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Back when I was in school, our language arts teachers gave us reading lists. These were lists of books that they suggested as being suitable to our age groups, reading levels, etc. Now, as a dancer, I've put together my own reading list. These books talk about the history of the dance, give insights into Middle Eastern culture, and otherwise provide inspiration for the dancer. Although I've read some of these, most of them are still waiting for me to get to them! I thought you might want to know what's in my backlog, just in case some of these books would interest you, too. I will periodically update this reading list, adding new books as they come to my attention and modifying entries for existing books as appropriate. For example, once I've read a book and written a review, I'll change the entry here on the reading list to let you know that a review is available. So please check back every 3-4 months to see what is new, or use the form at the bottom of the page to request e-mail notification whenever I modify this page.
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The books in this category offer research on the history of Oriental dance. ("Oriental dance" is the correct name for "belly dancing" that is used in the languages of the Middle East.) A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers and Dancers In EgyptBy Karin Van Nieuwkerk. Explores the question of why entertaining is considered a low-class profession for women in Egypt. Describes the history of women singing and dancing as professional entertainers in Egypt from the nineteenth century into the present.
Looking For Little EgyptBy Donna Carlton. Looks for the facts behind the legend of Little Egypt, the entertainer who brought "belly dancing" to the attention of the American people at the Chicago World's Fair in the 1890's.
Sacred Woman, Sacred DanceBy Iris J. Stewart. Explores the use of women's dance as tool for spiritual growth and expression, both historically and also for women today.
The Tribal BibleBy Kajira Djoumahna. Explores the question of, "What the heck IS American Tribal Style Bellydance, Anyway?" Includes a chapter on how this variation of belly dancing originated.
Dance Crazy: Star Turns From Ballet To Belly DancingBy Natalie Jane Prior. A children's book that provides an overview of dance. It's mostly about ballet, but the five pages it devotes to belly dancing are excellent. The historical and cultural information it offers about belly dancing is much more accurate than the rubbish put forth by many "professional" belly dancers.
The Belly Dance BookEdited by Tazz Richards. An anthology of articles about belly dancing written by a variety of contributors. The section on history is excellent. Also sections on costumes, make-up, and other topics.
Serpent Of The Nile: Women And Dance In The Arab Worldby Wendy Buonaventura. Traces the history of belly dancing from modern times up through today.
Ancient Egyptian Dances
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The books in this category offer information about Middle Eastern culture. When learning Middle Eastern dance, it's very helpful to understand the cultural context of the countries where it originated. Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi VillageBy Elizabeth Warnock Fernea. This is an account of Fernea's two-year stay in a tiny rural village in Iraq, where she assumed the dress and sheltered life of a harem woman.
Beyond the Veil : Male-Female Dynamics in a Modern Muslim SocietyBy Fatima Mernissi. Philosophical discussions on the roles of women, men, and the heterosexual relationship in Moroccan Islamic society based on Islamic texts hundreds of years old. The Forgotten Queens of IslamBy Fatima Mernissi, translated by Mary Jo Lakeland. An analysis of female power within Islam. The Veil and the Male Elite : A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in IslamBy Fatima Mernissi, translated by Mary Jo Lakeland. Examines whether Islam is opposed to women's rights by focusing on the early years of Islam and Mohammed's intention of creating an egalitarian society without slaves or sexual discrimination. The Middle East: A Brief History Of The Last 2,000 YearsBy Bernard Lewis. Covers the history of the Middle East from the dawn of Christianity to modern times. Harem : The World Behind the VeilBy Alev Lytle Croutier. Drawing on a host of intimate first-hand accounts and memoirs, Harem explores life in the world's harems, from the Middle Ages to the early twentieth century. Middle Eastern Muslim Women SpeakBy Elizabeth W. Fernea. Anthology giving insights into what women in Muslim countries really think. Dreams of Trespass : Tales of a Harem GirlhoodBy Fatima Mernissi. Autobiographical account of a woman who was born in Morocco in 1940 and grew up to become a modern-day feminist.
Layla And MajnunBy c. Famous 12th-century Persian romance widely recognized as a classic of world literature. The original was rendered as poetry. Rendered into prose by the translator.
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These books offer instrument instruction, sheet music, and lyrics translations for popular Middle Eastern songs. Gems of the Middle East, Volumes 1, 2, and 3: A Rhythmical AnalysisBy Mary Ellen Donald. This series of 3 books, which are sold individually, could be thought of as sheet music for percussionists, including dumbek, riqq, and sagat (finger cymbals). The Gems SongbookBy Mimi Spencer. Sheet music, transliterated lyrics, and English-language translations of lyrics for 11 well-known songs from the Middle East. Mastering Finger CymbalsBy Mary Ellen Donald. Explains how to play finger cymbals, with detailed information on various Middle Eastern rhythms. |
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These books offer practical how-to information that can be valuable to dancers of all levels, from beginner to professional. Grandmother's Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly DancingBy Rosina-Fawzia B. Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav. Combines the memoirs of an Arab grandmother with instructions on how to use Oriental dance moves for personal growth, spiritual expression, and insight. Also a light dose of the history of women's dance in both the Middle East and the West.
Intermediate Belly DancingBy Vicki Corona. Provides a brief culture lesson on Saudi Arabia, describes how to do about 18 intermediate-level moves, offers a few finger cymbal rhythms, provides a structure for combining movements into a complete dance, and introduces what a dancer should know when beginning to perform for an audience.
Belly Dancing For Health And Relaxation.By Tina Hobin. Attempts to use photos and text to teach belly dance.
Mastering Finger CymbalsBy Mary Ellen Donald. A highly skilled percussionist explains in plain language how to master a variety of Middle Eastern rhythms on the finger cymbals. Costuming From The HipBy Dawn Devine Brown. Describes how to make a belly dancing costume. Covers the basics for beginning dancers, but also introduces many creative variations that are sure to appeal to more experienced dancers.
The Tribal BibleBy Kajira Djoumahna. Explores the question of, "What the heck IS American Tribal Style Bellydance, Anyway?" Describes what distinguishes Tribal from other styles of belly dancing, costuming, movement vocabulary, authenticity/legitimacy issues, performance ethics, and other topics.
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The books in this category provide information about ancient civilizations. Even though they don't necessarily talk about the role of dance in those civilizations, they may stimulate your creativity and provide ideas for theatrical portrayals. Many dancers have felt that learning this dance form has provided a connection back to our ancient ancestors, and want to delve more deeply into learning about ancient cultures. The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols And Sacred ObjectsBy Barbara G. Walker. A detailed listing of familiar symbols accompanied by a description of their origins.
The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And SecretsBy Barbara G. Walker. Organized alphabetically by topic, this book reveals the secrets of ancient mythology. Provides profiles on ancient goddesses, describes the religions of pre-Islamic Arabia and pre-Christian Europe. Inanna: Queen Of Heaven And EarthBy Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer. A translation of ancient Sumerian writings featuring the goddess Inanna that retains the poetic quality of the original text.
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This category features fictional selections related to Middle Eastern dance artists or culture. Some are educational, others just plain fun. Forever And A BabyBy Margot Early. A romance novel. The central character is a midwife whose extended family has many ties to the Middle East.
Valide: A Novel Of The HaremBy Barbara Chase-Riboud. Historical fiction based on the life of a Creole girl who was enslaved in the Topkapi harem in the late 18th century.
The KadinBy Bertrice Small. A romance novel. The central character is a Scottish girl who became one of the wives of an Ottoman sultan during the 16th century.
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This category features books that don't cleanly fit in any of my other categories above, but are worth mentioning because they may be of interest to people who enjoy Middle Eastern dance! They Told Me I Couldn't; A Young Woman's Multicultural Adventures in ColombiaBy Tamalyn Dallal. Hired to spend several weeks dancing at an Arabic restaurant in Bogota, Dallal managed to also do some traveling and sight-seeing around Colombia. This book is a travelogue describing a young American woman's exploration of a foreign country.
Orientalism In ArtBy Christine Peltre. Overview of Orientalism, with many illustrations. |
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