I’m writing another instalment of my review series. This time I focus on the JWAAD Belly Dance Training ‘Understanding Music’ course. I hope that by sharing my experience, you will be inspired to learn more about the fascinating world of belly dance music! Continue reading Belly Dance Training: Review of the JWAAD ‘Understanding Music’ Course
Have you heard of Umm Kulthum (Oum Kalthoum) before? She was a very famous Egyptian singer active between the 1920s to 1970s. She is remembered for her extraordinary voice and unique musical style. But what does she have to do with belly dance? You’ll find out in this article. Spoiler: lots of the most well known belly dance tunes were originally sung by Umm Kulthum! Continue reading Who Is Umm Kulthum and Why Is She Important for Belly Dance?
Effortless Mastery is a book written by Kenny Werner, an American jazz pianist and educator. It’s about overcoming dysfunctional fear-based practising and playing to achieve effortless mastery. So what can a book about music teach us about dance? In this blog post, you will learn practical strategies from Warner’s book to build your personal dance practice. You can apply this to start your journey towards ‘effortless mastery’ in dance. Continue reading How to Practice Dance: A Review of ‘Effortless Mastery’ by Kenny Werner
What instruments are commonly used in belly dance music? There are lots of them! In this post, I give common Middle Eastern examples of each of the three types of instruments (winds, strings, and percussion). Plus a sample video clip so you can hear what it sounds like and see how it’s played. I hope this will help you better hear the instruments as you dance. And that you can use this to deepen your belly dance music interpretation. Continue reading A Guide to Musical Instruments in Middle Eastern Belly Dance Music
In this post, I explore the sense of place that music can evoke. When I listen to Middle Eastern belly dance music, I don’t usually think too hard about the locality it comes from. But in this YouTube video of musicians from Port Said playing on the beach, I feel a strong sense of place. Continue reading The Simsimiyya Music of Port Said: Evoking a Sense of Place
In this post, you will learn seven iqaat (rhythmic modes) commonly found in Middle Eastern belly dance music: maqsoum, saiidi, masmoudi saghir (baladi), fellahi, masmoudi kabir, malfuf, and chiftetelli. This should help you recognise the rhythms as dance to belly dance music. Continue reading Understanding Rhythms in Belly Dance Music
Being able to pick apart and understand belly dance music makes it easier to interpret as a dancer. In this post, you will learn how to listen to the rich texture of belly dance music formed by musical layers. Continue reading How to Interpret Belly Dance Music as a Dancer: Start by Listening to the Musical Layers
How does one go from being a complete beginner to belly dance to being a full-blown belly dance enthusiast and teacher? Here’s my story. Continue reading My Belly Dance Journey So Far: From Student to Teacher
Jen Belly Dance 