BellyDanceBySanazDanceStudio

It was a sweet surprise for me, when i reached Alliance Francaise on the Thimmaiah Road, Bangalore last Saturday, the 30th May 2009 for the Belly Dance Show. But I had to call the day as a 50-50 day, as 50% happiness for viewing LIVE BELLY DANCE Performance and 50% sad for NO PHOTOGRAPHY.

A gang of 12 girls and kids from Sanaz Dance Studio run by Ms.Sanaz (a journalisim grad from Iran) showcased their talents on the stage. The dancers came in very interesting and different costumes ranging from short tops and long skirts, showing their belly to a fully covered costume with props.

This Belly dance is a Western term for a traditional Arab dance genre known as raqs sharqi (literally “oriental dance”) or sometimes raqs baladi (literally “dance of country”, and so “folk” dance). It is also sometimes called “Middle Eastern Dance” or the “Arabic Dance” in the United States, “danse du ventre”, or by the Turkish term Çiftetelli.

Native to the Middle East, and now popular worldwide, belly dance takes many different regional forms, both in costume and dance style, indicating that distinctive dance moves may have been transported to these regions and incorporated with local dance styles.

Apart from the beautiful performance, the show was very informative. Thanks to the MC for sharing info on why women learn/perform in the middle east, the important reason being keeping herself fit with secondary reason, to keep her man happy. The MC also claimed this dance helps women during her labour periods.

At the end of the session, I was reminded of movie scenes of Mayya Mayya from Guru and Thak Thom Thagathimi Thom from Kaadhal Kavithai. On a whole, it was a different experience watching this traditional dance. Thanks Sanaz. Hoping to document this dance performance sometime soon.

And, if you wish to learn and dance… Reach out to Sanaz at 98 8646 6746/sanaz.bakhtiari@gmail.com
More info Here