Yasmina Ramzy

Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Yasmina Ramzy

• 10-19-09 The Bellybutton Revolution, Feminism & Bellydance by Yasmina Ramzy
  When I grew up and became a bellydancer, needless to say, my Mom was perplexed and wondered where she had gone wrong.

Yasmina's Advice Columns

• 4-17-12 Is Bellydance in a Downward Spiral? Ask Yasmina #18 by Yasmina Ramzy
  When compiling the information for the programme, some of the dance artists in the company asked us not to use their real name for fear of complications with their main employment.
• 12-28-11 Ask Yasmina #17: Practice and Rehearsal by Yasmina Ramzy
  The key point to solo study and practice is to remember that if you are enjoying yourself, you are most likely not growing or progressing!
• 7-12-11 Ask Yasmina #16, New Baby Dance, Taqsim Shimmies, and Cane Music by Yasmina Ramzy
  However, there are many who had to resort to Cesarean after a long and arduous labor as well. It might be negligent to throw around such claims.
• 1-5-11 Ask Yasmina #15, Gaining Respect for Bellydance Artists, by Yasmina Ramzy
  The following is a kind of "manifesto" or set of guidelines that Bellydancers could follow that might help contribute to our community of artists in gaining respect
• 10-1-10 Ask Yasmina #14: Pro Dancer vs Religion, Importance of Training, Khaleegy Music by Yasmina Ramzy
  Then, I would speak to them about being authentic. If Bellydance was chosen with conviction, love and integrity, then their relationship with God would remain real and honest and maybe one day they might win back the respect of her family. It was still a huge risk, but at least, they could have comfort in living an authentic life.
• 7-1-10 Ask Yasmina #13, Find a Good Teacher, First Workshop, Non-Arab Dancers by Yasmina Ramzy
  First and foremost, take a class or two from many teachers in your area so you can make a better informed decision. Please note that slick advertising and a good website indicate good organization and good marketing skills, not necessarily good Belly dance skills, knowledge, or even teaching skills.
• 3-10-10 Ask Yasmina #12: The Importance of Oum Kalthoum, Undercutting, and Kid Bellydancers by Yasmina Ramzy
  When a client hiring a performer or a student looking for a teacher is at a point where they want quality, they know they have to pay a fair price.
• 1-4-2010 Ask Yasmina #11- Sticky Situations: Inappropriate Audience Members, Competitive Teachers, Fickle Students by Yasmina Ramzy
  Trying to please and appease those who already disrespect you leads to a miserable dead end. My advice is to say "NO" and give the inappropriately behaved person a good wack across the face.
• 11-3-09 Ask Yasmina #10: Bellydance Business, Finding Musicians, Certification by Yasmina Ramzy
  This experience has made me very wary ever since of people with certificates.
• 10-19-09 The Bellybutton Revolution, Feminism & Bellydance by Yasmina Ramzy
  When I grew up and became a bellydancer, needless to say, my Mom was perplexed and wondered where she had gone wrong.
• 9-8-09Ask Yasmina #9: Teaching Differences, New Troupes, Men in Bellydance by Yasmina Ramzy
  As an ensemble becomes larger and more professional, it will find that it is more efficient and effective if it models itself like a professional company with defined roles
• 7-15-09Ask Yasmina #8: Socializing with Your Audience, Relaxing the Upper Body, Tattoos by Yasmina Ramzy
  It may take a while but you and the owner need to train the audience to arrive on time if they want to see a performance. In the end, everyone will benefit.
• 6-7-09 Ask Yasmina #7: Milaya, Tipping, Gossip by Yasmina Ramzy
  Ask yourself "why?’ over and over again, digging deeper for the truth, until you arrive at that moment when the beauty of Bellydance had you completely inspired and elated, that moment when you wanted the whole world to experience the same joy.
• 5-11-09 Ask Yasmina #6 : Abhinaya, Personal Journey, What’s Missing? by Yasmina Ramzy
  Tapping into the source will change the quality of your movement, your interpretation of the music and your emotional connection to the movement and the music.
• 4-1-09 Ask Yasmina #5, Where is the Goddess in a Vertical Drop and a Shimmy? Or How Can the Practice of Bellydance Lead the Dancer to a State of Grace or Enlightenment? by Yasmina Ramzy
  The most important practice of almost all mystical paths is meditation. It is universal and does not need a frame of reference from any particular theology.
• 3-4-09 Ask Yasmina #4, Feminine Spectacle, Workshop Requirements, My Styles of Dance, by Yasmina Ramzy
  Dancers, who are willing to pay to be on stage, are perhaps not always ready to be there.
• 2-4-09 Ask Yasmina #3, Fusion, International Study, Taqsim by Yasmina Ramzy
  Personally, I am all for any kind of creative expression (blood, snakes, flowers, even fake chicken heads and urine) as long as it comes from a place of inspiration and with the intention to move members of an audience to think about the world around themselves and their own relationship to the substance or reference of choice with a new and wider point of view (maybe an even more loving point of view).
• 1-15-09 Ask Yasmina #2, Handling Media, Choreography, Name Our Dance by Yasmina Ramzy
  In creating a work of art that will enlighten or move an audience emotionally, the artist's intention is to communicate a message or an emotion.
• 12-1-08 Ask Yasmina #1: Evolution, Oum Kalthoum, & Cover ups by Yasmina Ramzy
  A first column in a once-a-month series: GS is proud to present this passionate and knowledgeable expert in the field of Middle Eastern Dance; she is an artist, pioneer, and creator of the International Bellydance Conference of Canada.

Yasmina's Memior

• 2-5-08 My First Mid East Gig by Yasmina Ramzy
  Once we landed in Amman, we were greeted on the tarmac by solid lines of soldiers on both sides leading to the doorway of the airport, machine guns pointed towards the passengers. I don't recall ever seeing even one Canadian soldier in the flesh and blood, let alone a gun, let alone so many big guns and pointed at me. I don't think I blinked during that endless walk. We were clearly not in Hawaii.
• 9-26-07 Lifting the Veil by Yasmina Ramzy
  I excused myself first and then asked her “why on earth would someone obviously not of Middle Eastern heritage actually choose to wear the veil?” She smiled knowingly and gave me an answer that still keeps me thinking today.
• 8-1-07 The Summer School of Khaleegy Dance, Dance Style from the Saudi Arabian Penninsula, by Yasmina Ramzy
  The “moral police” and hotel security watched every move I made. All my phone calls were monitored. I was not allowed to talk to or get into an elevator with an Arab man.

Yasmina's International Bellydance Conference of Canada: 2007 & 2008

• 5-21-08 Saturday Gala Peformance Part 2 of the International Bellydance Conference of Canada video and photo report by GS staff
  Performers in Act 2 : Aisha Ali of Southern California, Bozenka of Florida, Amy Sigil & Kari Vanderzwaag of Unmata from Sacramento, California, Tito Seif of Egypt, Aida Nour of Egypt
• 5-21-08 Saturday Gala Peformance Part 1 of the International Bellydance Conference of Canada video and photo report by GS staff
  Performers include: Lopa Sarkar, Sacred Dance Company of Victoria, Nath Keo, Roshana Nofret & Maria Zapetis of Bozenka's BD Academy, Ensemble El Saharat of Germany-
  Mayyadah & Amir of Germany, Ferda Bayazit of Turkey, Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra of Toronto
• 4-23-08 to ? From Toronto, Ontario, Canada The International Bellydance Conference of CanadaVideo reports by Gilded Serpent Staff
  Reports are presented in video format inbedded all on the same page.
• 4-23-08 Day 1 Wednesday Evening Show- remix from last year's stars-Sofia, Serena, Rhythm Of The Nile, Anita of Dance Poi, pregnant Mayada, Shades Of Araby- Valizan and Sofia, Rayna, Rahma, troupe in shinny black straight skirts? Masouma Rose getting Mayyadah and Amir's reaction to the show. Clip intro reporting by Shira.
• 4-25-08 Day 2 Introduced by Ferda Bayazit and
• 4-26-08 Day 2 Thursday Evening Show-Roula Said's Roulettes M2,
  Jaida of New York, Ozgen of Turkey and the UK, Ivanka of Panama, The amazing Asha of Atlanta and the troupe, Goddess Bellydance of Korea.
• 4-29-08 Day 3 Friday Daytime Activities -Reporting today are Roula Said, Mark Balahadia, and Ranya Renee.
  Video glimpses included: Tito, Bozenka, Ferda, Lynette Harper, Ranya Renee, Mark Balahadia, Roula Said, Stavros, The "Man Panel," plus more
• 4-29-08 Day 3 Friday Evening Show -This video clip is a collage from the Main Stage show on Friday night.
  Performers included: Banat el Sharq, Ishra (we missed her- sorry!), Suha, Mark Balahadia, Nouvel Expose', Mariyah, Dominique, edVenture Arts, Dr Sawa, Danielle, Maqamaikaze, Jim Boz, Leah & Lynette Harper, Sefirah, and Arabian Allspice
• 4-30-08 Day 4 Saturday Daytime Activities-Reporting today are Andrea Deagon and Rahma Haddad
  Glimpses include: Bozenka's class, Aida Nour's class, Amy Sigil's Class, Panel on Teaching Standards, and Aisha Ali's lecture.
• 12-13-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part 2 - Sunday Club Party Photos by Denise Marino and Lynette
  Live orchestra, Randa, Amir, a packed house and very festive mood. How could it be any better?
• 10-17-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part 2 - Saturday Gala Performance Photos by Denise Marino & Sussi Dorrell. Held at the Ryerson Theatre in Toronto Canada on April 21, 2007. Featuring International stars including Amir Thaleb and Randa Kamal
• 9-8-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part 2 - Page 2 - Friday Main Stage Photos by Denise Marino
  April 20, 2007 Toronto California. Hungarian Canadian Cultural Center. Photos of Les Tri'belles, Leyla Zaharr, Amani Jabril, Ariana Vega, 12 yo Sofia...
• 9-6-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part 2 - Page 1 - Thursday Main Stage Photos by Denise Marino
  April 19, 2007 Toronto California. Hungarian Canadian Cultural Center. Photos of Bellyqueen, Hunnan Sultan, Ranya, Rachel, Hiba, Elise Olmi, Nath Keo, and more...
• 5-18-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part One- Lectures, Workshops, Panel Discussions by Diane Adams Photos by Lynette
  April 18-22, 2007 Toronto, Ontario. Hosted by Yasmina Ramzy of Arabesque Academy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this International Bellydance Conference of Canada, the first ever on the Canadian dance scene, proved to be one of the top dance experiences in this reviewer’s 30-year career.
• 9-6-07 A Report on the First International Bellydance Conference of Canada Part 2 - Page 1 - Thursday Main Stage Photos by Denise Marino
  April 19, 2007 Toronto California. Hungarian Canadian Cultural Center. Photos of Bellyqueen, Hunnan Sultan, Ranya, Rachel, Hiba, Elise Olmi, Nath Keo, and more...

 

Reviews

• 1-17-11 Get Down to the Root of it! Yasmina Ramzy's Asala I & II, DVD Review by Joette
  Ramsey's ability to show movements of grace and femininity comes across strongly by presenting the dance as respectable and as a valid form of dance expression.
• 12-11-13 Deep Study of Dance with Culture for 20 Hours! Yasmina Ramzy's Crash Course, August 2013 by Diana Diane Adams
  Check your ego at the door and be prepared to learn true Egyptian technique and correct what you’ve been doing incorrectly for years.