Ah...I see what you mean about the subtitles now. I didn't know that. Yeah, it wouldn't show up here on our US version; it's a different format.

OK, I will try to be as thorough as you, my dear :) Thanks for your thoughtful responses!

1) "Is it Golden Age, from the cinema style? Shareen and Sahra both teach the "Golden Age" style and call it Classical."

From what I have learned the music defines the style of dance that goes with it. If you ever doubt how to dance to something, or what style is appropriate, ask, "is this a classical piece, or is it folkloric (etc.)? if classical, who is the composer, is is golden age classical, or modern classical? if folkloric, what country/region? etc. Classical means it's to Classical Arabic music. Beledi means it's to a more sophisticated style of folk music, but it's not quite as sophisticated as the super classical stuff, but it's not as folkloric as, say, the music that the Ghawazee use. Compare taqsims. A Beledi taqsim is very earthy, and has rhythm to it, and ends fast, very firey, usually done with the accordian on lead melody, not always tho. A classical taqsim of course would depend on the instrument, but there tends to be no rhythm with the highly classical ones, and so the quality or tone of the taqsim is lighter, I find. So, the dance reflects that.

"Is it Baladi or Sharqi style? Which one's Classical -- Mona Said or

"Fifi?"--hehehe...this is Hossam's favorite, because he says her phrasing is perfect. He says she doesn't have a large movement repetoire, but she always does the right thing at the right time, and with a big smile on her face :) She is more classical than beledi, but she adds beledi to it...shades of grey, I'm tellin' ya!


Or Lucy?--classical, classical!

Katie--haven't seen her, can you believe it? My namesake!

or Naima Akef?--beledi for sure, hon!

"Samia Gamal doesn't dance like anyone else -- is she Classical, or are her contemporaries?"

She did everything! That girl could even mambo! Too cool. She is super classical, but very soft. Even her beledi is soft.


"Or wouldn't the classical style TRULY be the Mohammed Ali Street style, or Awalim?"

NO NO, that's beledi and folkloric dance! They don't dance to classical music!

So isn't Nadia Hamdi closer to Classical?

From what I have seen of her she is more classical than beledi, but she does a lot of folkloric styles, too, so she is one that can do both :)

And where do we put Nagwa, who again didn't dance like anyone else?

Again, she did both, but she revolutionized the dance by adding "back up dancers" to her sets. She danced to everything.

Every good dancer should be able to do more than one style. Nadia Gamal would always do a classical raqs sharki set, then come out with her cane and bring down the house with some folkloric stuff, and go out into the audience, etc. But everyone is an individual, and this is a creative art, so we all develop our own style *within certain parameters* (i.e. "the formula")

2) "I think I'm really not understanding you. Do you mean Modern Egyptian like Dina and Dandesh? I actually don't see too many people in the Midwest doing that style at all, except for people (like me) who pick up a couple of Dina "signature" moves because they're cute and fit lots of places."

You're right, not many people here do dance like that, but there are many in Cairo that do.

"I also don't hear people dancing to the kind of music that the Moderns are dancing to."

Faten uses Arabic pop music all the time to teach with, and so do I. It's easy, cuz it tends to be repetitive and short, and the stuff that I pick usually has some kind of folkloric flavor to it; I don't like the techno stuff for serious dancing. The dance style that we teach to this is more beledi style, and it has folkloric elements in it, something that this "Modern Egyptian" style doesn't have. They use the same music, tho. See the difference? With Dina, it's not *what* she does, but *how* she does it that makes her great. She's an incredible actress, and she really feels the music like no one else.

I just picked up 3 CDs from Dahlal of "modern" Egyptian, and AWS music, and it's VERY different from Wahab and Hafez, which necessitates a different kind of dancing."

3) Yes, combinations must be learned alongside learning the music. I know I sound like a broken record, but dancers really need to start thinking of becoming a sort of musician if they are going to become serious dancers.

4) "Katya - what does Faten think of Raqia Hassan? Just curious... "

Well, I'm not exactly sure. I don't really want to speak for her, but I do know that she says "all the famous ones go through the Reda troupe". Meaning, "big deal, you were in Reda...now show me your dance". LOL>...she is so tough, you have no idea. She used to judge ballet competitions in Europe in the '70's...

p.s. Heads up everyone...a year from this fall Faten is holding a bellydance competition here in Indy, but the audience will be the judge. She said if she were one of the judges no one would win...lol...you may have thought Miles was like Simon on American Idol, but I think Faten is much closer...Neither I nor her other students will be allowed to participate as we are helping to sponsor, but you bet I'll be involved in putting it on!

Ok, dear, I hope this helps!

**kisses**

Katya

Raqs Hammam- ladylike dance. Dina, and Fifi. That's what I learned somewheres.