Outi

Some of the gestures on that website are used in Egypt, but only few. As it says in the site, these gestures might be mostly used in Arabic Peninsula.

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maylynn

One that I have wondered about is the 'spice grinding' motion with the hands: when one hand is flat, palm up, and the other hand is in a fist oriented vertically, and the fist 'grinds' small circles onto the surface of the palm, as if grinding spices in a mortar & pestle.

I've been told that this means literally 'spicy', as in a cheeky non-verbal exclamation when a tricky/impressive movement is being done, but when an egyptologist friend of mine saw it done in a dance her eyebrows went sky-high and she said 'doesn't that indicate sex??'
I would like to know!

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Caroline_afifi

Yes, this gesture is called Du'a meaning like a spice mix. The actual gesture is more like 'rubbing it in when you get one over on someone'
like when your friends football team loses and yours wins.

I dont know about the indication of sex, only as Du'a.

gypsy8522

The spice mix gesture doesn't really have a name but we sometimes say things like felfel-shatta, meaning chilli and pepper.. or kabsa (not the dish), it means to grind.

Du'a is something completely different, it means prayer.

maylynn

Thank you both for the info, I have wondered for awhile!

So would you say that the movement is appropriate to use in dance, or is it completely out of context and not make any sense?

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Brea

Someone recently told me that dancing palms-up to the audience is not a good idea (she said it means you are for sale). Are there other gestures you should avoid? Is this one true?

I have a question on the zaghareet as well: people have told me that this is not used as applause, but in celebration (like when someone graduates or gets married). Therefore how appropriate is it? I posted on bhuz about this a while back but since this thread was up I thought I'd ask again.

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Caroline_afifi

so what do you call the mix that is added to Molokhiya? we cal it Du'a.
Perhaps it is the way I spelt it?
I just asked Sherif and he said they always called it Du'a meaning spice mix and the gesture was reffered to as the same.
See, this is the situation for most things!!

PS Tahia Carioca said this and made the gesture in a film.
What about if i spell it Doqa?
I will try to remember the film..

cathy

Lately whenever I go to shows in New York I have been seeing a dancer do this specific gesture, kind of like he is spritzing himself with some kind or perfume or something? In fact I saw this just last night at Tagine!

I think it may just be an inside joke between me and one of my teachers ....who knows though maybe it will catch on in Cairo

Caroline_afifi

Do you think he is implying he is hot or smelly? lol

Kashmir

Yes, Aida Nour And Dr Mo both gave this explanation (separately) and have used it in choreographies.