With so many videos of dance performances to choose from, how do you locate ones that match the kind of dancing you like to watch, and how do you make an informed decision on which one to buy?

On this page, Shira offers reviews of performance videos.

Read Shira's Video Reviews: Format & Biases before reading any of these video reviews so you can better understand the format she has chosen for her reviews and acquaint yourself with her biases that may affect the content of her reviews.

Videos marked with a twirling star below are Shira's top picks.

Full-Length Reviews

Rare Glimpses. By Ibrahim "Bobby" Farrah. Available in NTSC. Archival footage of an 1897 dancer, a Moroccan Guedra, Nadia Gamal, and more.

Opinion Polls Only

There are so many belly dancing videos available, that it's impossible to review them all! Here are opinion polls for performance videos that I haven't yet been able to review. If you're familiar with any of these, please vote to let everyone else know what you think of them! If you're not, visit the poll to see how other people felt about the video.

Egyptian Dancers: Compilations of Multiple Dancers Baladi Show. VHS Tape Edition, 1216 Part 1 VHS Tape Edition, 1217 Part 2 DVD Edition, most (but not all) of VHS Parts 1 & 2 on a single DVD Cairo Dance Festival - Lucy & More. Includes performances by Lucy, Saher Hamdi, Aida Nour, Shushu Amin, Safaa Saeed. Classics of Samia Jamal, Taheia, & More Morocco #4: Stars of Egyptian Dance. (Nagwa Fouad, Soheir Zaki, & Aza Sharif) Morocco #5: Stars of Egyptian Dance. (Nadia Hamdi, Nahed Sabry, Hanan & Eman Wagdy) Lucy & Dina Soheir Zaki & Fifi Abdo - Live in Gulf Stars of Egypt, Volume 4, The Great Unknown, Part 1 Stars of Egypt, Volume 4, The Great Unknown, Part 2 Dina Dina In Monte Carlo Dina, the Variety from Concerts Fifi Abdo Fifi Abdo Concert in al Esmailia Lucy Belly Dance with Lucy Naima Akef Stars of Egypt, Volume 1, Naima Akef, Part 1 Stars of Egypt, Volume 1, Naima Akef, Part 2 Samia Gamal Samia Gamal, Shining Star of Egypt The Fabulous Samia Gamal Stars of Egypt, Volume 3, Samya Gamal, Part 1 Stars of Egypt, Volume 3, Samya Gamal, Part 2 Soheir Zaki Souher Zaki, Moveses Panossian Tahia Carioca Stars of Egypt, Volume 2, Taheyya Karioka

Both Egyptian & Lebanese Dancers: Cocktail Belly Dance 94 Lebanese Dancers: Nadia Gamal Also sold under the title Belly Dance Archives: Nadia Gamal, "The Legend" Turkish Dancers Mezdeke Show Super Oriental Syrian Dancers Rheem el-Khayam. On this video, the costume for one of her two dance segments resembles a black one-piece swimsuit with laced-up sides. Reem al Khaiam at the Al Sham Casino in Syria. This is the Rheem video sold by Saut wa Soora, available through Artemis Imports.

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Many talented dancers from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and other parts of the world have embraced the raqs sharqi (belly dance, Oriental dance) performing art that originated in Egypt and Lebanon. Here are reviews of some performance videos featuring dancers who are not originally from the Middle East.

Full-Length Reviews of Videos Featuring Individual Artists or Ensembles

Amira Mor Behind the Veil. Solo performances featuring Amira Mor. Available in NTSC, PAL, SECAM, DVD. Awalim Dance Company Yalla! Yalla! By the Awalim Dance Company. DeAnn Adams De Ann's Dream. Still photos and performances by "the Dream Dancer" of Light Rain, De Ann Adams. Available in NTSC. Delilah Fire at the Iao. Produced by Delilah. Belly dancing by Delilah and flamenco performance by Nikki Conti to live music. Available in NTSC, PAL, DVD. Dance to the Great Mother. Performed by Delilah. Available in NTSC. In her third trimester of pregnancy, Delilah celebrates through dance her connection to her unborn child. Maha The Deer Of Paradise. Performance by Japanese dancer Maha and her Al Camarani dance ensemble. Available in NTSC. Margo Abdo O'Dell Tajdeed. By Margo Abdo O'Dell. Available in NTSC and PAL. Neon Stellar Body - Belly Dance with Fire. Performances by Neon. Available in NTSC. Suzanna Del Vecchio Dances from the Heart. Solo performances by Suzanna Del Vecchio. Available in NSTC, PAL, SECAM. Dances from the Heart II. By Suzanna Del Vecchio. Available in NTSC, PAL, SECAM.

Full-Length Reviews of Videos Featuring Compilations of Several Distinct Performers/Ensembles

Raja Dancing Live to Raja. Performances by 5 different dancers to live music, primarily composed by Raja Zahr. Available in NTSC. Dance Illusion. Performances by 3 different dancers, primarily to music composed by Raja Zahr. Available in NTSC. World Dance New York Golden Apple: Bellydance Stars of New York. Performances by Jenna, Blanca, Neon, Jehan, and the band Taksim. Gothic Bellydance - The Darker Side of Fusion. Performances by Ariellah, Asharah, Ayshe, Blanca, Jehan, Jenviva, Martiye Possession (Ya Meena & Raven), Neon, Tanna, and Tempest.

Opinion Polls Only

Full-length reviews are not available for these videos, but you can see how the Internet dance community voted on this video and cast your own vote if you've seen it.

Amaya & Bert Balladine

• Once More With Feeling! By Amaya and Bert Balladine.

Art of Dance LLC

• Best of Middle Eastern Dance & More. Produced by Art of Dance LLC. Features guest dancers from India and Tajikistan, plus several local Colorado dancers.

Aswan Dancers

• Hizz Ya Wizz. By the Aswan Dancers.
• Nadia In America. By the Aswan Dancers.

Beledi Productions

• Festival on the Nile X. Features Dalia Carella.

Delilah

• Delilah & Sirocco - Live & Wild! By Delilah.
• Dance, Delilah, Dance. By Delilah.

Elizabeth "Artemis" Mourat

• Artemis Dances. By Elizabeth "Artemis" Mourat.
• Lifting the Veil of Time. Performances by various dancers in the Washington, DC area in various styles.

Farrashah

• Farrashah, the Video. Series of performances by Farrashah in diverse styles.

FatChanceBellyDance

• San Francisco Baladi. Performances by FatChanceBellyDance. American Tribal Style.

Kathryn Ferguson

• Dances from the Casbah. By Kathryn Ferguson and the Xanadu Dancers.

Mesmera

• Afrika, Mother of Dance, Part 1. Performances by Mesmera.

MIC Sound for Art Production

• The Way to Belly Dance. Produced by MIC Sound for Art Production. Six New York & New Jersey dancers.

Michael Drumm

• Temptation of Bellydance. Produced by Michael Drumm. Performances by Isidora Bushkovski, Sadie, Raya, Viktoriya and Layla Isis.

Miles Copeland

• Bellydance Superstars. Produced by Miles Copeland. Performances by Suhaila Salimpour, Jillina, Sonia, Amar Gamal, Rania, Ansuya, Rachel Brice, Tamalyn Dallal, and Dondi.

Natural Journeys

• Bellydance Divas. Performances by Rania, Marina, Louchia, and Sohaila.

Niosha Nafei

• One Thousand and One Dances. Performances by Niosha Nafei. Persian classical dance.

Raja

• Belly Dance Paradise. Produced by Raja. Performances by Atlantis, Saphira, and Fahtiem. Instruction by Atlantis and Fahtiem.
• The Belly Dancer, Volume 1. Produced by Raja. Performances by Suzanna Del Vecchio, Atlantis, Malika, Sahra, and Tahia.
• The Belly Dancer, Volume 2. Produced by Raja. Performances by Suzanna Del Vecchio, Atlantis, Malika, and Tahia.

Robyn, the Masked Belly Dancer

• Masked Belly Dance. Performance by Robyn, the Masked Belly Dancer.

Robyn Friend

• Dances of Iran. Persian classical dance performances by Robyn Friend.

Sarah Skinner

• Belly Dance Drum Solos. Dance performances by Bashirah, Raja, Sarah Skinner, and Autumn Ward. Drumming by Carmine T. Guida, David Buchbut, and Bashirah.

Sphinx Records

• Arabian Melodies. Originally produced by Sphinx Records, now sold by Hollywood Music Center, performances by Suhaila Salimpour, Alia, Sahra, and Shadiah.

Yasmina Ramzy & Arabesque Dance Company

• Descent of Ishtar. Dance show that was staged in a theatrical setting.

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Oriental dance (belly dance) isn't the only dance form that originated in the Middle East and North Africa. The region also has a rich tradition of other types of folk dances. Here are reviews of videos featuring folkloric performances.

Morocco & the Casbah Dance Experience: Riverside Dance Festival, Morocco's #1 Video. Folkloric dance from Middle East & North Africa. Available in NTSC. Hahbi 'Ru Live! Folklore-inspired belly dancing and line dances. Available in NTSC. Iraqi Variety Folk Dances. Folkloric Iraqi dances portrayed by a large dance ensemble. Available in NTSC and PAL. Adam Basma Middle Eastern Dance Co.: Live In Concert. Captures this ensemble's "Debka for Peace" performance. Available in PAL and NTSC. Egyptian Folkloric Dances. Filmed in Egypt. Ensemble of 10 people presents 10 different dances. Available in NTSC. Opinion Polls Live in Concert 2005, Volume 1. Adam Basma. Live in Concert 2005, Volume 2. Adam Basma. Hahbi 'Ru: Desert Wanderers. By the ensemble Hahbi 'Ru. Kadiga - Best of Schikhatt Khaliji (Kuwaiti & Saudi) Folk Dances TV Festivals with M. Reda Troupe, Volume 2. Baalbek Dabke. Dabke from Lebanon. Palestinian Debkes & Folk Dances Lebanon Salwa Qatreeb in Debke Morocco #2: The Marrakesh Folk Festival and More. Berber Dance Under the Stars Morocco #3: The National Folk Troupe of Egypt. Firqua Kawmiyya in Concert

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Middle Eastern dance has inspired many artists to explore new directions, using Middle Eastern themes as a starting point. Here are reviews of some videos featuring a theatrical view of this art form:

Goddessdance. Produced by Jehan. Available in NTSC, PAL, and SECAM. Featuring performances by Jehan, her dance company, and guest dancers. Initiation. Produced by Paulette Rees-Denis. Available in NTSC. Featuring performances by Paulette, Gypsy Caravan, and guest dancers. Opinion Polls An Evening of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance 2001. Produced by Amara.

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