Hatem Hamdy, also known as Tommy King, is a real showman! His unique and colorful style makes him a sought after teacher and dancer around the world. He started his professional career with skating. Between the age of 20 to 25 he worked as a coach-assistant in the "Sham's" club and later as a coach for mature students. He has earned 14 times the first prize for skating in Egypt, and won the second prize at the "African World" competition continuously for 5 years. He loved the idea of mixing oriental dance with skating, but eventually he took the direction of oriental dance, and started working in Cairo in famous hotels, ships and clubs. Tommy King designs his colorful and unique costumes, and his charisma and style make him one of the famous artists in the Egyptian and International festival scene.In this episode you will learn about:- Transitioning from professional skating career to full-time dancing- Secrets of successful performances on stage- How Tommy King prepares right before going on stage- Being a male dancer in Egypt- Teaching classes onlineShow Notes to this episode:Find Tommy King on Instagram, and FB. His intensive page is available here.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club. New YouTube show “Artist Date” is available HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Belly Dance Life

Ep 164. Tommy King: The Importance of Charisma For Dance Performers

Mercedes Nieto is an internationally acclaimed oriental dance artist based in Budapest, Hungary. She is world famous for her delicate, elegant, and yet passionate dance style, which is innovative and unique. Mercedes has spent a decade touring around the world: since 2009 she had been teaching and performing in more than 50 countries at around 30 different oriental dance events yearly. While constantly traveling and sharing her knowledge, passion and unique vision for belly dancing, she kept organizing the highly acclaimed CAIRO! Fest Budapest. Also, Mercedes is producing Middle-Eastern music specifically for oriental dancers since 2012: she has released five albums that gained wide international success among dancers.In this episode you will learn about:- Going thorough the experience of lockdowns- Losing live audience shows, and how it impacts the dance- Learning to embrace uncertainty - Cooking healthy meals out of laziness- Hosting an international festival onlineShow Notes to this episode:Find Mercedes Nieto on Instagram, FB, and Youtube.Previous episodes with Mercedes:Ep 45. Mercedes Nieto: Social Media TrapsEp 46. Mercedes Nieto: What Does It Take To Be a Touring Artist?Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club. New YouTube show “Artist Date” is available HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 163. Mercedes Nieto: Finding Home Inside Your Body

Yaël is an international Oriental dance artist living in Paris. She has a very personal and refined style combining tradition and modernity. She is regularly invited to perform and teach abroad (Japan, USA, Canada, China, Europe…) due to her skills as a teacher and the high level of her artistic work. Yaël conveys her passion with generosity and enthusiasm. She focuses on listening carefully to the music and interpreting emotions, while displaying an impeccable technique and creating a wide variety of choreographies. She teaches all Egyptian styles, from a soft and introverted Tarab to an energetic and catchy Shaabi. For her, dance classes are more than teaching an original choreography. She also strives to make her students understand the culture behind Oriental dance, and to convey the ‘soul’ of this dance. In this episode you will learn about:- Developing a dance career at local gigs- Yael’s first international workshops- Dealing with self-criticism while watching your own performance videos- How to find your individual style- Teaching and adapting to an online spaceShow Notes to this episode:Find Yaël Zarca on Instagram, FB, YouTube and website.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 162. Yaël Zarca: Spreading Light and Positivity

Miasia is a dedicated performer, teacher, trainer and workshop instructor with 25 years of cabaret and folkloric Middle Eastern Dance experience. As a performer, she has captivated audiences all over the US and around the world, including Turkey and Egypt, where she was featured on the renowned Egyptian TV show Al Rakesa. Miasia has been a performer at numerous special events, including national conferences like True Spirit. She has graced concert halls, nightclubs, restaurants and stages all over the globe, including the SF Pride Women’s stage where she was presented a prize for her award-winning shimmies. In this episode you will learn about:- Lessons that Miasia learned from her teachers and students- How she got involved in the TV show Al Rakesa- The most memorable moments of the show- Getting ready and taping each episode of Al Rakesa- Dance realizations and dreams after the show was overShow Notes to this episode:Find Miasia on Instagram, FB, YouTube and website.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 161. Miasia: Life Before, During & After TV Show Al Rakesa

Since 1978, Aegela’s love of Middle Eastern dance has taken her throughout the US and to the heart of the art—Egypt. It was on her first tour that Aegela was awarded the coveted Lifetime Performer’s license by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, an honor held by only 11 foreigners. While working in Egypt, Aegela enjoyed the privilege of studying with famed dancer/choreographer Mahmoud Reda, of the Reda Troupe, and with Madame Busi, principal dancer with the National Folkloric Company.During her teaching career, Aegela has conducted classes for the deaf and hearing impaired, and devised a format for use in occupational therapy rehabilitation programs assisting women in regaining range of motion. Recently, she developed a dance program for women recovering from strokes. Aegela frequently lectures in major universities on the topics of Middle Eastern art and music. Speaking engagements have included Emory University School of Near Eastern Studies, Georgia State University, and Mercer University. Aegela is the recipient of the 2004 Stella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Middle Eastern Dance.In this episode you will learn about:- Combing business consulting in USA with a dance career in Egypt- Receiving the Lifetime Performer’s license by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture- Why Aegela left Egypt at the height of her success- Meeting Mahmoud Reda- Ten things she learned from the great master.Show Notes to this episode:Find Aegela on Instagram, FB, and website.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 160. Aegela: Sharing Memories of Studying with Mahmoud Reda

Aszmara goes beyond movements and steps to unleash your soul’s music. Her insight into movement, music and connecting emotions with dance marks her as an unforgettable teacher and performer. “Dance is Emotion in Motion” exactly describes Aszmara. For over 40 years, Aszmara has been inspiring dancers as a teacher and performer with international tours, workshops and seminars across USA & Europe. As a master teacher, her deep love for dance shines through to everyone she teaches, from beginners to professionals, leading them to find their own expressive passion in dance. In the 80’s and 90’s she was co-director of two dance companies: the award winning Middle Eastern dance company Oriental Images and the ground breaking SaZ Dance Theater, creating theme concert events, folkloric and innovative dance. Aszmara’s articles have appeared in The Gilded Serpent, Bhuz and Bennu magazines and her instructional DVD, ‘Belly Dance… The Secret Desire’, has received high recognition.In this episode you will learn about:- Musicality in dance, and letting go your thought process on stage ￼ - Dance as a healing and self-exploration tool ￼ - Exercises to develop your improvisation skills ￼ - What music formations are. ￼ - Why Aszmara never considered herself a Turkish style dancer.Show Notes to this episode:Find Aszmara on Instagram, FB, and website..Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her teaching platform: the Iana Dance Club.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 159. Aszmara: Dance Gives Us Inner Strength

Yasmin Henkesh grew up in the Washington D.C. area but moved to Europe to work as a professional dancer after graduating from college. She first appeared in the Algerian cabaret Al Djazair, but soon was hired by "big time" nightclubs in Paris, such as Le Beirut and Le Yildizlar. There she worked with some of the most well-known Arabic stars and musicians of the time, such as Sabah, Walid Toufiq, Ahmed Adawia, Mohammad El Aizabi and Hassan Abou Saud. She then moved to London to work at The Omar Khayyam, the renowned club of Mona Said, where she worked with master percussionist, Khamis Henkesh. But the draw to work in Egypt was too great and she moved to Cairo after a year to follow her dream. She appeared for two years at The Auberge on the Sharia al Haram and at the Holiday Inn. The head of her orchestra was Sayed Henkesh, a well-known Egyptian musician. During those years Yasmin enrolled in the American University in Cairo Master's degree in Arabic and did research of her own on the Egyptian zar and other forms of Middle Eastern trance dancing. Yasmin moved back to Washington DC in the early 1990's and danced regularly at the Casablanca Restaurant in Alexandria, VA until 2001. She now teaches various classes for aspiring dancers at her own dance studio as well as online.In this episode you will learn about:- The belly dance scene in Europe in 70s and 80s- Dancing in Egypt, and why Yasmin decided to come back to Europe- Her research about zar and various trance dances- Insights about the origins of the Ayoub rhythm- The music copyright issues all dancers should be aware of.Show Notes to this episode:(Additional information provided by Yasmin Henkesh)The notes for Hymn to Hathor, which has a lovely nay solo set to the ayoub rhythm:        "Track 17: AyoubThe Prophet Job      The 2/4 rhythm dancers refer to as “ayoub” has only been called this for the past fifty years - since poet / composer Zakariya al-Hagawi used it for the sound track of Malhama Ayoub wa Nasa (The Epic of Job and [his wife] Nasa). This religious TV miniseries about the Prophet Job (starring the composer’s wife, singer Khadra Mohammed Khadar) aired on Egyptian television in the early 1960s. Al-Hagawi’s music became so popular that belly dancers asked for its rhythm by abbreviating the show’s name. Up until then it had simply been known as the malfouf (another 2/4 rhythm) associated with Ottoman music (see Turkey/Egypt booklet page 14) or the ecstatic rituals of Turkish Mevlevi sufis (or “whirling dervishes” - listen to track 1 Whirling Dervishes of Farouk Tekbelek’s CD, Whirling).      Despite current belly dance nomenclature and assumptions, this rhythm is not used during Egyptian-Sudanese zar ceremonies to call the Jinn (their songs are based on masmoudi, darg, maqsoum or African rhythms). It was, however, used for folkloric theatrical stage recreations of zars because of its dramatic, hypnotic properties and its association with the zikr, another form of Middle Eastern trance induction. The zikr, or ‘remembrance,’ is a sufi ritual based on the repetition, spoken or silent, of the names or epithets of God. The hadra, a form of zikr incorporating music, movement and specialized breathing patterns, is associated with ecstatic trance. Often done accompanied by a bendir (a large, resonant hand drum with two gut strings stretched across the inside, touching the skin head) and occasionally to music (the role of music and dance is controversial in Islam - many mullahs, Islamic priests, damn them), the exact rituals vary according to individual sufi orders, or tariqas. But often they include exhaling while bending over and inhaling while straightening up, as “Allah(hu)” is vocalized. Hence, traditionally, the ayoub rhythm is associated with God, not the Jinn. Nevertheless, it is ideal for inducing trance, which is why I included this exceptional piece for sacred dance."A YouTube playlist for zar related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYUtFJWB2Ui9W97PxNHsJa5qrSsDrT6rqFind Yasmin Henkesh on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 158. Yasmin Henkesh: From Zar Rituals to Discussing Music Copyright Issues

Sadie is an inspiration and icon to her students and fans around the world and serves to empower people through the captivating art of Oriental Dance (Bellydance). She has produced dozens of bestselling instructional videos. She has represented the art of Oriental Dance in front of millions of viewers on the hit show “America’s Got Talent”.Sadie is the founder and director of the “Raqs Online” training program, which enriches students with a strong foundation in technique while keeping them engaged and connected to the dance’s culture and historical roots. She has launched a new clothing line of athletic dance wear and produces a variety of destination dance retreats around the world, taking her students on a deep journey and exploration of this incredible art form as well as their own inner selves.In this episode you will learn about:- Teaching online before and during the pandemic- The evolution of Sadie’s teaching platform Raqs Online- The process of content creation for online classes- Dealing with frustration and artistic depression- Sadie’s experience of working with coaches and mentorsShow Notes to this episode:Find Sadie Marquardt on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube, as well as her online classes at Raqs Online.Previous interview with Sadie: Ep 39. Sadie Marquardt: Reclaiming Feminine PowerEp 14. Sadie Marquardt: Before & After Social Media HitFollow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 157. Sadie Marquardt: Respect Your Need to Recharge

Suhaila Salimpour grew up caught between two worlds: the strict, Shi’a Muslim household of her father who passed away when she was 10, and the free-spirited Hippie fantasyland of her mother, renowned belly dance innovator Jamila Salimpour. By the time she was 14, Suhaila was the sole breadwinner for herself and her mother, traveling across the United States on the weekends teaching her mother’s dance method and creating her own revolutionary approach to belly dance.  She also lived and worked as a professional entertainer in the Middle East, with residencies in some of the finest venues. She worked with musical ensembles of over 40 musicians, including Arab pop stars Ahmad Adawiya, Amr Diab, and Sabah.Upon returning to the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1990s, Suhaila returned to teaching regular dance classes and developing the first-ever certification program in Middle Eastern dance. Today, the Salimpour School has five satellites run by licensed instructors in the United States, Europe, and Egypt, as well as a thriving global community of thousands of students, including the new Suhaila Salimpour Institute of Online Education. In 2019, the Salimpour School began its residency at Mills College, where Suhaila is also an Adjunct Professor. She teaches Core Dimension™ and Embodied Movement in the Department of Dance and Theater.In this episode you will learn about:- Growing up as the daughter of a well-known belly dancer and part of a Muslim family ￼ - Living and performing in the Middle East ￼ - Going through dance depression and losing your artistic identity ￼ - Reasons why Suhaila started a certification program ￼ - The Salimpour method of teachingShow Notes to this episode:Find Suhaila Salimpour on Instagram, FB, YouTube and website. Information about her online school and institute is available here.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 156. Suhaila Salimpour: Renegotiating Your Dance Identity

A teacher, dancer, and choreographer of oriental dance, Dr.Mo Geddawi is a native of Cairo who has made his home in Berlin, Germany for the past twenty years. His beginnings in the formal study of dance began with the invitation to join a ballet school in the royal palace of Saida Sutaire, King Farouk’s cousin. Years later he met Mahmoud Reda, and in 1957 became a co-founder of the Reda Troupe. In 1964, the group was nationalized, and the same year Dr.Mo Geddawi decided to leave Egypt. During his busy dance career, he has worked in many feature films and TV series in Europe and the Middle East, if not as a dancer or choreographer, then as an actor. His most memorable experiences include: “The Second Man”(1972) with Samia Gamal and Sabah; “Summer Vacation”(1963) with the Reda Troupe; “A Man From Alaska”(1972) with Douglas Mclaire; “His Divorce, Her Divorce”(TV series, England, 1972) with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton; and “The Lawyer”(TV series, Germany, 1973). Dr. Mo Geddaw is also a doctor of tropical medicine. In this episode you will learn about:- First meeting with Mahmoud Reda- Years spent with the Reda’s Troupe- The reasons and consequences of nationalization of the Reda’s Troupe- Decision to leave Egypt- Teaching dancers all around the world.Show Notes to this episode:Find Dr.Mo Geddawi on Instagram, FB, and website. Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 155. Dr.Mo Geddawi: Co-founder of the Reda Troupe

Born in the USA and trained by master teachers in New York City, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey, Athena Najat has traveled the globe dancing. Athena’s dance background began in childhood with years of dedicated training in Classical Ballet and Modern Dance. She graduated with a Dance major from the famous Performing Arts High School Walnut Hill. Her education continued with special training at Laban Centre London and at New York University, from which she holds both a Bachelor (BA) and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Dance & Culture. She lived for nearly a decade in Athens, Greece, where she co-organizes a successful annual International Bellydance and music event, Habibi Tsiggana Festival. Athena is also a founding member of Kazafy Troupe Greece. Athena is currently based in Turkey. In this episode you will learn about:- The influence of a professional dance education and ballet training on Athena’s belly dance journey- The Belly dance scene in Greece- Tsifteteli dance in Greece and Turkey- Her Decision to move to Turkey- Hiring a belly dancer to perform online at a private gig.Show Notes to this episode:Find Athena Najat on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube. Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 154. Athena Najat: Dance Traditions in Greece and Turkey

Hasna is the founder and admin of the Just Belly Dance website which currently provides event promotion, ticketing, and registration management tools. She is located in Atlanta, GA and performs at various public events as well as private venues. Hasna has dabbled in a few arenas of MENAT dance and has explored fusion dancing, but her passion lies in Egyptian-style dancing. Hasna is a member of Persica Dance Company, and Asmara Bellydance Initiative. Dance is her passion and inspiration in life. Outside of her dance life, Hasna is an IT Specialist providing Web solutions and maintenance services.In this episode you will learn about:- Hasna’s dance trips to Egypt- The moment that changed her understanding and approach to dance- The significance of Haflas- Just Belly Dance website, and common mistakes in advertising posts- Asmara Bellydance InitiativeShow Notes to this episode:Find Hasna on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube. Websites: Just Belly Dance & Asmara Bellydance Initiative.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 153. Hasna: The Moment Of A Dance Transformation

Some of the best moments from our previous episodes! Many of us struggle with continuing our daily training in the times of pandemic, finding motivation, and keeping the discipline. Let’s see how our guest stars approach their personal training and get some tips for ourselves. Today you will hear from Jasirah, Daliya, Soraia and Aziza. Show Notes to this episode:Ep 19. Jasirah: How to Practice on Your Own. Tips & TricksEp 56. Daliya: Improve Your Dance Every DayEp 128. Soraia Zaied: Never Give Up On Your Dreams!Ep 130. Aziza: How to Be The Best Version of Your Dance SelfFollow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 152. Best of: Your Daily Training

Esmeralda Colabone has dedicated 20 years to dance. Originally from Brazil, she is one of the biggest names on the Arabic dance scene today! Esmeralda was the youngest dancer to join the cast of La Maison de L’Artiste in Lebanon. For 12 years she danced in the best hotels in North Africa and the Middle East. Those years made her truly unique and today she is a master teacher, soloist and choreographer in 32 countries!In this episode you will learn about:- How Esmeralda got interested in belly dance classes- Becoming a mom- Dealing with judgement and Internet shaming - The moment Esmeralda almost quit her dance career- Finding true connection in the online worldShow Notes to this episode:Find Esmeralda Colabone on Instagram, FB, website and Youtube.Previous interview with Esmeralda: Ep 13. Esmeralda Colabone: Music as Your Guide & MentorFollow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Ep 151. Esmeralda Colabone: Living The Truth: Motherhood and Dance Career

Sabriye Tekbilek grew up in an environment of Middle Eastern music and dance. She is the daughter of the renowned Turkish musician "Haci" Ahmet Tekbilek, and Lisa Djeylan, once an international bellydancer herself. While attending the University of California at Berkeley, Sabriye began taking classes with Suhaila Salimpour and quickly became a member of the Suhaila Dance Company and Bal Anat. It was while studying with both Suhaila and Jamila Salimpour that Sabriye was encouraged to begin teaching, awakening a passion for instruction. In 2005 Sabriye moved to the Middle East where she worked for seven years with Lebanese agent Toros Siranossian throughout the Gulf and North Africa. She also spent one year in Cairo working at the prestigious night club Haroun Al Rashid in the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel along side the legendary Dina.In this episode you will learn about:- Growing up in an artistic family ￼ - The meaning of the term ‘Arabesk music’ ￼ - Transitioning from a performance to a teaching career ￼ - The gap between the festival world and the belly dance scene in the Middle East ￼ - Adjusting to the lockdownShow Notes to this episode:Find Raksan on FB, Youtube, and website.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, Youtube, website .Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

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Belly Dance Life

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