BOOKS:

Serpents of the Nile
by Wendy Bounaventoura

This is a "Belly Dancer's" coffe table must have!  There are some really great pictures describing the concept of Orientalism.  The book does bring to light the 19th & 20th century of female dancers, music, and art.  This book also shows Hollywood's influence on Middle Eastern Dance in the first part of the 20th centry.
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Scheherazade Goes West
by Fatema Mernissi

This is one of my favorite books.  I love Fatema's sense of humor, wit and honesty.  Fatema explains in this book her discoveries of European & Westen people's reaction to the word "harem" and thier fantasies associated with the word.  My favorite chapter in this book is the last chapter.  She compares the Arab Veil to an American's size 6, both basically holding women prisioner.

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Orienatalism
by Edward Said
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Oriental Belly Dance
by Kemal Ozdemir

This book is Turkish based dancing.  When you look at this book, you will not read it as much as you look at the pictures at first glance.  It really gives you a glimpse close to 50 years of dancers barely covered.  It shows the "Orientalism" of the public view or perseption of what a "Belly Dancer" should look like.  It gives some history of Turkish dance and offers beautiful pictures from the turn of the centry of true Turkish Folkloristic Dances.

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The Palace of Tears
Harem - The World Behind the Veil
by Alev Lytle Croutier

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Khul-Khaal
by Nayra Atiya

This book covers 5 Egyptian women lives.  Om Gad, Alice, Suda, Dunya, & Om Naeema.  Each has her story to tell.  Through each women's life story, they share thier hardships and expecations of what they will get or not get out of life.  This book really gives an inside look of Egyptian life, customs, and culture.

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Flute of Sand
by Lawrence Morgan

A tale of the Ouled Nail

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Grandmother's Secrets
by Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi

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Sacred Woman Scared Dance
by Iris Stewart

This is a great book.  Iris Stewart covers dance from a spirituality through movement perspective.  She covers topis matters such as finding women's dance through history.  She speaks about different dance forms, but does focus on "Belly Dance" , Modern Dance, Liturgical dance, and Improvisational Dance. 

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The Belly Dance Book
Edited by Tazz Richards

I love the information this book gives not only about female aspects of Middle Eastern Dance, but it gives the male side too.

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The Hidden Face of Eve
Woman at Point Zero
God Dies by the Nile
A Daughter of Isis
Nawal El Saadawi

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Nine Parts of Desire
Geraldine Brooks

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Islam, Gender, and Socail Change
Edited by Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad
John L. Esposito

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Veils and Daggers
Linda Steet

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Belly Laughs
Rod Long

This book contains stories of 32 Dancers.  Each dancer gives her personal dance experiences from behind the scenes.  Some of these stories will make you laugh out loud, and for us more expereinced dancers, trust me, just when you think you have seen it all, there' always something new!

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The Intimate Act of Choreography
Lynne Anne Blom
L. Tarin Chaplin

This books covers sooooo many topics!  It covers the approach to choreographing, Themes, Music, Timing, Body level changes, Body movement dynamics, usuage of space, Dance style, and Imagery. 

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The Art of Making Dances
Doris Humphrey

Doris was a pioneer of American Modern Dance.  She created dances within a theater atmosphere.  She addresses dance design, dynamics, and rhythm.  She explains her techniques to the approach of choregraphing.

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The Trible Bible
Kajira Djoumahna

If you love American Trible Style dancing, then this book IS for you!  This book covers the history of when, how and where ATS started and who make the contributions to this style of dance.

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Looking for Little Egypt
Donna Carlton

This book contains alot of info pertaining to The 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.She details Sol Bloom's efforts of how and why North African dancers ended up performing at the Fair.  She encompasses how the dance gained infamous recognition, and how the misconception of the melody of the "Hoochy Coochy" dance was started.  All when said and done, even though many have claimed to be Little Egypt, we still do not know who she really was, only her imagery and being an icon, lives on.

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Noble Dreams and Wicked Pleasures
Holly Edwards



As always, I would like to share my resources, my knowledge and experience to those want want to share.  More than anyone, Kim Hoover has taught me this lesson more than anyone.  Her wisdom, her kind heartedness, and generosity for me has always lead the way.

I have had the pleasure of gaining my knowledge of Middle Eastern Dance, Culture, and History over a good amount of time and through individuals I will hold Dear to my heart such as Morocco, Serena, Leila Haddad, Aisha Ali, John Compton, Nahara, Chelle and Ilya.

I love when students ask questions.  It lets me know they are thinking.   When a student asks me, "How did you know that?" I love having the ability to tell them where I lived it, read it, or where I have traveled to get the information first hand.

We talk about these experiences in my classes - experiencing the Culture, History and reasons to "be" within this wonderful dance we call "Belly Dance"

Thank you to the Teachers of Dance mentioned and not mentioned.............

Kalilah's Resource Page
2010
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