Music for Bellydancing
If Caitlyn is performing at your party and you have any music requests, please let her know in advance of the show date.
If you would like live bellydance music at a show, please email Caitlyn for details or have a look at her agency site,�Hafla Entertainment. Several options are available, ranging from a solo Arabic/Turkish drummer to a full Arabic band with additional dancers.
Below is a catalogue of some of Caitlyn's music. Students in Caitlyn's Oxford bellydance classes are encouraged to explore music from a variety of genres to discover their personal taste.
EGYPTIAN ORIENTAL
You can look for Egyptian bellydance music not only by band but also by composer. Famous composers include Farid el Attrache, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Mohammed Abel Wahab.
The Babylon Arabic Band
Khamis Henkesh
Jalilah/Mokhtar al Said and El Ferka el Mesaya
Classic orchestral music.
Leila Farid's collection of CDs by her Egyptian band
Mesmera/Salatin el Tarab
Classic bellydance instrumental music
Hossam Ramzy
Sami Nossair Orchestra
Veena and Neena
High quality musicianship and production, excellent choice of songs on "Bellydance Fantasy". Veena and Neena have chosen real, sophisticated Mideastern music that’s pleasing to the average Western ear. Unfortunately the tracks are badly broken up, causing pauses mid-song when played.
EGYPTIAN POP AND SHAABI
Amr Diab
Baha'a Sultan
Essam Karika
Shaabi
Hakim
Hisham Abbas
Saber el Robai
Sherine
Tarek el Sheikh
Hegazy Metkal
EGYPTIAN FOLKLORIC (BALADI, SAIDI, EARLY SHAABI)
Ahmed Salah
Shaabi
Amina
Shaabi
Fatme Serhan
"Best of Saidi"
Hoda
Shaabi
Hossam Ramzy
"Beledi Plus" is especially good. Great for tribal, assaya, practicing finger cymbals. Some drum solos as well.
Musicians of the Nile
Saad
Shaabi
The Upper Egypt Ensemble
GHAWAZEE
Aisha Ali (compiler), Music of the Ghawazee
LEBANESE, PALESTINIAN, IRAQI and SYRIAN
Assi el-Hellani
Darine Hadchiti
George Abdo
Dramatic Lebanese music from the 1970s.
Dina Hayek
Elissa
Fares Karam
George Wassouf
Haifa Wehbe
Issa Ghandour
Nancy Ajram
Nourhanne
Pascale Machaalani
Rida al-Abdullah
Sabah
Najwa Karam
Rola Saad
TURKISH (and some ARMENIAN)
Brothers of the Baladi
Oregon-based group playing music from across the Middle East, including Egyptian, Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian bellydance and folkloric tracks.
Ozlem
Slow and beautiful Turkish music.
John Bilezikjian
Turkish and Armenian music.
Asena
Baba Zula
Emre Altug
Harem
Ibrahim Tatlises
Kardes Turkuler
Lava Beaux
Mercan Dede
Mustafa Sandal
Orient Beats
Orientation
Smadj
Sezen Aksu
Tarkan
Under the Bridge (Various Artists)
Didem
ROMAN (Gypsy)
Gypsy Fire
Bellydance music, including some classics such as "Siseler" and "Rompi Rompi".
Gypsy Caravan, produced by Putamayo
Not all suitable for oriental dance, but a good CD. You can listen to clips on the website.
Gypsy Music of Constantinople
Kemani Cemal
Shuvani
This CD was put together by Dahlia Carella, who created "Dunyavi Gypsy Dance", a fusion of dance moves from along the Romani trail. Her CD reflects this eclecticism, including everything from a lively "Pero Pom Pero" to a slow karsilama. Appropriate for fusion, Romani, or Dunyavi dance.
Latcho Drom
The Gypsy Road
Sulukule
Techno Roman
Burhan Ocal and the Trakya All Stars
AMERICAN TRIBAL STYLE BELLYDANCE AND TRIBAL FUSION
Beats Antique
Djinn
Combines Mideastern music with beatboxing and a hurdy-gurdy and gets away with it
Gypsy Caravan
American Tribal
Kaya Project
Helm
Maduro
Pentaphobe
Mideastern-influenced electronic music used by dancer Rachel Brice
Squaremeter
Solace
Watcha Clan
Abdel Hazim
Alabina
Baghdad Heavy Metal
A collaboration between American rockers and Arab vocalists. And a bagpiper.
Balkan Beat Box
Beats Antique
Bellyhouse
Carvin Knowles
Dolphina
Children of Paradise
DJ Mosavo
Eat Static
Galactic Caravan
Jehan - Arabic-Rock fusion.
Natacha Atlas
Niyaz
A variety of mellow, beautiful songs, not all appropriate for dance
Oojami
Petrol Bomb Samosa
Phil Thornton
The REG Project
Squaremeter
Transglobal Underground
Traveler
U-cef
Watcha Clan
DRUM SOLOS
Issam Houssan
Susu Pampanin
Hossam Ramzy
Turbo Tabla
MOROCCAN, TUNISIAN AND ALGERIAN
Amina
Cheb Mami
Cheb Khaled
Daoudia
Faudel
Rachid Taha
Ragheb Alama
Samira Said
Shams (Tunisian-Kuwaiti)
GREEK
Annabouboula
Despina Vandi
Glykeria
Knossos
ISRAELI/MIZRAHI/LADINO
Mizrah (Mizrahi)
Not all songs appropriate for bellydance)
Rosa Negra
Ladino
Ofra Haza (Israeli)
Sefarad
Yinon Muallem
KURDISH
Aynur
Delil Delanar
IRANIAN
Jamshid
Niyaz
TUTORIALS
Jalilah's Raks Sharki vol. 4
Rhythms tutorial
Zils
Rhythms tutorial for finger cymbals
Articles
The Gilded Serpent is an online magazine about Mideastern dance
Read Caitlyn's article for Gilded Serpent.
Morocco: Excellent articles. Dance classes and performances in New York City, and trips to Cairo.
Shira: Music lyrics, costuming information, information about dance styles and more.
Cross-dressing in Middle Eastern dance
Musicians and Arabic Music
Learn about Arabic music at MaqamWorld
Buy Arabic Music at Maqam.com
Costuming
Making Your Own Costumes
Making your own costumes can save you a lot of money. I recommend making veils and harem pants as your first items, as these are the easiest.
Costuming Books:
Brown, Dawn Devine - Embellished Bras: Basic Techniques.
How to decorate a bra to make it part of your dance costume.
Brown, Dawn Devine. Style File
40-page booklet describing the different kinds of costumes out there—nightglub, Ghawazee, Roma, etc.
Websites:
Madame X
Very clear, easy instructions; excellent results. She doesn’t give instructions for embellishment, though; you need to go to Desert Moon Dance for that.
Shira’s Costuming Corner
All sorts of useful information for making your own costumes.
Buying Costumes
Costumes are often sold more cheaply in other countries, but you’ll run into two problems.
First, many Mideastern companies that sell mainly gift items do not carry high quality dance products. I recommend buying from UK or US retailers who sell only dance items; the quality is usually better.
If you order from the US, you may pay so much in shipping and tariffs that you won’t actually save money.
Avoid costumes made in India or Pakistan; the quality is usually low and the look is slightly "off".
Costume Vendors Abroad
If you happen to be in Cairo, go to Mahmoud abd Ghaffar at 73 Gawhar Al-Qayid St. in Khan El Khalili (Cairo+) 589-7443. The store is four storeys. Enough said!
Also in Cairo, try Yasser's smaller costume shop at 2 Sekket Khan el Khalili 02-278-65966. The selection of skirts is small but there are many full costumes and coin belts. To get to Yasser's from Mahmoud's, walk out of Mahmoud's and turn right on the main thoroughfare. Continue alking about one minute until you see a sign for "Oriental Dresses" on your left. Do not go into this shop, but turn down the alley beside it and take your first left. Yasser's is a few doors down on the left.
In Istanbul, try Bazar Ali Baba at Fesciler Cad. No. 119-21 Kapalicarsi (i.e. the Grand Bazaar). (0.212) 527 09 75. The quality is excellent and there is a wide selection of costumes to chose from. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Say that Caitlyn sent you!
Costume Vendors in the UK
Aladdin’s Cave
Wide selection, good quality. They bring their items to many Mideastern dance events, so if you go to an event such as Fantasia, you can try the items on. Their selection on CDs and videos is unparalleled and their customer service is excellent.
Costume Vendors in the USA
Alimah's Closet
They have a store in Portland, Oregon. The owner designs some of the clothes herself and has them made in India�
Dahlal Internationale
High quality, with an amazing selection of professional costumes. Carries designers such as Madame Abla and Phaeronics. Great selection of CDs, zils, hip scarves. Excellent customer service.
Etsy
Great for custom orders
Flying Skirts
American Tribal style costumes. Expensive, but quality. Fabulous dance bras made with real coins.
L. Rose Designs
Custom-made bellydance costumes!
Moondance: Gifts for the Dancing Spirit
Amazing deals on this site! They have an especially enormous selection of skirts. Do be wary of buying a narrow skirt that inhibits your stretching and dancing. Also, take note of their international shipping prices.
Saroyan Mastercrafts
Probably the best zils in the world. They Saroyan Grecian zills have an unusually low, mellow tone, perfect if you or your audience have sensitive ears.
ShimmyShimmy
Big selection, well-organized site. They have goddess-size clothes as well.
Turquoise International
Recommended particularly for their finger cymbals. They also have some CDs that can be difficult to find elsewhere.
Tribal Bazaar
Gorgeous, unique, extremely high-quality professional costumes with a tribal feel.
Costume Articles
Books
Middle Eastern Dance Books�
Buonaventura, Wendy.�Serpent of the Nile.�
Carlton, Donna.�Looking for Little Egypt.
Djoumana, Khajira.�The Tribal Bible: Exploring the Phenomenon that is American Tribal
Style Bellydance. Santa Rosa: BlackSheep BellyDance, 2003.
Hellend, Shawna. “The Belly Dance: Ancient Ritual to Cabaret Performance” in Moving History/Dancing Cultures, ed. Ann Dils and Ann Cooper Albright. Middleton, Connecticut: 2001. 128-35.
Hobin, Tina.�Belly Dance. London and New York: Marion Boyars, 2003.
Karayanni.�Dancing Fear and Desire: Race, Sexuality and Imperial Politics in Middle Eastern Dance.
Van Nieuwkerk Karin.�A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers and Dancers in Egypt. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1995.
Al-Zayer, Al Hanley, et alia. Middle Eastern Dance.
Redmond, Layne.�When the Drummers Were Women.
Richards, Tazz, ed.�The Belly Dance Book.
Shay, Anthony, And Sellers-Young, Barabara.�Belly Dance: Orientalism, Transnationalism and Harem Fantasy. Mazda Publishers, 2005.
Wise, Josephine.�The JWAAD Book of Bellydance .�
Other Relevant Books
Alloula, Malek. The Colonial Harem.
Buonaventura, Wendy.�Something in the Way She Moves: Dancing Women from Salome to Madonna. Cambridge: The Da Capo Book Group, 2003.
Croutier, Alev.�Harem - Chicago Press (2007).
Said, Edward.�Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient. London: Penguin Books (1991).
Wagner, Ann.�Adversaries of Dance From the Puritans to the Present. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1997.
Magazines
The Gilded Serpent (web magazine) - Endless articles on all subjects.
Habibi Magazine
Arabesque Magazine - Out of print now, but the old issues are worth tracking down.
Mosaic
Terminology
Another term for bellydancing�is "oriental dance". In Arabic, the dance is called "raqs sharqi", which translates to "dance of the east" or "oriental dance."
"Bellydance" was coined by Sol Bloom, an American, at the 1890s Wold Fair. The term was intended to be titillating--"belly" was not a polite word. Showing/moving one's "belly" was simply not done--recall that women were still corsetted at this time. So not only was the term created by an American, it was created to scandalise...and it's not even a correct description of the dance! There are only two or three dance moves actually done with the belly; the action is actually in the hips.
So why is the term Eurocentric, if it's translated from Arabic?� "Raqs sharqi" is likely a translation of the French "danse orientale". One of the first people to use the term raqs sharqi was Badia Masabni, a nightclub owner in pre-Nasser Egypt. Her club was frequented by the British and by Anglicised Egyptian elites. She needed a term for her dance that distinguished it from lower-class street dancing and from western dance. She chose (or perhaps even coined) a label that made sense to her clientele: "sharqi", i.e. of the East , i.e. east of England.
Why not just call the dance raqs sharqi? First, because there are too many ways to spell it. The Arabic letter "qaf" is loosely equivalent to an English "q" but sometimes gets transliterated as a "k". This causes problems when doing internet searches for the dance. Second, it's an Arabic term, not Turkish. In Turkish, the term for the dance is "oryantal dans", not "raqs sharqi". But both those terms translate to "oriental dance" in English, giving us one term that is easy to spell and refers to both Egyptian and Turkish dance.