Class Music: "Belly Dance Classics with Fifi Abdo"

Belly Dance Classics with Fifi Abdo, featuring the Cairo Orchestra, is invaluable to dancers at all levels.  Many of these songs (such as "Sallam Allay," "Zikrayat," and "Ghannali Shawayyi, Shawayyi") comprise the standard belly dance repertoire.  The only downside is some of the drum tracks sound "electronically enhanced" (aka drum machine).  We're using Tabla of Said for our Level II class at NYU.  Practice!  Enjoy!  Also, check out Fifi Abdo on a previous link in Orientalish.

Schiff's "Cleopatra" on WNYC FM

Leonard Lopate's Book Club features a discussion with biographer Stacy Schiff on her book, Cleopatra: A Life. She'll discuss her bestselling work on Oct. 31, 2011 at 8 a.m.  (Yes, 8 a.m.  Plan ahead.)

The Rosetta Stone on "Entitled Opinions"

I love the podcasts on Stanford University's  "Entitled Opinions" and get hours of mileage on the elliptical fitness machine thanks to ever smart and intriguing host Robert Harrison and his astounding cadre of guests (look up Blair Huxby on Aristotle's "Poetics," Rush Rehm on Greek tragedy, a two-part session on Beethoven, Epicureanism, or "Romanticism and Organic Form").  The October 12, 2011 episode featured Patrick Hunt on the Rosetta Stone. Politics, ownership, power, Empire, lust, classic Orientalish.   Listen to all podcasts for free at: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/fren-ital/opinions/

The novel gets closer to done.......

Thank you, Glimmer Train. 

Novelists Hisham Matar and Ali Al-Muqri Speak on Writing During a Revolution



Hisham Matar

Ali Al-Muqri

Libyan novelist Hisham Matar (Anatomy of a Disappearance) and Yemeni novelist Ali Al-Muqri (The Handsome Jew) consider the writer's role during revolutionary times in this recent post written for Arabic Literature (in English):  http://arablit.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/hisham-matar-and-ali-al-muqri-on-writing-during-a-revolution/  The IPI will bring writers from other parts of the Arab world in the same series.  See M. Lynx Qualey's great blog for more information: Arabic Literature (in English).

"The Best of Habibi" Goes Online



Covers from the earlier years.

When I was dancing in Boston in the early 90s, I remember crowding around my friends to read Shareen El-Safy's invaluable magazine, Habibi: A Journal for Lovers of Middle Eastern Dance and Arts Journal Dancrs at my teacher's, Lorraine Lafata's, house.  This was in the days when the magazine was carefully curated and had classy black and white covers.  El Safy edited the magazine from 1992-2002.  We miss that Habibi and the even older Arabesque!  I just got the announcement that Ms. El-Safy is putting the magazine online.  A great resource for dancers and students.  Sign up on her website, The Best of Habibi, for email updates!Thank you, Shareen!

Belly Dance Classes at NYU: 2011 A/B Quarters



Previous NYU dance students after a group performance at the Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon (NYC) with me and musican Scott Wilson.

We're starting classes again this fall at NYU Coles Gym! There will be a beginning/Level 1 class studying basic movements and isolations ending with a short combination and an Intermediate and Advanced Class/Level studying more complex layering and a drum solo combination. Please join us and consider joining the newly forming NYU Belly Dance club!

Registration for classes: In-person at Coles Gym: Tuesday, Sept. 13: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14: noon-8 p.m. Online starting Tuesday, September 13:

http://www.gonyuathletics.com/recreation

Course codes:
Level 1: CLS 230.1

Level 2: CLS 232

(Picture shows a previous NYU class group performance at the Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon (NYC) with musician Scott Wilson.)