Belly Dancing in Las Vegas (part 1 of 2) by Neferteri Belly Dancing is alive and well in Las Vegas. When one thinks of Las Vegas, belly dancing may not be the first image that comes to mind. But woven into the grand tapestry of flashing neon lights and high-kicking show girls is a prominent and diverse belly dance community that includes cabaret, tribal, and folkloric dancers. Las Vegas has hosted many wonderful belly dance instructors, workshops, and haflas, and area dancers have developed their our own web ring. Several internationally-known Middle Eastern musicians also live and work in the area. I am pleased to introduce a few of "The Divas of Las Vegas." First, meet a wonderful group of ladies that I call, "The Golden Goddesses," because they are all senior citizens and they represent a very special part of our belly dance community. These lovely ladies live in a Sun City MacDonald Ranch in Las Vegas and have been performing for two years. The troupe is taught and directed by my friend, Fran Dundee (Zulieka), who has been dancing for 29 years and teaching for 4 years. "The Golden Goddesses" truly believe belly dancing is great for their bodies and for their minds. I have seen them rehearse and dance, and they are very dedicated and talented. They have demonstrated that all can enjoy belly dancing, and that this art form is as timeless as they are. I would like to thank "The Golden Goddesses" for being a part of our community.
(To be continued. . .) Have
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for more? 4-26-04 Class
War-fair? Belly Dance Comics tm by
Alexandria 4-25-04 Shuvani: Music and Dance inspired by the Roma "Gypsy" Trail Photos by Jan Dvorak, Captions and Photos provided by Amy Luna Manderino Saturday, February 21, 2004 Cafe de la Paz, Berkeley, California 4-21-04 Rakkasah
West Festival 2004 Friday Evening March 2004, Richmond, California
photos by GS Volunteers including: |
Another
local group of very knowledgeable and richly talented belly
dancers is "Al-Teeka". "Al-Teeka" translates
to "ancient ones," in reference to women who have gained knowledge
and wisdom through years of experience. This American ethnic
fusion style troupe does not represent one specific tribe or
ethnic group. Rather, their folkloric look and repertoire incorporates
elements of dance and costuming from various cultures throughout
the Middle East and North Africa, such as the Ouled Nail tribe
of Algeria, and the Bedouin Berber tribes. "Al-Teeka's" performances
are exciting and dramatic.The troupe members are: Linn
Smith, Shirley Rivera, Nancy
Eason, Karen Kampser, and Joeanne
Jacobs . These ladies are truly a class-act and a
strong cornerstone in our belly dance community. (Sorry no
picture - they are a little camera shy).
