I don’t know about you, but my favourite performances change over time. I look at what I had saved in my YouTube playlists from 4 years ago and it’s a world of difference to what I’m saving today.
But today, I’m here to share a few of my favourites with you, but I don’t want to just share the video, I want to also give you a little context about what it is that I enjoy about the video I’m sharing too.
Going back to the golden era
First up, I’d like to share this amazing clip featuring Soheir Zaki dancing to Shik Shak Shok from the movie “Yomhel w la yohmel”.
First up, yes the timing of the video to the music is off. Now that we’ve got that said, let’s look at the dancing itself. My favourite part of this video is the baladi section that starts around 0:55 or so. I love her interpretation of the accordion and what parts of the music she just lets slip past and those that she chooses to highlight.
Back to the future
Moving forward to 2005 this video really stuck with me for it’s emotional and story telling.
If you can’t work out the story, go back and watch it again. This is one of those videos that the more you watch, the more you see. If you’re still lost, you know where to find me.
There is so much in this piece, I could write a whole blog post on just this one alone. But here’s my highlights. You can see the technique of the dancers, even when their bodies are obscured by the costumes. The story in this piece is so strong that it’s hard to not be moved by it. And lastly, the musicality and formations weave everything together so tightly.
From the outside world
Belly dance can be inspired by everything around us. Take this clip from the movie “Stormy Weather” in 1947.
As I understand things, this scene wasn’t choreographed. The Nicholas Brothers just went with what they heard in the music and the rest, as they say, is history. For me, this piece demonstrates how you can really live within the moment of the music, sit perfectly within it and use everything around you to demonstrate what you’re hearing.
One last modern one
Beyonce. Love her or hate her, she does some amazing work when it comes to dancing. Plus bonus points for girls taking back power and the amazing costumes.
Any of these tickle your fancy? Got some that you think I’d enjoy? Why not send me a message and let me know what you think, or even better, come show me before one of my classes. I love seeing what other people find great in dance videos, so please share!
