I can't believe we are already doing the sixth lesson! Today we get to work for the first time on the upper body – the rib cage and shoulders. Again, at the bottom of this page you can write comments regarding the lesson. I want to remind you to start with the basic posture as was taught in the first lesson, and also that learning to belly dance over the internet does not constitute an alternative for taking classes with a teacher. Now go have fun!
The wonderful music we hear in this lesson is from an album by the Nazareth Orchestra, with the soloist Lubna Salame, a special tribute album in honor of 100 years anniversary to the legendary singer Oum Kolthoum, the Diva of Arab music. The album can be bought in the boutique, here.
Oum Kolthoum was admired all around the Arab world, and was famous for her extraordinary improvisational technique. Let's see a short clip that highlights that:
The dancer I wish to introduce to you is maybe my favorite Egyptian golden age dancer, Tahia Carioca. No need to say much, her dance says it all…
I will only add that Tahia Carioca was born in Ismaileya, Egypt, at 1915 by the name Badawiyya Muhammad Karim. She began dancing as a little girl, and got famous with the help of Badia Masabni who owned a famous western styled cabaret in Cairo and hired her to perform in her dance troupe. Tahia quickly became very popular and from that point her career as a dancer and motion picture actress developed, making her a living legend. She died at 1999, and I can only regret for not getting a chance to see her dance.
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