Possible Folk Styles

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of Middle Eastern folk styles.

Kashmir's area of study is based in Egypt.

From time to time a folk class may be offered, such as:

Sa`iidi

Sa`iidi from as sa`iid - the highlands of Egypt - is a popular form of (usually) high energy dance. It often includes (raqs `asaya) or cane dance which combines dancing and manipulating a cane.

Kashmir has also presented a softer woman's style of sa`iidi dance at the 2006 MEDANZ Festival.

Ghawazee

A fun - always shimmying - style. Based on the dance of the Banaat Maazin who were based in Luxor. Kashmir's students have learned two quite different interpretations.

And if you think that's all there is to learn, "Dancing Dreams" includes another - this time with zils - and cane - as well!

Urban Beledi

"Urban Beledi" is used to cover the style of dance brought to, and developed in, Cairo and Alexandria as the fellahi moved off the land and into the cities. It is the dance of the people (awalâd il-beled); not the foreigners, not the intelligentsia. The phrase "awalâd il-beled" includes key concepts of Egyptian identity such as honour, good humour, living for moment, generosity, and a tough worldliness.

Milaya lef is a popular style of urban beledi.

Nubian

Nubia spans the south of Egypt and north of the Sudan. Nubians belong to five main tribes - two of which (Kanuz and Fadija) are in Egypt. Kashmir has presented classes based on both the Kanuz style and the Fadija style.

Sha`abi

Sha`abi is popular music. Not all of it is suitable for dancing to but Kashmir teaches a number of family and western friendly pieces. Kashmir will be taking a shaabi workshop on 27 September in Christchurch.

Khaleegi

Khaleegi is from the Gulf. Short pieces of Khaleegi dance are often found in classical raqs sharqi and a belly dancer needs to know how to respond to it. Kashmir also teaches it as a folkloric tableau in the beautiful thobe al-na`ish.

Andalusian

Kashmir introduced her students to Andalusian during Seven Spices, the students then decided to follow it up with additional work.

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