6 Jun
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEuKXbkVJ4&feature=autoplay&list=PL027DA16C265F6AA6&playnext=1[/youtube]
Well, the good news is that I have just finished my book, at least the first stage. The bad news is that I still have lots to do, both on the book and other projects I am working on. But I am not letting this distract me from my belly dancer of the month, Ragaa Youssef, who was a circus performer and at one stage performing in a circus named after my family — more cousins! I love the chastely sexy opening of the sequence and how Ahmad Ramzy fantasizes about her, and a whole chorus, dancing for him! He was briefly married to Nagwa Fouad who I never liked even though I chose her not so long ago. I much prefer Ragaa with her gorgeous figure and her beautiful movement and I love the brief Lady from Shanghai inspired mirror set!
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7 May
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYoLSzkfSd4&feature=relmfu[/youtube]
It’s this time of the month again when I bring you my belly dancer of the moment. Last month, I strayed from the golden era dancers to feature a contemporary belly dancer who happens to be my ‘cousin‘. But I am going back in time again to introduce you to Houriya Mohamed who taught Tahiya Carioca, my favourite belly dancer, how to dance before starting to resent her for stealing the limelight from her. Houriya is nowhere near as pretty nor as sexy as Tahiya but she dances beautifully and I love the mise en scene from the opening scene of the lady en silhouette reading the dancer’s coffee cup to the supporting belly dancers emerging from oversized coffee cups. I also like the lyrics which only those of you who speak Arabic will understand. The clip is from a 1949 film, Fatima wa Marika wa Rachel, about a man who falls in love with three women, each of a different religion!
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2 Apr
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Il6tI7YKbU&feature=related[/youtube]
I have finally found a contemporary belly dancer I like. And guess what? She may be a cousin. Her name is Saida Helou and she is originally Syrian. I don’t think there are many Syrian Helous who are not from Mashta el-Helou. If her father is from there, then she is definitely a cousin albeit with better dancing genes. I have no sense of rythm and she has plenty. I love her sinuous movements, and her body although I can’t quite decide if the upper part is enhanced or beautifully natural. Anyhow, she lives in Buenos Aires where she performs and teaches belly dancing. I wish I’d known about her before going to Mendoza. I would have stopped over to meet her and perhaps even take a class or two with her. Not that it would have done me any good!
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5 Mar
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDwaueciVPg&feature=autoplay&list=PL16717324489E5941&lf=mh_lolz&playnext=1[/youtube]
This month’s belly dancer is very elegant for a change, and as a result perhaps a little boring. She is beautiful though, and her movement very graceful even if it lacks a little fire. And I also love the set which is actually one of King Farouk‘s palaces — the film from which the clip is taken is about the events that led to the king’s deposition. As for the dancer, she is Amira Amer, the daughter of Aziza Amer who was one of the stars of early Egyptian cinema, appearing in the first silent Egyptian film, Leyla. Amira on the other hand didn’t have a long or successful career. She appeared in only 9 films and doesn’t even have a wikipedia entry. Perhaps I should remedy this. She is very lovely!
