The best and the worst bellydance ever - Page 3

LeylaLanty · 11-18-2006, 11:21 PM

The best I've seen, live performances, in no particular order: Soheir Zaki, Nagua Fu'ad, Fifi Abdo, Mona Said, Dandash ... maybe more, but those are the ones I think of first.

I've been watching dancers for over 30 years and have seen a few "worst" performances - mostly involving bad music choices, bad or boring technique, no feelings projected by the dancer, and so on...

BTW, Aniseteph, the explosion of sequins on kilts costume is an authentic costume which the Ghawazees in Egypt used to wear some time ago. Perhaps the performance was too long and boring, but the costumes were probably true to that style which is now out of style.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aniseteph

...
Worst... (oh dear why did I ask this?)... I think it has to be a troupe doing genuine Ghawazee which for all I know might well have been genuine but went on and on and on, with very odd costumes (like a sequin explosion in a kilt factory). I just got bored...

Aniseteph · 11-19-2006, 08:53 PM

Hi Leyla
I suspected the outfits couldn't have just been made up! It was more that their slightly incongruous look was the icing on the cake on a rather long performance... if it had just been Boring-in-Bedlah (now THAT sounds weird. T-shirt slogan anyone?

) it'd just have vanished from my memory. Alas it has STUCK on account of those outfits.

But I do have two new additions to my Best Ever!!!! Both scoring at least an 11/10 in the feelings and expression department. So thank you Ludmilla for those clips, very timely because I just went to a workshop with Orit, and saw her perform too. Amazing!!!!!

Also Miriam Aluan. I had never heard of her before - she is incredible.

Inspirational weekend!

Shanazel · 11-21-2006, 07:35 PM

I don't know about best and worst, but one of my favorites is a clip from Samia Gamal. I love to watch her, and I think this clip was from the early 1950s. My least favorites were at a show in Colorado that was billed as belly dance, but looked like some frentic mixture of fan dancing and electric shock: seven inch gold nails, costumes attached by three threads to a quarter inch piece of satin ribbon, and music that would sterilize mice.

Yasmina · 11-28-2006, 11:26 PM

O my god, Yshka, the "finale" was indeed a mix of comedy and horror. Actually, when I was back in Holland again, I imitated her finale for my little sister to make her laugh and it worked. The "costume change" was also very....incomprehensible. You know the funny part? I talked to her on the first day, I was really sad that there was no place in the Leyla Jouvana workshop and she said "Well, that's no problem! There's still place in my workshop!" and she gave me a promising smile. Thank god I didn't throw away my money!

Miss_Winnii · 12-03-2006, 08:51 PM

My worst was ''flames of passion'' It was a bit ''to'' and very fake, and the dancers just couldnt dance. very fake costumes, and the musci just sounded like house music.
The best was ''wedding invitation'' it was mixed with indian dance, that made it really nice. it was so real, with a orchestra, a story, beuatifull dancers, nice dances

Helena · 12-05-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yshka

Worst performance: this year I went to see a dancer perform in Belgium. let's say this: claw hands, super-UBDC and most un-elegant performance I've ever witnessed:eek: Couldn't enjoy the dancing, hands freaked me out.

Hi Yshka and Yasmine, could someone send me a pm to tell me which person you are talking about so I don't make the mistake of taking a workshop with her? I know there's one teacher in Belgium capable of dancing the way you described, but I don't know if it's her you saw perform..

Thanks!

Kharmine · 12-06-2006, 04:12 AM

For the best, it would be Samia Gamel in high heels, a sheath dress and a little pearl necklace doing the classiest number I have ever seen! The outfit might have seemed ridiculous on anyone else, given the contest. She looked like royalty gettin' down.

The worst I saw recently was a live performance bya rather tall young woman who was technically OK -- but she was obviously anoxeric and, given the very skimpy outfit, oblivious to the impact she made. When she stood sidewise, her hipbones stood out farther than her breasts. Her snake arms were like the waving legs of a spider. She was painful to watch.

da Sage · 12-07-2006, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kharmine

The worst I saw recently was a live performance bya rather tall young woman who was technically OK -- but she was obviously anoxeric and, given the very skimpy outfit, oblivious to the impact she made. When she stood sidewise, her hipbones stood out farther than her breasts. Her snake arms were like the waving legs of a spider. She was painful to watch.

If the worst bellydance you have ever seen was "technically OK"

, but the dancer was simply too skinny for your taste

, you have been an extremely lucky audience member!

I know a few "obviously anorexic" women, who *aren't* anorexic. And they are hurt by rude comments about their bodies, just like fat women are.

Kharmine · 12-07-2006, 04:40 AM

Da Sage, I respectfully disagree. There is a difference between being naturally very skinny and setting out to look like a concentration camp survivor. (I grew up being called "Olive Oyl" because childhood malnourishment made me underweight.)

And I respectfully point out that I did not claim this dancer was the worse I ever saw -- she was the worst I saw recently, meaning of recent performances I've viewed. A dancer's performance is more than about technical quality. This was a mature woman who, even if not anorexic, was so unnaturally and painfully thin that her appearance in a very skimpy outfit was disturbing by ANY standards, not just personal "taste" and so, IMHO, distracted from her performance.

Yes, that's only my opinion (but also the opinion of many others in the audience, judging from the comments I overheard). and, yes, there is a small chance this dancer was horribly thin for some unfortunate reason that had nothing to do with deliberately starving herself.

To be honest, I very much doubt it because people with, say a wasting disease or some unusual hereditary condition that causes them to look like walking skeletons (I am not exaggerating) don't normally put on a wispy outfit and dance vigorously in public.

But you see it all the time with ballerinas, gymnasts, actresses and models
This is not a matter of individual "taste," this is a health issue. A health issue that grimly stalks, among others, teen-age girls -- who think they aren't "pretty" unless their bones are sticking out at right angles like all the airbrushed models and actresses they see in the movies and magazines.

If my comments had been made at any time and place that they would have reached this dancer's ears, yes, that would have been rude. Rudeness is meant to hurt, and I did not intend to hurt anyone. Nor have I. I have not identified the dancer, and I have deliberately kept vague any details that might identify her.

I was troubled by this woman's performance because of her disturbing appearance. I've had friends who had this disease. and I've counseled kids who don't seem to believe me when I tell them what horrible things wanting to be that thin can do to them. I'm angered by a society that encourages this deadly and unnatural "ideal" of feminine beauty.

That's what prompted me to comment, not a desire to be rude about someone's natural appearance.

Gabi · 12-07-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kharmine

Da Sage, I respectfully disagree. There is a difference between being naturally very skinny and setting out to look like a concentration camp survivor. (I grew up being called "Olive Oyl" because childhood malnourishment made me underweight.)

And I respectfully point out that I did not claim this dancer was the worse I ever saw -- she was the worst I saw recently, meaning of recent performances I've viewed. A dancer's performance is more than about technical quality. This was a mature woman who, even if not anorexic, was so unnaturally and painfully thin that her appearance in a very skimpy outfit was disturbing by ANY standards, not just personal "taste" and so, IMHO, distracted from her performance.

Yes, that's only my opinion (but also the opinion of many others in the audience, judging from the comments I overheard). and, yes, there is a small chance this dancer was horribly thin for some unfortunate reason that had nothing to do with deliberately starving herself.

To be honest, I very much doubt it because people with, say a wasting disease or some unusual hereditary condition that causes them to look like walking skeletons (I am not exaggerating) don't normally put on a wispy outfit and dance vigorously in public.

But you see it all the time with ballerinas, gymnasts, actresses and models
This is not a matter of individual "taste," this is a health issue. A health issue that grimly stalks, among others, teen-age girls -- who think they aren't "pretty" unless their bones are sticking out at right angles like all the airbrushed models and actresses they see in the movies and magazines.

If my comments had been made at any time and place that they would have reached this dancer's ears, yes, that would have been rude. Rudeness is meant to hurt, and I did not intend to hurt anyone. Nor have I. I have not identified the dancer, and I have deliberately kept vague any details that might identify her.

I was troubled by this woman's performance because of her disturbing appearance. I've had friends who had this disease. and I've counseled kids who don't seem to believe me when I tell them what horrible things wanting to be that thin can do to them. I'm angered by a society that encourages this deadly and unnatural "ideal" of feminine beauty.

That's what prompted me to comment, not a desire to be rude about someone's natural appearance.

And I would "respectfully disagree" with that.

It is like you said your opinion. I've heard opinions stating the precise words you are using for people I would look at and many others, especially in other countries than the US, as perfectly normal.

We cannot truly debate the condition of this person as we can't see her but I can tell you that I would not make an arbitrary decision of a persons state of health, mental or physical, easily.

Unless the woman you describe had a LOT of other physically observable problems I don't think you can make an assumption of anorexia. Also, people in ballet and sports who actually are successful in these endeavors rarely are actually anorexia as their health would not permit them to continue. Anorexia is a pimple on a nats arse compared to the disease of obesity.

11-19-2006, 08:53 PM	#22 (permalink)
Aniseteph V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 1,689	Hi Leyla I suspected the outfits couldn't have just been made up! It was more that their slightly incongruous look was the icing on the cake on a rather long performance... if it had just been Boring-in-Bedlah (now THAT sounds weird. T-shirt slogan anyone? ) it'd just have vanished from my memory. Alas it has STUCK on account of those outfits. But I do have two new additions to my Best Ever!!!! Both scoring at least an 11/10 in the feelings and expression department. So thank you Ludmilla for those clips, very timely because I just went to a workshop with Orit, and saw her perform too. Amazing!!!!! Also Miriam Aluan. I had never heard of her before - she is incredible. Inspirational weekend!

11-21-2006, 07:35 PM	#23 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,578	I don't know about best and worst, but one of my favorites is a clip from Samia Gamal. I love to watch her, and I think this clip was from the early 1950s. My least favorites were at a show in Colorado that was billed as belly dance, but looked like some frentic mixture of fan dancing and electric shock: seven inch gold nails, costumes attached by three threads to a quarter inch piece of satin ribbon, and music that would sterilize mice.

11-28-2006, 11:26 PM	#24 (permalink)
Yasmina Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 172	O my god, Yshka, the "finale" was indeed a mix of comedy and horror. Actually, when I was back in Holland again, I imitated her finale for my little sister to make her laugh and it worked. The "costume change" was also very....incomprehensible. You know the funny part? I talked to her on the first day, I was really sad that there was no place in the Leyla Jouvana workshop and she said "Well, that's no problem! There's still place in my workshop!" and she gave me a promising smile. Thank god I didn't throw away my money!

12-03-2006, 08:51 PM	#25 (permalink)
Miss_Winnii Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nijmegen Posts: 69	My worst was ''flames of passion'' It was a bit ''to'' and very fake, and the dancers just couldnt dance. very fake costumes, and the musci just sounded like house music. The best was ''wedding invitation'' it was mixed with indian dance, that made it really nice. it was so real, with a orchestra, a story, beuatifull dancers, nice dances

12-06-2006, 04:12 AM	#27 (permalink)
Kharmine V.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Foot of the Rocky Mountains Posts: 1,248	For the best, it would be Samia Gamel in high heels, a sheath dress and a little pearl necklace doing the classiest number I have ever seen! The outfit might have seemed ridiculous on anyone else, given the contest. She looked like royalty gettin' down. The worst I saw recently was a live performance bya rather tall young woman who was technically OK -- but she was obviously anoxeric and, given the very skimpy outfit, oblivious to the impact she made. When she stood sidewise, her hipbones stood out farther than her breasts. Her snake arms were like the waving legs of a spider. She was painful to watch.

12-07-2006, 04:40 AM	#29 (permalink)
Kharmine V.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Foot of the Rocky Mountains Posts: 1,248	Da Sage, I respectfully disagree. There is a difference between being naturally very skinny and setting out to look like a concentration camp survivor. (I grew up being called "Olive Oyl" because childhood malnourishment made me underweight.) And I respectfully point out that I did not claim this dancer was the worse I ever saw -- she was the worst I saw recently, meaning of recent performances I've viewed. A dancer's performance is more than about technical quality. This was a mature woman who, even if not anorexic, was so unnaturally and painfully thin that her appearance in a very skimpy outfit was disturbing by ANY standards, not just personal "taste" and so, IMHO, distracted from her performance. Yes, that's only my opinion (but also the opinion of many others in the audience, judging from the comments I overheard). and, yes, there is a small chance this dancer was horribly thin for some unfortunate reason that had nothing to do with deliberately starving herself. To be honest, I very much doubt it because people with, say a wasting disease or some unusual hereditary condition that causes them to look like walking skeletons (I am not exaggerating) don't normally put on a wispy outfit and dance vigorously in public. But you see it all the time with ballerinas, gymnasts, actresses and models This is not a matter of individual "taste," this is a health issue. A health issue that grimly stalks, among others, teen-age girls -- who think they aren't "pretty" unless their bones are sticking out at right angles like all the airbrushed models and actresses they see in the movies and magazines. If my comments had been made at any time and place that they would have reached this dancer's ears, yes, that would have been rude. Rudeness is meant to hurt, and I did not intend to hurt anyone. Nor have I. I have not identified the dancer, and I have deliberately kept vague any details that might identify her. I was troubled by this woman's performance because of her disturbing appearance. I've had friends who had this disease. and I've counseled kids who don't seem to believe me when I tell them what horrible things wanting to be that thin can do to them. I'm angered by a society that encourages this deadly and unnatural "ideal" of feminine beauty. That's what prompted me to comment, not a desire to be rude about someone's natural appearance.