Belly Dance Advice, Tips, How-To's

The articles listed on this menu focus on practical advice to make your life as a dancer easier and enrich your day-to-day enjoyment of belly dancing.

Student Starters: For The Total Novice Belly Dancing For Health And Fitness Classroom and Rehearsal Performance The Dancer's Life Costume Corner	Online Finger Cymbal Workshop How to Do Some Belly Dance Moves Dear Shira: An Advice Column Tips & Tricks Going Pro
Recent Additions To This Page	Important Announcement

Student Starters

These articles address questions you're likely to have as a brand-new student starting out.

Learning To Belly Dance: Where To Find Instruction. Here's how to find a belly dance teacher.
What If You Can't Find A Local Teacher, Or The One You Found Is Barely More Than A Beginner? So you can't find a belly dance teacher in your community? Here's how to start learning without a local class, and how to expand your dance knowledge beyond what you learn in your class.
How to Do Belly Dance Moves. Articles by Shira and Arabella describing technique for various moves.
The Beginner's Guide to Finding Bellydance Music. By Arabella. Suggestions on where to shop and what to look for.
Belly Dance Costuming: A Basic Beginner's Costume. This design for a simple costume is suitable for both practice and amateur performances.
How to Structure a Belly Dance Study/Practice Session at Home. Whether you're teaching yourself to dance from video or just reviewing the steps you learned in class, these suggestions will help you get the most out of your study time.
Learning to Belly Dance from Videos. It isn't easy to learn how to belly dance from video. Here are some suggestions on how to get the most out of your video study time.
Your First Performance. Advice on how to enjoy doing your very first performance.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by John Rickman, San Jose, California.

Dear Shira: Stuck in a Beginner Rut? Should you continue taking beginner classes, or is it time to move up to Intermediate?
Belly Dancing For Health And Relaxation. Review of a book that uses photographs and text to teach belly dancing.
Nefertiti Presents... Belly Dancing, the Basics. by Sherry Jeffries. Uses photos and text to teach simple beginning-level belly dance moves.
Reviews Of Videos that Teach Basic Moves for Beginners. Reviews of more than 10 videos that help learn or practice belly dancing at home. I recommend some, and warn you away from others!

Belly Dancing For Health And Fitness

Fit And Healthy. Whether you are a dancer or not, this thought-provoking article by Despina offers a perspective on physical fitness and what it really means.
Belly Dance And Weight Loss. Find out how Shira lost 55 pounds and what role belly dance can play in your own weight loss program.
Dear Shira: Can I Still Learn Belly Dancing, Even If I'm Overweight? Will your abundant curves will be out of place in a belly dancing class? Read this article from the Dear Shira advice column!
The Mysterious Zar: What Is It? What Can It Do For You? By Arabella. Find out how you can use this ancient ritual to rid yourself of stress.

Healing Through Oriental Dance: Part 1, Physical Healing. Find out how dance can help you recover from injury and illness.
Healing Through Oriental Dance: Part 2, Emotional Healing. Many belly dancers have found that it can help with recovery from deep emotional pain.
Avoid Injury from Belly Dance. Although belly dancing is generally safe for the body, it still carries some risk. Learn how to avoid injuring yourself.
Reviews of Workout Videos Based on Belly Dancing. Covers about 8 workout/practice videos.

Classroom & Rehearsal

How to Learn Choreography. If you have trouble memorizing choreography, maybe these tips can help.
Hints for Remembering Choreography. Arabella offers her own suggestions.
How We Spend Class Time: Choreography Versus Improvisation. Both are useful skills to have.

Performance: Sharing Your Dance with Others

Language of Song & Dance. Why you need to know what the lyrics mean for the songs you use in your dance performances, and how you can find that information.
How to Become a Better Dancer Without Really Trying. (Well, almost - tips and to-do's for you to use!). By Arabella.
Secrets Of Success. Don't overlook the importance of your mental attitude on your success. Despina reveals how to train your brain for success.
Dancing to Distraction. A light-hearted look at errors belly dancers make that distract audience attention away from our performances.
Classy or Tacky: Which Are You? Belly dancers are constantly battling the mistaken notion that what we do is sleazy, and sometimes we innocently do things that hurt our image.
Expression and Sensuality. Add passion to your performances.
The Great Armpit Debate. You like having hairy armpits, but other people are pressuring you to shave. Now what? Placed online May 2, 2008.

The Dancer's Life

Whether you are a brand-new student or a seasoned professional, here are some ideas on how to get the most out of your lifestyle as a dancer.

<==Items marked with this graphic are book reviews.

Advice Column

Dear Shira. An advice column, just for belly dancers! Read Shira's answers to other people's questions about getting started as a belly dancer, the history of the dance, getting along with your teacher, performing, and more!

Relationships & Attitudes of Others

Gift Suggestions For The Dancers In Your Life. 50 ideas for creative gifts in all price ranges for friends and family members who love belly dance.
Respect! What can we, as professional belly dancers, do to educate people and get respect? Here are some thoughts from Despina.
Joining A Belly Dancing Troupe: Is It Right For You? Shira de-mystifies the ins and outs of what you can expect if you decide you'd like to join a belly dancing troupe.
When Your Child Is Harassed at School Because You Are a Belly Dancer. By Maria in Boulder, Colorado. Advice from a mom who has experience with this issue. Placed online October 20, 2006.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by John Rickman, San Jose, California.

For Belly Dancers Who Travel

Health Secrets of a Belly Dancing Road Warrior. How to stay healthy when traveling to workshops, festivals, or dance tourism destinations such as Egypt and Turkey.
- Part 1, Beginning Preparations. Check health insurance coverage, prepare for common things that can go wrong. Placed online June 10, 2006.
- Part 2, Beating Jet Lag. Feel your best when you arrive at your destination. Placed online June 10, 2006.
- Part 3, Avoiding Colds. Airports, airplanes, and belly dance events are all incubators for catching a cold. Placed online June 10, 2006.
- Part 4, Maintaining a Healthy Gut. Nobody wants diarrhea to interfere with sight-seeing or dancing! Placed online June 10, 2006.
- Part 5, Foot, Muscle, & Joint Health. Avoid injury, and learn how to deal with it if it happens anyway. Placed online July 8, 2006.
Why I Cover My Hair In Egypt. Many people say it's not necessary, and still I do. Here's why. Placed online June 27, 2006.

Tips & Tricks For Belly Dancers

Tips & Tricks Related To Costuming. These tips & tricks are all on the subjects of costuming, hair, and make-up. All are designed to help you look as great as you possibly can! More than 30 ideas in all!
Tips & Tricks For Dancing With A Sword. These tips & tricks are all focused on how to dance with a sword.
Tips & Tricks On Other Subjects. More than 50 tips & tricks cover a wide range of subjects related to belly dancing, including performing, teaching, sword balancing, working with live musicians, and other miscellany!

The Online Finger Cymbal Workshop

<==Items marked with this graphic are book reviews.

Introduction To Finger Cymbals. How to buy finger cymbals, muffle them for practice, make a drawstring bag for storing and transporting them, and learn to play them.
Finger Cymbal Rhythms For Arabic 4/4 Music. Are you tired of playing the same old 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 gallop pattern on your finger cymbals? (I'll bet your audience is tired of hearing it!) Here are ten variations that will add spice to your cymbal playing! All rhythms described on this page have corresponding sound files.

Finger Cymbal Rhythms For Turkish 9/8 Music (Karsilama). Do you need help figuring out that weird Turkish rhythm that doesn't quite resemble anything you're accustomed to? Nine finger cymbal variations that work well with karsilama music. Includes sound files you can play on your computer for each of the rhythms described!

Crocheted Zill Mufflers. Don't annoy your family, neighbors, and pets with clanging cymbals when practicing at home! Follow these easy instructions to crochet a set of zill mufflers for your finger cymbals.
Gems of the Middle East Volume 1: A Rhythmical Analysis. Book review of a guide to which rhythms to play on your finger cymbals for 17 Middle Eastern songs.

Instructional Book & Video Reviews For Finger Cymbals

Learning With Libby. A review of a video that teaches introductory finger cymbals.
How To Play Finger Cymbals With Mesmera. A review of an instructional video that covers introductory finger cymbals.

Mastering Finger Cymbals. Here is a review of Mary Ellen Donald's great instructional book with companion cassette tape on how to play finger cymbals.

Dear Shira

In the "Dear Shira" column, Shira responds to questions from web site visitors seeking advice about getting started, dealing with teachers, performing, and other issues.

Go to the main "Dear Shira" menu.

or

Pick the category below that interests you most:
For Beginning Students Hot Topics Costumes, Make-Up, Appearance	Mastering Movements Going Pro

Costume Corner

The Costume Corner is the most popular part of this web site! It has so much information, it needs its own menu!

Go to the main Costume Corner menu.

or

Pick the category below that interests you most:
Costume Designs Ask The Costume Goddess General Notes On Costuming, Make-Up, Appearance Photo Gallery	Historical Clothing In The Middle East How To Make Your Own Costume Items Your Online Sewing Class Costuming Links

Going Pro

Here's help in making the transition from student to professional performer or teacher. There's a lot more to being "professional" than mastering a bunch of dance moves and putting them to music!

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by John Rickman, San Jose, California.

From Student To... What? You've mastered the basics and you want to start performing regularly. Do you jump straight to pro, or is there an in-between step you should take first?
Do You Need A Stage Name? Should you adopt a stage name for use in your belly dance lifestyle? Here's help!
Doing Gigs. How to come across as a polished professional, from beginning to end, when doing paid performances. What questions should you ask when booking a gig? How do you engage the enthusiasm of the audience?
Course Proposal. This sample prospectus written by Tedi Thomas may help you write a course proposal of your own when looking for a belly dance teaching job.
Belly Dancing: A Good Career Option? Find out whether you have what it takes to make a full-time living through Oriental dance.
Promotional Photos: Get the Most for Your Money. How to choose a photographer and work with him or her to create beautiful photos.
Precautions to Protect Your Personal Safety as a Belly Dancer. Nearly everyone who calls you just wants to hire a dancer for a show. But what precautions should you take to ensure you're not lured into the clutches of a rapist or worse? Updated October 14, 2006.
Survey: Your Attitudes and Experiences On Personal Safety for Dancers. Use this survey to share your personal perspective. Placed online October 14, 2006.

Marketing Yourself As A Dancer. Use the techniques of people who market products for a living to market your teaching, performing, or merchandise.
To Cover Up or Not? Professional dancers usually advise against mingling with audiences while in costume. But are there situations where it might be acceptable?
Teaching Beginners Courses In Oriental Dance. Advice from Despina on how to keep beginners from dropping out of your classes and how to deal with problem students.
Beginning to Teach Belly Dance. Tips for new teachers.

Bringing Middle Eastern Dance to Your Community. So there's no dance scene in your community? Here's how to start one!
Stick To Your Guns. Make sure club owners pay you what you're worth! Suggestions from Despina on how and why to negotiate a fair fee.
Dance Performances: Art or Entertainment? You'll be much more popular as a performer if you understand what your audience wants from you.

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Recent Changes To This Menu

On October 20, 2006 posted When Your Child Is Harassed at School Because You are a Belly Dancer by Maria from Boulder, Colorado.
On October 20, 2006, added a new photo and introduced two new headers, one for Classroom & Rehearsal and the other for Performances.
On October 14, 2006, added the survey Your Personal Safety as a Dancer.

On July 8, 2006, added Part 5 to the series of articles titled Health Secrets of a Belly Dancing Road Warrior.
On June 27, 2006, added an article titled Why I Cover My Hair In Egypt.
On June 10, 2006, added a four-part series of articles titled Health Secrets of a Belly Dancing Road Warrior.

Belly Dance Advice, Tips, How-To's

Table Of Contents

Student Starters

Belly Dancing For Health And Fitness

Classroom & Rehearsal

Performance: Sharing Your Dance with Others

The Dancer's Life

Advice Column

Relationships & Attitudes of Others

Other Lifestyle Topics

For Belly Dancers Who Travel

Tips & Tricks For Belly Dancers

The Online Finger Cymbal Workshop

Instructional Book & Video Reviews For Finger Cymbals

Dear Shira

Costume Corner

Going Pro

If You Like This Web Site, Please Read This!

Recent Changes To This Menu