dance Space, F3-2, Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. On Nov 28, a music workshop will introduce percussive instruments like the zarb, tempo and tabla at the same location. Both workshops are open to anyone, with or without experience. The cost is RM60 per workshop. To sign up, call Doris at 016-357 1899. For more information, visit thedancespace.com.my. 

For a night of good food and culture, there is also the Avaye Sharg – Sounds From the East on Nov 27. During the evening of Middle Eastern food, dance, music, and fashion, Ali and two other members of Ham Seda will play Persian, Turkish and Arabian numbers, while Nancy will demonstrate Persian dancing. Turkish, Indian, Malay and Chinese dances will also be presented, choreographed by Nancy and fellow belly dance instructor Paola. 

The event will be held at Hotel Nikko in Kuala Lumpur; it’s RM500 per person at the VIP table and RM200 per person at regular tables (10 persons per table). A portion of the proceeds will go Tasputra Perkim, a day care centre for children with special needs. For reservations, Call Nancy at 012-627 0763 or Merican at 016-673 6254. 

Leni Cohen Wilson met her husband Scott when she was belly dancing and he was in the band behind her. ABCNEWS.com	Love, Unexpectedly She Spent Decades Trying to Find Mr. Right; When She Gave Up, He Found Her ABCNEWS.com June 28, 2004— For anyone who's almost given up on dating and the idea of living with someone happily ever after, the story of Leni Cohen Wilson's marriage may provide some hope — and validate the proverb that love comes when it's least expected.

Egypt allows foreigners to belly dance

Cairo, Egypt, Sep. 5  2004 (UPI) -- Egypt said Sunday it has reversed its decision banning foreigner belly dancers from performing in the country.

A year ago, Labor Force Minister Ahmad al-Amawi slapped a ban on foreign belly dancers. But that ban drew widespread protests by performance managers who hire foreign dancers, especially Russian women, who agree to lower fees than their Egyptian counterparts.

However, the reversal is expected to draw the wrath of Egyptian belly dancers, who see the foreign performers as presenting fierce competition.

Famous Egyptian belly dancers receive up to $10,000 for a few hours of work, while the foreigners accept $500 for each performance.

May 05, 2004 A new type of feminism emerging in Gulf In what seems to mark a fresh spirit of openness sweeping throughout the Gulf, issues regarding women that were once strictly taboo and restricted are suddenly being aired out and spoken about explicitly in various public forums. These winds of change have been blowing slowly but in full force and only time will tell how developments will transform or even revolutionize the Saudi kingdom and its neighboring countries. Gulf women are speaking out. They are complaining, criticizing and discussing topics that in the past were clearly dealt with behind closed doors – if at all. The headscarves and veils are still on – but something is truly bubbling from within. Millions of women around the globe celebrated International women's day recently, calling for equality between the genders and protesting against the increase in cases of domestic violence throughout many countries. Moslem women also marked this day in special events, conferences and forums, which took on political as well as cultural meanings. The status of Arab women varies from nation to nation and has evolved differently in many countries, but it is fair to say that in recent years, Arab women have fought for their rights in a wide-range of domains and in many cases, have eventually gained them. True, tradition keeps Arab women at times away from the "focal point" of cultural, political and financial circles, but step-by-step, women of all ages have been playing a greater role in all aspects of society, enabling the creation of further opportunities for the younger female generation. In war-torn Iraq, for example, hundreds of women marched recently in the streets of Baghdad against the new interim constitution, claiming it doesn't sufficiently protect the basic rights of women. "We need equality in Iraq", one of the protesters called out, "We want a secular constitution. We seek separation of state and religion". In Tehran, police declared a conference in honor of International women's day as "illegal" and dispersed the participants. According to the police, the gathering wasn't legal because its organizers – members of various women rights organizations – had not submitted an official request for the gathering. The wife of Qatar's Emir’s is seen as a huge inspiration for Qatari women. Sheika Mozah undoubtedly serves as a role model for women's independence in Qatar, where many educational reforms have started. The opening of the Cornell Medical Center and other American college campuses in Qatar are largely a result of her vision. These university campuses have stretched the existing norms of education, introducing new programs and coeducational campuses that challenge Qatar's traditional university system to keep pace. Moreover, under the current Qatar Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the first municipal elections were held in 1999 for both women and men. Oman, it seems, is gradually emerging from its hermit shell, revealing a place that is perhaps more outward looking than its given official credit for. Several weeks ago, Sultan Qaboos Bin Saed issued a royal decree, appointing Dr. Raweyah bint Saud bin Ahmad Al-Bousaideya as Minister of Higher Education. This remarkable move marked the first time a women was appointed as minister in the Omani government. It should be noted that only in the year 2002; adults above the age 21 were granted the right to vote equally. Since then, women are permitted to issue their candidacies for the consultative council. In late April, Bahrain appointed the first woman to head a government ministry. Nada Haffadh, a doctor and a member of Bahrain's upper house of parliament, will take over the post of health minister on the orders of King Hamad. She said she was honored to be the first woman in Bahrain to join the government, and the first woman in the Arab world to head a health ministry. It should be stressed that Bahrain is the only Gulf state to have women members of parliament. Nada Haffadh "My priority will be to find a cure for the disappointments of civil servants, because in my view the ministry cannot move forward and provide good services to citizens if its employees are disappointed," Dr. Haffadh said. She has held several positions at the health ministry and is also an adviser to the World Health Organization and Unicef, the United Nations children's fund. Back to Oman, progress in women's affairs can be seen in other fields as well such as in the media. In the Sultanate, an independent privately run FM radio station is operated by a member of the Royal family, who happens to be a...Princess. Princess Sayyida Zawan Al Said is probably known more for her breakthrough programs called Early On and Later On - on Oman Radio than for any other matter. The London-educated articulate mother of three, including twin daughters and a son, speaks about topics that were once highly taboo in the Sultanate – including sex and women's issues. Sayyida Zawan, daughter of Oman's late Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Sayyid Fahr bin Taimour Al Said, said that when she first started with Oman Radio in 1991 and succeeded, her father had felt proud of her. "He had cautioned me that my hard work may not get appreciated but urged me not to get disheartened and to continue to acquire skills," she said. "He would have been extremely happy to see where I have reached," she said. Sayyida Zawan, graduate in English literature from London University, took a break from Radio Oman first in 1994 to pursue a diploma in Broadcasting from Falmouth School of Art and Design. Then, in 1998 she again took a break from her radio work as she felt that she needed to spend more time with her children. Zawan At the beginning of her career she worked hard for her program Faces and Places. "I was working 14-16 hours and I was not getting paid that's when I was depressed." Then one day she met the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Information and said - "Give up totally or give me to run it (shows) privately." "There was only classical music from 7am to noon so I asked to be given the early morning show to run on my own," she said. Her Early On show, featuring hard news, human interest stories, soft news and a variety of music hit it off well with the Omani listeners. Therefore, she received yet another slot from 4:00 to 6:30pm in the evening hours. She named it Later On and played rock music combined with interesting interviews. The show is also composed of news and sports. Later On was the second ever private program to be broadcast in Oman. Sayyida Zawan said that there was no editorial censorship on her program by the Oman Radio or the ministry. "In every country one has to follow certain policies and we do that same here," she explained. She insisted that getting to run two private programs, for the first time, on Radio Oman was the result of her hard work and had nothing to do with her being a member of the royal family. "I feel sad when people say oh, I get to do this because I am an Al Said," she said. "I have worked hard to get here," she added. When asked by Gulf News who the two personalities she most wanted to interview, she said in one breath, "His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and pop sensation Madonna". On her wish to interview Sultan Qaboos, she said, "The nation needs to hear him, we need to know the man behind the Sultan." Meanwhile, in the neighboring Saudi kingdom, a country where women are not allowed to drive, a young woman had made it big, proving to all that for her - the sky is surely not the limit... As can be shown through this amazing story - women in the Gulf are allowing themselves to embark on endeavors that in the past were unthinkable of. Hanadi Hindi, 25, expressed hope to become the first to fly a plane of the national Saudi carrier. She was once quoted as saying, "My dream is to fly a plane of Saudi Arabian Airlines. If this doesn't happen, I'm pretty sure a Saudi private company will hire me," Hanadi said confidently from her home in Mecca. However, as of now, she only has a Private Pilot's License (PPL), which does not allow her to fly for a job, although she can take to the skies "for fun," she added. Undoubtedly, Hindi represents the younger female generation in Saudi Arabia, aspiring to fully use her personal potential for the sake of her own as well as the sake of society as a whole. But she said she is determined to go on to take a Commercial Pilot's License and an Instrument Rating (CPL and IR) from the same school - the Mid-East Aviation Academy in Jordan. "I have become addicted to flying," she said in an interview. Her father, Zakaria Hindi, a retired civil servant, is currently arranging the financing of her costly pursuit. "My father does not distinguish between boys and girls. He treats us in the same way," said Hanadi, who has two brothers and four sisters. "He himself had aspired to be a pilot, but could not realize his dream because of financial constraints. So he encouraged me to become a pilot myself, since I have always been inclined to study anything, and I felt I had to make his wish come true," she said. "Captain Hanadi," as she is already called, says she can understand the thinking behind the ban on women's driving in the oil-rich kingdom, but argues that flying is a different issue whatsoever. "When a woman drives a car, everyone sees her and she might be exposed to unpleasant situations. But no one knows who's in the cockpit," she explained. The ambitious young lady said she was perfectly comfortable wearing a headscarf under her pilot's cap. Hanadi said she had both her parents to thank for being the first Saudi female pilot, as they were standing by her every step of the way, but was also receiving invaluable support from leading liberal lawyer and rights activist Mohammad Saeed Tayyeb, who was "opening doors" for her. Saudi Arabian Airlines has not approached Hanadi, but a private Saudi firm has, she said. "I want to serve my country by becoming a Saudi Arabian Airlines pilot. If they don't take me, then I will go for a private company." Did she think the national carrier would hire a woman? "I don't know. But I'm optimistic." Hanadi said the fact that she had been acknowledged as the first Saudi woman pilot by the air force's Saqr al-Jazira Aviation Museum in Riyadh, where her picture is on display, amounted to "semi-official recognition" by the government. Moreover, she said she had also received support from the cultural attaché at the Saudi embassy in Amman when she went to enroll at the Jordanian academy in September 2002, although he did not have to look after her, as she was a private student. Meanwhile, in yet another apparent expression of growing openness in Saudi society – light has lately been shed on one of the country's long-hidden problems - through the unfolding dramatic and touching story of a brave young woman. Al-Baz after attack A popular Saudi television host publicly showed her bruised and bloodied face and has immensely shocked her compatriots into openly discussing one of the Saudi Kingdom's domestic problems - violence against women. The beautiful Ranya al-Baz has been praised as a "hero" for allowing newspaper photographers snap pictures of her face and for frankly speaking about her personal case after she said a recent beating by her husband left her unconscious. Her unprecedented story has been widely reported in Saudi press – marking a new kind of openness in Arab media. Stories of this nature were once strictly banned and would never find their way to any newspaper. It seems, however, that these days – things are a bit different. Subsequently, a Saudi princess stepped forward to pay al-Baz's medical bills. Representatives of the new Saudi National Human Rights Association also visited her in the hospital. Al-Baz was quoted as saying that once she is back at work, she will press a violence-against-women awareness campaign. "I know many women in Saudi Arabia are badly beaten and when I recover I will do a program addressing that," she said. The attractive host said she also will try to tackle other issues such as rape that are usually not publicly discussed in the oil-rich kingdom. So what may be the reasons behind this noticeable openness in Saudi society as well as in other Gulf countries? Addressing a range of "troubling" issues for women in such an outspoken manner has probably been the result of mounting pressure to open up and introduce social and political reforms. It appears much of that pressure came from Washington in the wake of the September 11 attacks, when it emerged that 15 of the 19 suicide hijackers were Saudis. However, in Saudi Arabia, in particular, the "soul-searching" has also come from within the kingdom itself, especially in light of the May suicide bombings of residential compounds in Riyadh, which killed over 30 people. These attacks distressed the country so profoundly that the government was in someway forced to allow the media greater freedom in various domains such as social and political issues. Moreover, this process of "liberalization" is in the framework of a Saudi government effort to improve its image overseas following Western allegations and perceptions that Riyadh serves as a platform for "terrorists". Al-Baz's television persona – a friendly smile wrapped in a stylish headscarf - made the photographs of her wrecked face after the April 10 beating all the more shocking and tragic. Al-Baz suffered 13 facial fractures requiring 12 operations. The woman best known for her chatty magazine-style show had suddenly offered a personal perspective to the serious issue of domestic violence. She raised the explosive issue and brought it out into the public sphere by sharing with others her sufferings. A new voice was heard. She wanted to publicize her story so that other battered women in the kingdom would be encouraged and motivated to speak up about their problems. Al-Baz, in her 30s, said her husband of six years, singer Mohammed Bakr al-Fallatta, had beaten her in the past as well. However, she noted that the April 10 attack was especially vicious, and that she thought he wanted to kill her. After banging her head on the floor and the wall until she lost consciousness, al-Baz said her husband drove her to the hospital and left her at the front doors, claiming she was a victim of a traffic accident and that he was going to pick up others who had been injured. He then drove off and has not been seen or heard from ever since. Al-Baz said she is not sure what triggered the attack. But al-Fallatta had been out of work for nearly three years and was depressed, she mentioned. Just days before the beating, he got angry when he found her watching a Lebanese TV show that featured his sister, a singer who lives in Beirut. Police said when they find al-Fallatta, he will likely face charges of abuse and attempted murder. One thing is clear – women in the Gulf are experiencing new freedoms that once belonged only to men. Arab women are ready to change their life patterns and are encouraging one another to follow suit. It should be noted that in the West, women too are still fighting hard for their rights and equality in many spheres including the working place and at home. Arab women have joined their Western sisters in fighting for equality and recognition – a "war" they are determined to win. This "battle" is certainly justified, as long as it is fought in accordance to the guidelines of Moslem tradition and doesn't break the barriers of good taste. Sex on TV or on other media outlets is provocative and offensive in the Arab world, so it should be kept off limits for the benefit of society. Women can and should serve as key players in a wide-range of fields in the Arab world. They ought to be encouraged to contribute to the political, educational, social and cultural fields and to serve as role models for the younger generation. (Albawaba.com) World Cup championship for belly dancing in Saint Petersburg Russia

A World cup championship for belly dancing has been launched in the Russian city Saint Petersburg, which is expected to last for two days in the City Music Hall. The event is sponsored by the International and Russian Belly Dancing Organization, in which participants will be women only between the ages of 20-45 and having a belly dancing certificate is a must. These competitions come after a severe dispute between foreign and local belly dancers in Egypt, because of the new law that bans all foreign dancers to work in Egypt. This decision faced many objections by Russian dancers because they say that Egypt is afraid of the competition and the decision was not made on the basis that foreign dancers are not aware of the secrets of this profession. The championship includes 300 belly dancers from 11 countries. In the main competition 35 professional dancers will be competing for the cup. The competition will have two stages, in the first stage dancers will have a three minute dance then only seven dancers will be at the finals. The championship will also include belly dancing lessons and dancing outfits and dancing music. Recently, French belly-dancer Katy, who works as a dancer in Egypt, has called on the French Foreign Minister to help her keep her job in Egypt by talking to Egyptian government officials. The dancer asked the FM to interfere in a new law to be passed by the Egyptian government that forbids foreign dancers from working in Egypt, saying the decision would destroy her career and life. Katy told the FM to try and convince Egyptian officials to freeze the new law for the time being so that she can continue working as a dancer in Egypt, which she has been doing for the past 10 years and has gained significant popularity competing with top Egyptian dancers’ life Fifi Abdo and Dina. In a similar instance Russian belly-dancer Noora has also filed a lawsuit against Labor and Immigration Affairs Minister Ahmed Al Amawi's recent ruling that prevents non-Egyptians from receiving belly dancing licenses. The dancer has claimed that the art of belly dancing is a matter that concerns the Ministry of Culture and not the Ministry of Labor. Noora added that a new Egyptian law has given permission to foreign dancer to work in Egypt as long as they pay the fine for the work permits, and it is not the Ministry of Labor is not liable to cancel such a decision. The dancer added that she has helped in increasing the employment rate by having over 40 Egyptian dancers working in her group, in addition to the fact that she has contributed in improving tourism in Egypt. Recently, Egypt had decided to ban foreign belly dancers from performing the ancient act in the North African country by a ruling from the Labor and Immigration minister preventing non-Egyptians from receiving belly dancing and tourist guides licenses as of the beginning of next year. Egyptian belly dancers are believed to have pressed for the ruling to prevent foreign dancers from "taking their work." Lately, there has been an influx into the country of foreign performers, especially from Russia and Eastern Europe, who have taken up the exotic oriental traditional dance. Several foreign women have reportedly risen to fame with their special act and talent. Before this ruling it was revealed that working permits will be granted to foreign belly-dancers wishing to work in Egypt. It requested that permits be made to all Russian and other European dancers who are currently working in nightclubs and bars around Egypt. The new order/law requires that any foreign dancer wishing to work in Egypt must be granted permission from the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Interior to ensure that no illegal acts of prostitution or the sort take place. It was revealed that the new law has not taken effect yet, for the mere fact that most dancers working in Egypt do not have permits. One French dancer stressed that she has gained huge success in Egypt ever since she began dancing at several nightclubs, but added that she does not have a working permit to dance and stresses that she did not receive any order of having a permit, which makes her think of the matter as just another rumor that will never take effect. A number of foreign belly-dancers from all around the world have taken up the profession in Egypt and have so far received a lot of success. Most dancers are usually found performing in hotels and tourist resorts in the city of Sharm El Sheikh. –Albawaba.com       Ghada Riziq divorced after a two-month marriage Egyptian actress Ghada Abdul Rizik has announced that she has gotten a divorce from Walid Al Tabi’i after being married for only 2 months. The actress refused to give any details to why she has decided to get the divorce stressing that the matter is very personal and she does not wish to share it with the public, reported the London based Elaph. On a different note, Ghada has come to an agreement with a fashion designer regarding a number of dresses and belly dancing outfits she needs to be made for her role in the upcoming TV drama series “Don Juan”, which tackles the life of the late Egyptian dancer Samia Jamal and Egyptian star Rushdi Abatha. Rushdi’s younger brother writes the new series, which will reveal new information about Rushdi not known including his marriages to a number of Egyptian dancers like Samia and Tahia Kariaoki. It was revealed that Egyptian belly dancer Fifi Abdo has agreed to play the role of Tahia despite the fact that the part is very little in the series. Ghada revealed that she is currently watching a large number of old Egyptian films for Samia in addition to reading all that has been written about her to better understand her role in the series. The Egyptian Censorship Committee had complained about one of the scenes in the Ramadan TV drama series series "Mas'alit Mabda" (A Matter of Principle), which starred Ghada Abdul Riziq. The drama featured a dance scene that is too seductive and intimidating. The committee stressed that such a scene is very inappropriate especially during the holy month of Ramadan and therefore they demanded that it be removed. It was revealed that a number of viewers had also objected to several other scenes in the drama played by Ghada, especially the scene of her in a swimming suit walking by the pool. Director Khairy Bushara, underwent his first television directing experience, after experiencing a long line of success in cinema production, in the new TV series "Mas'alit Mabda" (A Matter of Principle) staring Ghada. The new drama revolves around the issue of illegal weapon smuggling, terrorism, and the increase of violence in one of Egypt's rural areas. The drama also tackled an incident of killing tourists by some of the locals which lead to an outbreak in the community. Khairi is to begin shooting the scenes for the drama in October after the script and cast are finalized. The story is written by Mohammad Safa Amer and is to costar Riyadh Al Khouly, Abo Baker Izzat, Mona Shalabi, and Hisham Salim. - Albawaba.com

Cairo Court Rejects Foreign Belly Dancers' Appeal

Wed Jan 21, 8:18 AM ET

CAIRO (Reuters) - A Cairo court rejected Tuesday an appeal by Russian and Australian belly dancers against a ban on working in the country they consider the home of the dance.

The administrative court at the Council of State ruled that the Ministry of Manpower had the authority to prevent non-Egyptians from working in certain professions, including what Egyptians call Oriental dancing.

Lawyers for a Russian dancer who calls herself Nour and for Caroline Evanoff of Australia had asked the court to overturn the ban so their clients could resume their night club work.

Evanoff told Reuters she would prefer to stay in Egypt but did not know what she would do now.

Some dancers have sought work in Lebanon but the authorities there are not issuing work permits, while in the United Arab Emirates the supply of dancers outstrips demand, she said.

"Everyone's going to the Emirates so it's virtually impossible to get a contract there," she said.

Judicial sources said the dancers could now take their case to a higher court.

Oriental dancing is big business at Cairo night spots, from four-star hotels for tourists to cheap smoke-filled bars in the seedier parts of the city.

Posted on Mon, Jan. 26, 2004

Local instructor leading advocate for belly dance