adiemus

I've been trying to work out the major differences between orientale, amcab, lebanese and any 'other' styles of ME dance. I'm not referring to folkloric, tribal or gypsy...
From what I can make out (and this is where I need HELP!!) orientale seems to be more 'refined', less flamboyant, more restrained and to the naive eye (ie many average audience members!) a bit difficult to see exactly what the dancer is actually doing...
On the other hand, lebanese style seems by contrast to be very much more loose and flamboyant, bigger moves, and for the naive audience, perhaps a little easier to see what is happening...
amcab seems to be somewhere in between - but a little more glitzy than either, less earthy than either, perhaps a little lighter or higher centre of gravity - more ballet arms perhaps? more isolations, a little less fluid.

GROSS generalisations I know - but have I got it sort of right?

One of the reasons for wanting to know this is to work out what sort of style suits my body, which has a lot of ballet background (from years and years ago, but somehow it still hangs in the body memory!), and which style is going to suit the audiences I might perform for - given that many have had little or no exposure to bellydance at all!!

Can anyone help? BTW I don't enjoy tribal, too many dreadlocks and serious faces for me!

Cheers
Bronnie

__________________
He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

Moon

Hi Adiemus. I'm not sure what you mean by "orientale". As far as I know there are three authentic styles: Egyptian, Turkish and Lebanese. And there's American Cabaret style which is, I believe (I'm sorry I don't know so much about it yet) a mixture of the three styles with exta show- en fantasy elements (like swords, double veil etc.). I personally don't see tribal as a form of bellydance, but as a new, seperate dance style which has some elements based on bellydance.
Sedoniaraqs has a wonderful blog on youtube with great examples of authentic Egyptian style: YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
I believe Turkish and Lebanese indeed have "bigger" movements then Egyptian style and more floorwork etc. But not sure. I think there are some threads here with examples of typical Turkish (Hale Sultan, Nesrin Topkapi etc.) and typical Lebanese bellydance (Amani etc.). With "gypsy" I think you mean Turkish roman dance? I believe Reyhan and Didem can do this style very well (though I don't like it when Didem dances Egyptian). Salome gives a good example of what American Cabaret is like.
For the rest I still have a lot to figure out myself. I'm looking forward to more answers on this thread.
Good luck!

perfumeshop

Just watch lots of films of the different styles. often the differences are more of just that ....style..rather than any great differences of technique. A generalisation Turkish and Lebanese often dance in very high heels that has to alter the look of a move and dictate what the dancer does.
Lebanese and Turkish does tend to more more "frantic" more lack of a better word and the Egyptian has a "lazier" look. I don't mean either term in a disparaging way but to try and encapsulate it. However the differences can be blurred. Every Turkish dancer I have seen in that country appears to me to dance in a much more Egyptian way and not at all like Ozel Turbas !
Great dancers all have their own take anyway.
Then there is Greek, Balkan and Eastern Turkish,Persian bellydance!

And please don't lump all tribal together.
I think you are looking at the Rachel Brice wannabee/Urban tribal and yes some of the older school who go for the womanpower/no flirting look and often look severe. See a smiley lot like the UK's Rashani and come to think of it last time I watched Paulette Rees Denis, the grin never left her face. And if we are not dropping a prop or tripping up, the troupe I belong to spend a lot of time grinning manically 'cos we're having fun

Salome

This is a (great) frequent topic... I think orientalDancer.net needs to work with an expert in each style on an article series...

adiemus

Salome that would be a GREAT idea, to have as a resource (and to add to the debate!!).

__________________
He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

adiemus

Thanks for that - I have only really seen the tribal women here in Christchurch (perhaps they're just demonstrating a certain school of movement?), and the Heavy Hips video I saw on You Tube recently certainly looked great with smiles!! But probably it's the costuming which isn't really my cup of tea...
I didn't realise that Turkish and Lebanese dancers always wore heels, although I'd seen it, does anyone know why? I think I am identifying egyptian as 'orientale', probably depends on the teacher exactly what you're calling it.
As for watching the videos, I find it really difficult to discern the differences unless I have some pointers to watch for - they can be quite subtle. For example, I really like Amani's arms and yet I hear that she's one of the lebanese-style dancers with 'more' movement...
And I do LOVE Maria and Chryssanthi's style which is sooooo fluid and relaxed.

Does anyone know of a website with some descriptions, definitions and perhaps examples?

__________________
He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

Shanazel

One of the things I'd like to see is a discussion of the differences between AmCab as it is done now and Old-style AmCab, which is really quite different.

perfumeshop

I didn't say always but they have any time I have seen them live or on film. Locally our Turkish style dancers wear heels but they go for ballroom type shoes. I think this is mostly because when dancing in restaurants they prefer NOT to go barefoot. The idea of wearing shoes and of course some Egyptian dancers do so and certainly did in the past when it was in order to show you could afford them!
Try descriptions Belly Dancing -- Art Of Middle Eastern Dance -- Bellydancing in Iowa City and www.casbahdance.com ( Morocco's)

perfumeshop

I've obviously got Rocky's addy wrong..If someelse can give it correctly???

belly_dancer

ooohhh me too!!!!!!!
( I THINK I prefer "old" style.... but what is new???)