This past week we featured an amazing costume of sheer fabric in layers. We love this look because it’s elegant and ruffled. It also allows you the cool breathing room that many dancers forget is needed even during winter months. Chances are the places you’re dancing in don’t have the air on full blast and a lot of cozy places even have the fire place blazing. Therefore wearing a little too much velvet can have you breaking a sweat a lot sooner than you might imagine. Layering sheers work well in this situation.
This amazing costume is one in a series of new looks set to debut in the coming weeks. It’s a skirt with a choli top layered over a sheer black lace skirt accompanied by eastern jewelry that you’d find in a Turkish Bazaar. Love the look? Let us know in the comments section or tag us when you share it online!
We’re excited about dance class this fall as highly skilled instructors take their place at the head of the classroom. They are ready to give it their all imparting what often feels like sacred knowledge to their students. You want to make sure you’re at your very best and ready to take your skills to the next level. Nothing better than a really comfortable yet personalized dance class set to get you going.
For kids, we recommend this great unitard that stretches and fits well, giving them room to move comfortably. It’s a basic design that can be modified with a hip scarf or accessory according to the dance genre of their choice. It is available in black and is long lasting so you can throw it in the washer wear after wear.
For our raqs fanatics, a cool set of pantaloons with a choli top will always be in. Try this with one of our many veils or coin belts to suit the style of your choice.
Send us photos of you in your raqswear and we’ll enter you to win one of our fun MissBellydance.com prize packs in September! We can’t wait to see you soar to the next level in your dance career!
-Team MBD
It’s time for the Summer Show Photos! Send us a photo you attending a festival or show this summer while wearing a costume or dance attire from MissBellydance.com! You’ll be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to our online store. We’ve been to quite a few shows this season and they’ve all been quite exciting. From dance classes, to lectures and a night of fantastic debuts for new troupes; we loved them all!
Post your photos from the events on our Facebook page or tag us on Twitter or Instagram @missbellydance! We’re giving out discount codes and putting your name in the drawing. If you’re submitting a troupe picture, the person who submits the photo will be given the gift card if they win, but all of the troupe will be allowed to use the coupon code.
Can’t wait to see your photos!
MissBellydance.com would like to say Mabrook to all troupes that had their debut at Attack of the Bellydancers 2017. Our archivist sent us photos and information about the show that left us very excited about the new dance teams in Atlanta. Just some advice from inside the sewing halls of our store as we want to see you continue and thrive in Atlanta! We’re here to support you!
Sabia, Maiea and Hasna dancing together! 🙂 We love this!
1. Don’t give up. It’s easy to start something and then let it fall because you got busy
2. Set goals for the group. Aim to perform at x conference or something by x date
3. Be friends first. Do not take yourselves too seriously…encourage each other and call each other out when you see one falling. Be pillars for each other in the most kind and supportive way
4. Stay creative! Don’t get to comfortable in any stage of our work, always think of what you can do differently but with respect to the cultures you represent in every way
5. Remember your roots and the roots of the art/dance – needs no explanation
Persica!
Congratulations and let us know what we can do to assist. Reach out to us here on our blog or on social media to get coupon codes for dance. All those who attended the show may remember that we are giving you a 20% discount on orders of $50 or more now until the first day of Fall. We can’t wait to see what else you bring to life for our beloved international town, community and raqs world! We’re also happy to hear that money for SEEDs Atlanta was raised! The Atlanta Culture Club will be making a donation as well this year! Very happy to be involved in that! More info and praise coming from our way!
Right now, all across the social sphere are chats and conversations about raqs sharqi, global dances from the region and music conversations. We want to say thank you for continuing the conversations because they are truly important. Getting to the root of a dance and learning the whys and hows of the region is essential for growth. We believe that no matter what your level in this art, lectures and forums are a key component to being a good dancer and a great fan.
In 2007, 2008 and onward, we had several dancers, enthusiasts and instructors from our dance community in Atlanta join an amazing group of people from around the world in Toronto, Canada. Our resident archivist was there and still marvels at the amazing information and experience of the International Bellydance Conference of Canada. Here her words about the good ole days!
It was a great conference and just about everyone I had ever loved in the dance world was there minus some of the legends from the 50s. Nath Keo, Tito Seif, Mark Balahadia, Shira of Shira.net, the group formerly known as Arabesque and a million others it seemed were there. People I had only had the opportunity to read about online or see when a relative from back home was raving over “this guy named Tito is amazing!” were there…it was a dream come true. I fell head over heels for this conference. My favourite parts w, aside from the incredible shows, were the lectures. We talked about everything from men in dance to the stigma of being ibn raissa… I mean, the presenters held nothing back. I’m happy that these conversations continue. If you ignore it, your presentations suffer. You have to be a part of the talks to really understand what you’re presenting. A class is the first step but take that conversation to the next level at a forum. Dance education is key! -Andinha
Houston Oriental and Folklore Dance Festival is another great conference to attend that features great shows and competitions!
What forums do you attend? What classes do you take to get more than technique? We’d love to hear from you! And if you’re headed to shows this summer or have been to plenty, reach out to us here on our blog or send us an email on our Facebook page so we can give you a coupon code to save on your next purchase with MissBellydance.com
There are a lot of summer dance classes being hosted around the world right now. As May wraps up Festival Season, in comes Summer Conference Season where you can pick from a variety of countries to visit and get your Raqs Sharqi fix as fast and furious as you want it. We’re looking at local options which include Jazzy Fusion Bellydance with Leila Soleil at our sister studio Atlanta Fusion Bellydance. Later this summer there’s the Attack of the Bellydancers show and, of course, Essence of Bellydance which is one of the largest dance conferences in the southeast!
In Florida, New York, San Francisco, Houston and other major cities, festivals and events continue to grow. You know this! Try to go to at least one and be sure you are well prepared and stocked up on dancewear, modern dance leotards for comfort, hipscarves for bellydance class and even leg warmers and jackets that you can wear for those extra cool hotel conference ballrooms!
It’s gonna be a blast! Get your tickets and take lots of pictures! We want to see you! Submit a photo to our Facebook page or tag us! We’ll be sure to enter you to win one of our cool summer dance dazzling gift bags filled with all kinds of cool things!
We’re welcoming the new year with some great new looks. It’s exciting to slip into lace ensembles, short or long. Be a part of the fashionable scene at coming shows and galas. Dress up and get into the raqs fashion and dance like you’ve never danced before. Check out the latest in our skirts section and let us know what you think. We’re thrilled with the new things and we hope you will be as well.
Can’t wait to hear from you! We have so much to share!
We’re talking about building a dance wardrobe this weekend. We’re taking time to look through our collection of clothing and that of friends to make sure we have the most vibrant of colours and styles to start the new year. No matter what your aesthetic, primary colours should be in your treasure chest. For tribal dancers, dark colours and jewel tones in the same base of the primary colours should be present. Extend that to green, tangerine, peacock blue and deep reds. For those often on the festival circuit, 25 yard skirts are key!
Faaridah of Atlanta Fusion Bellydance in MIssBellydance.com
Creating a wardrobe can be very easy when you base it on the colours. Making sure the cuts and patterns are flattering to your frame, find discounts online such as those we offer weekly at missbellydance.com. You can stock up on tons of items and accessories to make your ensembles pop and look really bright with eye catching colours stage. A great set of costumes simply enhance what you bring to your audience. It doesn’t stop there. Couple your skill with the cutest costumes and cool trending raqs and dancewear in class.
To assist you with building an amazing raqs wardrobe in the new year, MissBellydance is offering 25% off $80 or more. Browse the site and grab what you need. Use code hipdrop16 and see the savings! Send us photos of your MBD haul and we’ll happily feature you in our blog and social pages. We look forward to seeing the selfie hauls posted to our Facebook page and tagged on Twitter and Instagram. Can’t wait to hear from you! @missbellydance 🙂 Tell us when you follow us or if you have been for some time. We’ll enter you in our end of the year drawing for accessories from MBD! 🙂
We’ve said it before some years ago that the role of a dancer in the Middle Eastern Arts community is one of an ambassador. With the rampant fear that runs through world, particularly the fear we see from people who literally refuse to go to a bellydance show, it’s important to be a very good ambassador and one that is inclusive and caring to your audience. Not only is it important to get the actual dance represented correctly, it’s crucial that we inform the audiences about the nature of the dance. It is a family past time for many and is done by everyone including men and women.
Photos by Studio Jaki
Restaurants and festivals who are looking to get the crowd involved can hand out hipscarves to the crowd. This is a fun way to get everyone up and excited about a little shimmy. It’s exciting to see the look on people’s faces when they start wiggling and the coins and fringes are jingling around. So many great dancers include a set where they get wrapped up in a dancer’s veil.
Another thing is to have plenty of great music. Teach your audience a song, the refrain from a chorus. Do something to break the ice and the fear of the many cultures around the globe. When people are afraid, they don’t come to your events or festivals. This just creates a negative domino. It’s up to us as dance ambassadors to show the joy of loving each other. Middle Eastern Dance is a great way to initiate inclusion and support. Gather with your fellow dancers, grab some hipscarves and great music. Bring your community into the dance circle. Let’s be the beginning of the bridge.
Model: Karma Karmelita Photog: Studio Jaki – Atlanta GA
There are so many dancers from around the globe that flocked to Egypt to learn the art of Raqs Sharqi. They bring what they learn back to their communities and build a fan base that usually reaches back into the culture to pull even more knowledge out to share with their friends and family. This has been one of many ways the art has spread. One of those stars that is big on the circuit is Luxor. He showcases The Luxor Show. It’s a powerful production where the star proves his expertise in really strong moves that you can feel way down deep. Luxor is an experience. See this great video from Oasis Festival.
We’re excited that he will be coming to Atlanta in 2018. To usher in his welcome we’ll be highlighting the history of raqs worldwide and how global communities have embraced this dance. Join us every month as we visit Raqs Around the World. You can also sign up to attend events, including his, which we are promoting. Be sure to subscribe and we’ll help keep you in the know.
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