For Shira's Weekly Students

Spring 2010

This page is intended for the students who attend Shira's belly dance classes in Iowa City, IA.

Table of Contents

Supplies

Set of Finger Cymbals

You need to buy these in sets of four. After obtaining them, follow the "Preparing Your Cymbals for Use" instructions on my "Introduction to Finger Cymbals" article. Recommended sources:

• Demizo's Dance Supply. Located in the Clock Tower Plaza shopping center on the Coralville Strip. 1801 2nd Street, Coralville, IA 52241. Recommend calling ahead to find out store hours and make sure they have them in stock. Phone number is 319-358-7191.
• Sold at Amazon.com
  • Nefertiti made by Harry Saroyan. Nice quality.
• "Student Zills" sold by Mid-East Manufacturing. Lower price, but the quality and sound aren't as nice as the Nefertiti zills.

Music

• For Level 1 class:
  • Gems of the Middle East, Volume 1, performed by Mary Ellen Donald and Mimi Spencer.
    • You can buy it from me in class, for a price of $15.
    • You can buy it from Mary Ellen Donald's web site.
  • Middle Eastern Rhythms for Beginners (slow version) or Middle Eastern Rhythms for Intermediate/Advanced (faster version) by Mary Ellen Donald
    • You can buy it from me in class, for a price of $30.
    • You can buy it from Mary Ellen Donald's web site.
• For Level 2 class:
  • Jalilah's Raks Sharki 5: Stars of Casino Opera. Music download for the 15-minute version of "Nibtidi Mneen al-Hikaya" - we use a segment of it in our class choreography.
  • Sabah Favorites. Contains the full-length version of "A Nedda", the debke that we are using a cut version of for class choreography.

Veil

The veils we use in class are rectangles 3 yards long and 45 inches wide.

• Make Your Own. Click this link to a page with instructions.
• Purchase One Already Made. This link goes to the L. Rose Designs web site, and any of the veil choices offered at this link is acceptable for class.

Cane

This is a special kind of cane used for Lebanese and Egyptian folkloric-style dance. In the Belly Dance for Exercise class, this folkloric dance style is used for the aerobic section of class.

• Amazon.com. This cane is like the loaners used in class.
• From Dahlal.com. If you want a gold or silver one.

Interesting Links

• Nibtidi Mneen al-Hikaya. Video clip showing the legendary Egyptian dancer Soheir Zaki performing to this song. Probably from 1970's or 1980's.
• Nibtidi Mneen al-Hikaya. Playlist of several video clips showing the legendary singer Abdel Halim Hafez performing this song in 1975.
• A Nedda. Series of still photos of people dancing debke to Sabah's full-length recording of this song.
• Nauli Kriya. This youtube clip shows a yoga practice that builds strength and control in abdominal muscles. I use a very small part of this in class to help build the muscles needed for abdominal rolls. This is not belly dance, it's yoga. I simply find the exercise useful for building muscle tone.