Styles

 The word „fellahi” means villager. This is a mercurial group dance. It describes the all day villager life as imitates the different activities: filling of pitchers, bread kneading and bread backing, work in the field and others.    Typical of this dance accessory is the pitcher. It is carried on the head or on the shoulders.

 

  Tribal

 Modern art oriental dance, coming from United States in the 60-ties. Worldwide popularized by Rachel Brice, tribal fusion is born in the American style tribal which contains different traditional and modern dances (flamenco, kathah, bhart natiam and hip hope).

  

Raqs Sharqi

This is the most popular and the most teaching style.The style Shargi is inspired by the style Baladi. The dance was born in Egypt in the 30-ties, taking figures from the classic ballet. It consists of turnings, semi turnings, setting up straight on fingers; the arms are elegant and remote from the body. Arabesques and play with veils can be seen. The movements are full. The costume is very elegant and distinguished, made of sequins and artificial precious stones.       It is an air style, choreographies can be prepared.The music consists of oriental and western instruments (violin, ud and kanun…) Under the influence of the Hollywood cinema Raqs-Sharqi is danced mainly in a costume in two parts.

                   

                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                

Ghawazee

 A Gypsy dance.

The dancing women, called ghawazee, dances barefooted, fast treaded on the ground. The dance is mercurial, the movements are very fast. It consists in the first place of movements in the haunch and vibrations. Some of the dancing women play at the same time on zils. The music is characterized by the using of mizmar and rabab. 

 

Saïdi

From Saïd, originates from this region of Upper Egypt (South). Saïdi is a folklore dance expressing the earth power. It can be danced with one or two sticks or without accessories.
El Raqs el tantib is danced by men who simulate fight.It is danced martial for showing power and strength.On a stage the dance often is presented with slightly expressed martial character.In the course of the time the women also accept this dancing style - el raqs el assaya, but they give to it more womanhood and temptation. The dance is tenderer with small cuts a caper. The women carry a long dress and most times shawl in the hairs and around the haunch.
The Mizmar is presented very often in the music.Saïdi is also the name of the rhythm.

 

 

 Haggallah

Bedouin dance.The word „hag” means jump. The dance, but also the dancers, the step and the rhythm are called with the word hagallah.This is an energetic dance with horizontal movements of the haunch and great number variations of vibrations. Normally the dancing women carry two plaits.

 

 Mellaya Leff

I am presenting you Melaya Leff also originating from Egypt. The dancing woman uses melaya, black fabric (very dense and none transparent veil) which envelops her body. The affair of question is for almost theatre dance. In it the dancing woman plays with playful, full of wiliness look. There are two styles of Melaya Leff: this from Alexandria which is danced with a short dress and often heeled shoes; the second is the style from Cairo which is danced with a traditional dress, galabea, and barefoot.

 

 





Khaleegi

Khaleegi is folklore style from the Gulf – Saudi Arabia.
This dance differs much from the stomach dance, it contains earth feeling.
It has own syncope rhythm which is known under the same name.
It is danced with a long dress and movements of the hands which often express
animals. The dance is more elegant when the dancing woman makes movements by
the head with long hair.




Shaa’bi

A country, traditional, Egyptian style, terrestrial and mercurial.
More “modern” variant than the popular dance.
It reminds a little bit of Baladi but with more speeded up tempo und music.







Nubian dance / Nubienne

Nubia is a region which is laying to the south of Aswan till Khartoum (capital of
Sudan).
It is the connection between Egypt and Africa.
In the Nubian dance, which is presented on the stage, the dancers (men and women)
paint their faces and hands to imitate the dark skin of the Nubians.






Raqs El Shamadan

Raqs El Shamadan is also called “dance of the candlestick” because while the
dancing woman is dancing she is moving with burning candlestick laid on her head.
Often it is danced by weddings. The affair of question is sooner for an acrobatic and
impressing style.