Development of Middle
East Dance Development of Middle
East Dance
The development of middle-eastern dance through ancient history is rather obscure and we can only make educated guesses as to its origins. Some evidence suggests that the womens' dance of the Fertile Crescent was the mother of the dance as we know it today. Certainly there are common movements throughout the Middle-East despite the development of regional and tribal styles. It is commonly understood that the movement of gypsies from place to place and the establishment of the harems (where women from different areas mingled) allowed the introduction of movements from other localities. This blending can be seen in the use of neck slides introduced from India and the transformation of hip shimmy to foot stamping in flamenco dance. Wendy Buonaventura traces the history of arabic dance in her books "The Serpent of the Nile" and "The History of Belly Dance".
From the blend of tribal styles emerged a newer form of dance, the women's dance. Whilst folk styles may be danced exclusively by men, or women, or may be danced by both sexes together, the women's dance was danced by women for women. This concept still survives today, women dancing for women at afternoon tea parties and other happy gatherings. (Princess)
The development of the Beledi style came with the urbanisation of the
population. As country people moved to the cities the style of their dance
changed. Beledi style and the ghawazee (gypsy dancers) influence combined and
the concept of the modern cabaret dancer was born.... a blend of styles and
costuming specifically for female solo dancers. This cabaret dance is at once
fluid but structured. Influenced by the West and the expectations of Western
tourists, it was (and is still today) appreciated by Middle-Easterners as their
dance. Despite the influence of the West, the structure of the classical cabaret
performance is Middle-Eastern in concept and execution. The rythms are the
rythms of the tribes. But the dance is a new and distinct dance.
Just as Westerners have diverse opinions as to the merit or otherwise of this
dance, so the attitude seems to be in the Middle-East. Many people enjoy the
dance, admire the dancer's skill, find it entertaining. But no-one wants their
own daughter to be a dancer because of the low-life associations. Certainly
there were (and always will be!) dancers who were prostitutes, or who danced or
dressed more to provoke than to achieve a more esoteric goal. This conundrum is
the basis of the 1960's Egyptian film of Zuzu the dancer. In this film, Zuzu the
best dancer in Cairo falls in love with a film-maker, who is unaware of her real
background. The film-maker's jealous sister invites Zuzu's family to entertain
at a party, thus revealing Zuzu's association with "the infamous Mahommed Ali
Street". The dilemma of the film-maker in reconciling his knowledge of Zuzu as
an intelligent and modest woman with the tarnished image of a dancer is only
slightly less painful than Zuzu's own struggle with her identity and profession.
Since the "glamour" era of the dance from the 1940's to the 1970's as available
to us on video and in old film clips, the dance has changed again. The music in
some countries has become more Westernised, the dance more like disco. Being a
dance enthusiast is seen as old-fashioned, instead the singers are the heroes of
the young. The popularity of the dance in some countries is in decline. The
Islamic fundamentalist movement frowns on the dance as promoting promiscuous
behaviour, similar to the manner in which Oliver Cromwell forbade dancing in
England when the fundamentalists held power there. The active dissuasion of
dancing and dance stars is hastening the decline in some countries, as described
by Geraldine Brooks in her book "Nine Parts of Desire".
If the Middle-Eastern people are uncertain whether the dance is acceptable or
too provactive for society, how can we be expected to be any more certain? The
real dilemma I suspect lies with underlying sexuality of the dance. Where is the
line between sensuality and sexuality, between sexual self-empowerment of women
and exploitation of them?
Belly dance in the West
As a dancer in the West it is easy to be critical of the societies from which
middle-eastern dance originates. Likewise, we could accept without question
everything that a culture offers. Surely as our knowledge of other cultures
increases we should use this as a tool to evaluate our own society. Unless we
actually are immersed in a way of life, however, it is difficult to know whether
our interpretation is valid. For example, in the West feminists consider that it
is a woman's right to forge her own career, but in some Arabic societies this is
considered a form of slavery: women should be protected from the pressures of
having to juggle a career, child-care and domestic duties and so on. Those of us
in the West who are "liberated" have all wondered from time to time whether our
view of women's role in society is not perhaps "another male method of
preventing us from reaching our full potential". It is all a matter of
perspective and our cultural background.
Likewise when we take one small portion of another culture in isolation, such as
its music or dance, it could be easy to misinterpret it. Agreed, music is a
common language, but any language has its own dialects that allows people to put
finer shade of meaning on the message. From my own experience, I used to think
the forward/back pelvic shimmy was obscene and that the Egyptian style of beledi
and cabaret was the highest form there is. Now I realise that both these
interpretations are purely Western. The Lebanese do not consider the
forward/back pelvic shimmy obscene, rather an exciting movement performed by
experienced dancers. And the Iranians, Iraqis and Kuwaitis consider the Egyptian
style vulgar and coarse.
It is always tempting to believe ourselves as instant experts, especially when
we are doing something unusual or outside our own society. In the United States,
as in Australia, few
people who study or perform middle-eastern dance or music have actually
travelled to the middle-east to study, live or even as a tourist. One thing that
I have noticed through my contact with other "middle-eastern" dancers on the
internet (whose subscribers are mainly American) is the tendancy of people to
sanitise, re-interpret and re-define the dance to the point whether I wonder
whether we are talking about the same thing. For example, one dancer, speaking
about the most unusual performance she had done, had performed dressed in
bondage gear with a model of an aborted foetus for an earring. Other dancers
have combined middle-eastern dance with square dancing, have danced to Western
music such as the theme from the Disney movie "Aladdin", or have simply said
that the middle-easterners are wrong!
Having been involved with the internet and international discussion about
middle-eastern dance and music (mainly in English, but occasionally German or
Turkish) I have been compelled to define my own attitudes towards the dance.
Sometimes close examination of your own attitudes can leave you uncomfortable so
it is easier to ignore this scrutiny. I discovered that I really prefer the
old-fashioned music and light modern pop, the classical cabaret and beledi
music. This is music I relate to best, which leaves me free to express myself.
In other words, it's rather mainstream. This comes as a bit of a shock when you
thought that what you were doing is exotic and eccentric!
The Belly Dance is identified by swaying hips, undulating torso, and
articulated isolations employed in a range of dynamic and emotional expressions.
Characteristic movements in the dance include curving patterns, undulations,
thrusts, lifts, locks, and drops, and shaking or quaking body movements. The
focus is on isolated movements of individual parts of the body with little
notice given to the footsteps. Arms and hands move fluidly, like serpents or
ribbons in the air. Unusual strength and control is demonstrated in the belly
area.
Costumes typically consist of a bra and hip-belt set worn over a floor length
skirt. The skirt may be circular or straight. Instead of the skirt and bra, a
dancer may wear a gown called a baladi dress topped with a hip-belt or a
hip-scarf. Dancers may also use a length of fabric (such as silk or chiffon)
during one part of the dance sequence, and she may also play finger cymbals.
Costuming changes from place to place and from time to time, but the one
constant is that the designs intend to emphasize and amplify the grace, power
and independent control of the feminine form.
Constant themes of bellydancing:
The Dance that Celebrates Life, Birth and Creativity!
The Dance that Celebrates Women!
The Dance that Celebrates Beauty!
The Dance that Celebrates the Body!
Belly dancing is also known as, or is associated with these terms:
• Middle Eastern Dance
This umbrella term includes belly dance, among other forms. Some people consider
it a more prestigious title than belly dancing. While this term acknowledges the
culture that historically has had the strongest association with belly dance, it
fails to recognize the many other cultures which form and influence the world of
belly dancing today.
• Balady or Raks Balady (also spelled Baladi or Beladi)
This Middle Eastern term means "dance from the country." The basic rhythm of the
dance is often referred to by its Arabic term, balady (or maksoom). Some say
that the name "belly dance" was coined when Westerners heard the word "balady"
and mistook it for "belly" as they witnessed the dance's emphasis on belly and
torso movements.
• Egyptian Raks Al-Sharqi
This Egyptian term means Dance of the Easterner — one preferred by some
American belly dancers.
• Danse du Ventre
This is the French phrase for bellydance meaning dance of the solar plexus
or vent (ventre referring to the belly area), where all the nerve endings come
together in the diaphragm. When the dance was presented at the Chicago World's
fair in 1893, the world was deep into a period of art history known as the
Orientalist era. Traveling European painters and writers brought home
fascinating descriptions and illustrations of the Orient, mesmerizing the west
with human curiosity. Danse Du Ventre — or dance of the belly — was the name
given to this dance, witnessed in a predominately Muslim world.
Interesting note: When Oscar Wilde’s play, "Salome," was
originally written in French in 1892, it was accompanied by pen and ink
illustrations by Audrey Beardsley. One illustration was titled "Danse Du Ventre."
Lord Alfred Douglas translated the works into English, and the painting was
labeled "Stomach Dance."
• Dance Oriental or Oryantal Dansi
This term often was used in Greek night clubs. The name arose from the
traditional Turkish term Oryantal, which referred to the area now known as the
Middle East, but once commonly called the orient. To the western ear this sounds
a bit confusing because the orient is thought of as being Asia. Recall that in
past ages these geographical boundaries and associations were drawn very
differently from where they are now. For instance, more Roman ruins can be found
in North Africa than in present day Rome.
Belly Dance Styles
• Modern Egyptian Dance
Costumes are customarily very glitzy and elaborately beaded. Various styles
have been popular over the years. Today's modern Egyptian belly dance
incorporates sound mix, orchestra, and drum machine, seasoned with lively
vocals.
• Turkish Style Belly Dance
Turkish bellydance music is characterized by the sounds of the oboe,
clarinet, oud, ney, kanoon, finger cymbals and hand drums. Turkish Dance
costumes are among the more risque of the cabaret styles, baring plenty of leg
and cleavage. They are usually beaded, but may use coins too. Turkish style
dancers often play finger cymbals (aka zills ).
• Harem Dance
This term evokes Hollywood's depiction of exotic concubine dancers from the
Sultan's harem. It reflects the western perceptions about the secrecy of the
harem and carries political connotations and associations with erotic
stereotypes.
• Shake Dance and Shimmy Dance
This is an old term sometimes used in America for dance that exhibits gyrating
and shaking movements of hips and shoulders. The term was popularized after the
1893 Chicago’s world fair along with the legend of Little Egypt. The term was
used for dances done in carnivals or strip clubs, often by women wearing pasties
and lingerie. The Shimmy was a dance movement used by Haitian and the
African-American community of the 1880s or earlier (and later recreated by Gilda
Gray). The shimmy and it’s energetic and vibrating derivatives are a vital part
of belly dance; such movements were not likely to die away in a culture
embracing freedom and energy. It even influenced Elvis Presley!
• Bauch Tanz (Belly dance in Germany)
Bellydance in Germany experienced a surge in the 1970s via a German male belly
dancer and instructor named Bert Baladine who was living in America at the time.
American military housewives became interested in the dance. When they were
later stationed in Germany, they called upon Bert to teach belly dance
workshops. Interest developed quickly and the revival engendered a growing
sophistication and an acceptance of the dance as both exercise and art form.
A fertile climate for the dance had been established through earlier decades by
the popularity of Richard Strauss’s opera "Salome" written in 1903 (based on
Oscar Wilde’s play of 1892) and the early modern dance movement that rose
shortly after. Europeans have had a tradition of supporting innovative and
exotic dance artists like Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Loie Fuller, Maude
Allen, and Mata Hari. Ripe with inspiration, German women began following the
lead of their American counterparts to develop the art in as many sub-styles as
America: Fantasy, el Raks Sharki, Modern Egyptian, American Classic, Turkish. .
. Again interest in the dance spread to Austria, Holland, Britain, Sweden,
Finland, Iceland,Spain, Italy. . . Unlike the common American belly dance venues
of ethnic restaurants and hotel banquet stages, the Germans more often choose to
present the dance in traditional theaters. Making things easier for them, a
close knit network of venues for performing artists was well established. These
women also set up performance venues inside the dance studio itself. Taking the
dance art very seriously, the German women employ first-class business practices
in response to the growing popularity of belly dance. They developed beautiful,
commercial-quality trade magazines, schools, concerts, cabarets, and touring
networks for teachers and performers. Many accomplished American belly dancers
have toured in Germany.
One of the most remarkable dancers of Germany is Berlin's Beata Zadou. A
stunning blonde and blue eyed dancer of technical ballet influence, Berlin's
Beata Zadou took to belly dancing. She is not only beautiful, but hard working
and industrious as well. She met Horecio Cifuentez, a handsome Brazilian-born
professional ballerino that took up belly dance in America. They were a perfect
match and are noted for their lovely belly dance duets. They married and now run
a school of dance in Berlin.:
• American Tribal Belly Dance
A style developed by the great matriarch of the dance Jamila Salimpour, and
manifested through her dance troupe, Bal-Anat. Jamila is often called the mother
of bellydance in America (just as Diete Linda is often called the mother of
belly dance in Germany). While this form of the dance included elements of
Middle Eastern and North African dance styles from Byzantium, the Renaissance,
and Victorian era, it was leavened with a good deal of old-fashioned show biz
theatrics. Introduced in the 1970s at California-style renaissance pleasure
fairs, women who experienced Tribal belly dance became transfixed! It quickly
defined itself as a wildly popular American style. American Tribal Belly Dance
performances might include the balancing of swords and other props, snake
dances, and folk line-dances. Costuming is distinctive with black and silver
asuit, and facial drawings to simulate tribal tatoos.The tribal musical
instruments used here include a variety of hand drums, zornas, miz mar, and saz.
Many similar troupes started to spring up across the country. A later offshoot
of the American Tribal troupe, spearheaded by Carolena Nericcio is called "Fat
Chance Belly Dance". It has a distinctive and colorful, costumed character of
its own by use of choli tops from India, tightly wrapped turbans, Afghan jewelry
and camel tassels. Carolena’s brand of Tribal belly dance innovated a unique
cooperative method of spontaneous group choreography. See Kajira's Tribal Bible
for a historic look at this belly dance style.
• Folkloric Belly Dance
This style incorporates dance movements of the people. Popular ethnic folk
dances such as the Fallahin (Egyptian farmers) and others are used as a
framework for introducing the folkloric roots of eastern dance, from which belly
dance emerged. Reed cane and stick dances are used by belly dancers in routines
for a folkloric flair. Folkloric routines will be featured in belly dance stage
shows in the Middle East and elsewhere. Some of today’s male performers create
supporting folkloric dance roles along side the female belly dancer.
John Compton and Rebaba, early students of Jamila Salimpour and Patty Farber,
currently direct and performs with a folksy group of supreme stage performers
called Hahbi’Ru. Hahbi’Ru can frequently be seen at California Renaissance
fairs.
• Night Club Bellydance/Cabaret Style
This dance was most often called Cabaret style in the U.S., until it was noted
that in Europe, the term connotes an X-rated club or performance. Now, dancers
usually default to the term "Night Club" belly dancing. In the U.S., the term
"cabaret" meant an ethnic family restaurant and bar, largely and colorfully
supported by ethnic clientele. Customers, both men and women, moved kerchiefs
through the air as they danced folk dances: Lebanese debke, mizerloo, Greek
sirto, or Zorbekiko between the floor shows of the featured bellydance stars.
Today these belly dancers usually perform a multi-faceted routine, sometimes on
a raised stage (to afford the audience a better view) and most often to live
musical accompaniment. The musical instruments might include oud, bazooki,
keyboards, drums, violin, kanoon and vocals. Costumes are flashy and sparkling,
with beads and sequins rather than the heavy, woven, embroidered, coined look of
tribal costuming. Often the establishment sports a large dance floor for public
participation in folk dancing and free style dancing to traditional ethnic
music, or to Middle Eastern pop disco
Famous belly dance night clubs of the past were: The Averoth in Boston
featuringthe famous George Abdo, Ali Baba, the 7th veil,the Fez in Los Angeles
featuring maroon Saba and George Kiyart, the Bagdad and the Casba, Pashas in San
Fransisco, the Feenjon Cafe in New York, Haji Baba in New York and San Diego,
the Sultans Lounge in San Diego, the Apadona in Newport Beach featuring John
Belizikian and Var Daghdevirian, Ceders of Lebonon, Greek Village, Grecian
Corner in Seattle, Parthonon Salt Lake City , Minara in San Jose, . . .
• American Classic Style Belly Dance
This style describes the bellydance performed and cultivated by American women,
(and a few men) since about the early 1970s. It developed out of the rich
collation of cultures in the American melting pot, especially in Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Immigrants brought belly dancing from
Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Central Asia, Lebanon, Israel,
Armenia, The Balkans, Persia, Iraq, India, and Africa. All these cultures have
their own unique customs, traditions, languages, foods, music, and dances, yet
each recognized some form of the belly dance as a part of their heritage. Prior
to the 1970s, in most cases, the dance was not well perpetuated and was
performed at a fairly basic level. In the less conservative American
environment, the dance began to flower into its full potential. Belly dance
classes sprung up at community centers and colleges. In ethnic restaurants
throughout the nation, American dancers with exotic names like Princess
Sheharazade, Ellena the Persian Kitten, and Jodette, swirled on stages, flooded
with colored lights, to the rhythms of live Middle Eastern music, amid the
savory aromas of ethnic cuisine. The American style of belly dance incorporated
cultures from around the globe and added its own liberating trademarks. One of
these trademarks was the steady development of the gymnastic use of the veil
within the dance. Another was a wider stance and bolder use of space than in the
Middle East. The American Classic style began spreading all over the world, even
circling back to influence dance in the Middle East. Egyptian dance businesses
flourished to meet the enjoyment of the western woman’s love of this dance. Many
Lebanese and Turkish women today study with Delilah's Belly Dance video series.
The American women of virtually any, and every, ethnic origin and heritage —
Swedish, German, Greek, Syrian, Mexican — became fascinated with the belly dance
as an artistic investment. Magazines dedicated to the art and catering to its
ever-widening population of devotees sprouted up in America: Habibi, the Belly
Dancer, and Arabesque were among the pioneer trade publications. As they
undertook to seriously study and refine the depth of belly dance techniques,
dancers also began to recognize and define an overview of the dance's
commonality and structure. Belly dance was becoming as wholesome as apple pie in
America and this could only help its reputation for women internationally. This
synthesized belly dance evolved from many cultures and resonated within women as
deeply as their very DNA. This dance intrinsically belongs to every woman, so it
easily transcends all borders.
• Ancient Egyptian Pharaonic Style Belly Dance
These are dances that use stylistic costumes depicting a time in history and are
inspired by the study of Ancient Egyptian art, ritual, symbols, Gods and
Goddesses, hieroglyph, and the use of creative imagination. Laurel Victoria Gray
and Delilah have done much with this style in a featured production of "Egypta"
in 1997 and 2003. Delilah’s solo role as "Hathor" and "Cleopatra" in 1997, as
well as her depiction of "Isis" in the video "Dance to the Great Mother" in 1981
also exemplify this belly dance style.
Music choices may be modern interpretations, such as that written by composer
Steven Flynn for Gray’s productions, or in line with the instrumentation reveled
to us through archeology, as composed by Professor Jihad Racy in "Tribute to
Ancient Egypt." Other examples include chantress Ani Williams’ use of voice and
harp in recording "Songs of Isis" or Layne Redmond’s use of framed drums in
various recordings.
• Goddess Belly Dance
Some American women focus on tracing the belly dance back through history to
ancient times of goddess temples and to matriarchal cultures such as those of
Sumerian Iraq and the Anatolia region of Turkey (known as Chatal Huyuck), and
even to the caves of the most basic birthing rituals. This would also entail a
Pharaonic style. The cave is analogous to the belly, or the womb. Goddess Belly
Dance may use characters from ancient cultural mythology and religion as potent
theme material for constructing dances. Some dancers perceive the archetypal
elements in the dance and court personal psychic and spiritual connections.
Other ancient movement practices such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Zen practice the
pursuit of the ancient wisdom embodied in the dance. Goddess Belly Dance may be
shared through public performance or used as a private devotional exercise.
Examples of dancers’ work in this style: Delilah’s "Themis; Mother of Oracles,"
"Mami Wata" and "Hepolitas" ; Z Helene’s "Gaia," Laurel Victoria Gray's
"Aphrodite"; Tahia Alebec’s "Artemis"; Katherin Balducci’s "Heketa"; Miraya
Delamar’s "Divine Mother"; Mezmera the Serpent Goddess, and Dyanise’s annual
"Goddess Show" in California.
• Gothic Fantasy Belly Dance
This recently developed style of belly dance is distinguished by its urban
tribal femme fatale look. Gothic Belly Dance costuming involves dark fabrics,
black, vinyl, leather, silver studs, piercing, pale skin, strong eye shadow, and
vampire-like looks. It’s very popular among extremely artistic young people in
America and Germany. It is currently evolving. Music might be fusion, techno,
trance or ethnic.
• Male Belly Dancing.
There has always been a tradition of men cross-dressing to emulate women and
dance with a feminine flair. They are called Cengi (Syria), Kojak (Turkey),
Batcha (Persia), Qawaal (Arabia), and Hawaal (Egypt). Since the Middle East is a
segregated society, at certain times and places in history, it has been seen as
improper for women to dance in the presence of men. Female impersonators
traditionally have taken their place. Today, Turkey seems to be the most
tolerant of these dancers. Many people report experiencing these performances.
Some audiences see them without knowing it because the dancers have achieved
their goal to pass as females.
Not all male dancers in the belly dance world, however, are female
impersonators. Some men may develop provocative stage personalities, perform
isolated body movements, and demonstrate physical feats of abdominal strength,
agility, and flexibility that astound audiences of men and women alike.
Sometimes they employ swords, sticks, and capes as props. Such is the fun of
show business. Among the most famous 20th century males in the profession are
John Compton and Bert Baladine of San Francisco, Ibrahim Farrah and Yussari
Sharif of New York, Amir of Boston, Aziz and Jason of Salt Lake City, Jim Boz
and Alfredo of the Northwest, Said el Amir and Horecio of Germany, Prince ArKhan
of Turkey, and Mousbah Baalbaki of Lebanon.
• Fantasy Belly Dance
This could involve many other titles of belly dance as a motif: Gothic, Goddess,
Space Age, Animals and mythic cretures, Fairy tales or myth. . . whatever is
fantastic, outside of reality or tradition, and evolving from imagination. The
movements are recognizably connected to the vocabulary of belly dance.
Extravagant costuming and props and back drops figure heavily into the act as
does thematic content. Sheharazade, who is based in Germany, is of this style.
As is the San Francisco dance troupe called "Ultra Gypsy."
• Fusion Belly Dance
This dance style mixes two or more recognizable traditions, themes, costuming,
or music used to construct the dance performance. In today’s modern world, we
are more globally influenced. The veiled boundaries between people and ideas are
quickly falling away.
• American Gypsy Style (not to be confused with Romany Gypsy Dances)
The Romany people (Rom) migrated from north India’s province of Rajistan in 1000
AD. Generation after generation, they traveled all over the world with their
crafts, music and dance trades, picking up a little of this and that from the
cultures they encountered. This dance is reflective of what many call "gypsy
style." However, in America this style of dance is very eclectic.The Turkish
Gypsies belly dance topless in the famous Sulukele district of Istanbul (which
offends the sensibilities of dancers who are struggling to overcome sexist
images of the dance and gain wholesome acceptability).
The American version of Gypsy style belly dance fuses many dance flavors
together. The Spanish/Moorish influence manifests as "Zambra," a form of
flamenco employed by belly dancers, along with Indian Katak, Turkish Gypsy, folk
dance, American spunk, vamp, and imagination. Typical costume characteristics
include large, full, colorful skirts, fringe scarves on hips, flowing sleeves
and Moorish art accents.
Belly dance terms
Al Jeel
(ahl JEEL) – refers to a style of music popular in Egypt today.Assuit (uh SOOT) – refers to textile art from Egypt in which tiny bits of metal are attached into mesh fabric to create a design.
Awwady (uh WAHD dee) – Arabic music, this refers to the free-form improvised instrumental solo that has no underlying rhythm.
Bedleh (BED luh) – Arabic, this literally means "suit". It refers to the cabaret-style beaded bra/belt/skirt/body stocking costume that a belly dancer wears for a performance.
Beledi (BELL uh dee) – Arabic meaning "my country", "my village" or "my home town"
Choli (CHOH lee) – bare-midriff, fitted blouse worn under saris by women in India.
Debke (DEB kee) – folk dance native to Lebanon.
Ghawazee (guh WAH zee) – term refers to the tribe of gypsies that settled in Egypt.
Habibi (hah BEE bee) – Arabic meaning "my darling" or "beloved"
Hafla (HAHF lah) – basically refers to a party.
Khaleegy (kuh LEE jee) – Arabic meaning "gulf". Refers to the style of music and dance from the Persian Gulf/Arabian peninsula area. In America it is called "Saudi" rhythm.
Maqam (mah KAHM) – Arabic meaning "place". This is the foundation of Middle Eastern music.
Mawwal (mah WALL) – in Arabic music, this refers to free, non-rhythmic singing.
Mizmar (MIZZ mar) – musical instrument that produces a loud, blaring sound.
Rakkas - Arabic word means "the male dancer"
Raks Sharki (rocks SHARK-ee) – Arabic meaning "dance of the East". Refers to cabaret-style belly dance.
Sagat (suh GOT) – Arabic name for finger cymbals.
Saz (sahz) – gourd-shaped Turkish stringed instrument.
Shaabi (SHAH bee) – refers to a type of modern-day Egyptian music; from the back streets of Cairo.
Shebecka (shuh BECK kuh) – Egyptian name for body stocking that is worn with bedleh.
Takht (tahkt) – refers to a small ensemble of Egyptian musicians.
Taqsim (tock SEEM) – Arabic meaning "division". Refers to the section of
music where a specific instrument is playing a solo.
Zagat (shu GOT) – another spelling for the Arabic name for finger
cymbals.
Zaghareet (zah guh REET) – high-pitched ululation done with the tongue. It is a sound of celebration.
Zeffa (ZEFF hu) – refers to an Arabic wedding procession
Zills (ZILLS) – Turkish name for finger cymbals.