Belly dance also called Oriental dance began with the many fertility cults.
Of the ancient world and in the temples Of ancient lndia
It is common around the Middle East in Greece Turkey Egypt and the whole of North Africa.
Belly dance is an improvisational un-codified form of dance that carries a rich and
diverse cultural heritage This art which has always been a symbol of femininity
was spread by Gypsies during the middle ages and became a popular entertainment
that integrated cultural influences form many countries
Modern belly dancing is mostly per-Formed on stage The costumes that
originally covered most of the body with silky veils have become flashier and show
the hip line If carries a sensual and erotic image accentuated by a push-up-style
bra and a belt wrap that is adorned with golden pendants In addition there is the
heavy kohl eyeliner make-up Beyond this the dance may also be an ambassador for cultural
exchanges between people and a new way for women of various origins and horizons to display
their femininity and to openly express their feelings through
the wildness of a dance without bounds and boundaries
Get ready because belly dancing may Well be the next trend here in Taiwan Yes
A popular belly dancer here is a slim and pretty lady from Taipei called Violet Lee

A graduate of the foreign affairs department of Cheng Da University Miss Lee
started to dance at age 4 and went through various styles; ballet jazz Chi-nese folk
and flamenco She would have loved to enter the National Arts lnstitute
but was rebuffed by her parents who didnot regard dance as a viable and respectable profession
Obviously Miss Leehas an evident gift for talking and diplomacy would have been a good career
for her too However she saw belly dancing for the first time in Turkey when she was 17 and
finally got a chance to study this art during a two-year residence in lsrael Back in Taiwan
she now teaches Oriental dance and although she still has other
occupations she hopes to teach or per- form fulltime in the near future To her belly dance is a
representation of Middle Eastern culture and she hopes to use This medium to boost the promotion
of this culture in this part of the world what's today's belly dance like? Miss Lee explains
“People have the mistaken belief that belly dancing requires a great body Wrong!
Middle Eastern dancers are of ten unattractive and fat but they still dare to show some curves and
some skin this is called self-confidence And at a time where fashion features low-rise jeans no one
is shocked by the view of a belly button but still many Taiwanese women have little self-confidence
Every artist can find a way to dance according to her own morphology helped in this endeavor
by the sexy clothing The charm is all in the movements all body parts moving separately and independently
It is a great course for bearing and allure and it is most suitable to ladies who love beautiful clothes
amazing hairstyles glamour and attitude It develops great posture and body shape
The techniques are easy to learn and the choreography is extremely simple
It is perfect for people who want to discover a new body language And Miss Lee adds: ‘After many years
Wandering in dance schools I thought I could control my body but the firstTime
I wrapped a belt around my Waist I swirled and wiggled but not a single sound came from the belt
It is not so easy!” If you want to learn more Violet Lee teaches at the arts institute and in dance schools
Her advice is Don't be afraid of moving your bum Wear relaxed clothing on which to wrap the belt
Courses are sessions of 12 classes After you've learned the basics you will be able to learn various
regional styles For class info in Taipei contact the dance class at 0968-002-304 Arabesque Belly Dance troupe

Belly Dance Intensive Workshops With Belly Dance Instructor Jillina, Rachel & Sonia
August 4~11, 2008

Bellydance Superstars 2008 workshops in Taiwan!!

Jillina A disciplined professional with a tight, powerful technique and a dynamic personality, Jillina has devoted her life to dance. As artistic director for the Bellydance Superstars and the choreographer of the Desert Roses, audiences admire Jillina for her artistic interpretations, her understanding of the culture, her musicality and innovative style. On the 2003 Lollapalooza Tour, the show received rave reviews.
She is a spellbinding and gregarious performer whose passion for dance amazes audiences everywhere. As founder and director of the Award winning Sahlala Dancers, Jillina pulls from a strong background in Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop to create a colorful Middle Eastern and world fusion repertoire. Her talents have taken her around the world to Japan, Argentina , U.K. , Europe, Taiwan , Brazil , Monaco , Canada , Germany , Paris , Ireland , and Egypt , gaining her recognition by the dance community worldwide.
illina choreographed and directed the Bellydance Superstars and Desert Roses concert at the world famous "Folies Bergere" in Paris and due to its success returned in the Fall of 2005. Recently, Jillina returned from a successful three month run in Monte Carlo with the Bellydance Superstars and Desert Roses at the famous "Monte Carlo Casino", as well as numerous sold out workshops and concerts throughout Europe .

Sonia Born and raised in Los Angeles of Mexican-American parents, Sonia began her training with classical ballet, jazz, and modern dance. At age 20, she started dancing professionally with various troupes and learned Mexican, Latin, Flamenco, and Polynesian dances. For three years Sonia performed with Ballet Folklorico del Pacifico under the direction of Adriana Astorga-Gainey and Jose Vences, both former dancers of the world-famous Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. She began dancing with Polynesian Paradise in 1994 with director Akemi Welsh.

For the past ten years, Sonia's focus has been bellydancing. Her training and experience in the other dance styles inform her approach to bellydancing. She was the first dancer signed to the Bellydance Superstars and has performed in every show (over 350) in 16 countries with them. On tour breaks Sonia keeps an intense schedule of dance instruction for herself with top teachers in Egypt and the U.S. Now an instructor for three years, Sonia has taught regular classes at Equinox in Los Angeles and Thermos du Monte Carlo in Monaco .

She released her first instructional DVD in 2005 titled Art Of Drum Solo" with Issam Houshan. Her second instructional DVD, "Introduction To Bellydance", with sister Bellydance Superstars Bozenka, Saida, and Amar Gamal is scheduled for release in May 2006. Other DVD credits include star performances in "Bellydance Superstar Live In Paris", the Bellydance Superstars DVD series, and with the troupe in the film documentary "American Bellydancer".

Rachel Brice first fell in love with Belly Dance after watching the famous Hahbi'Ru at the Northern California Renassance Faire in 1988. Soon after, she discovered a video of Suhaila Salimpour, and began to coach herself by watching Suhaila frame by frame, and video taping herself for analysis. In 1999, she decided to study full time, and relocate for the University program in Dance Ethnology at San Francisco State , where she joined the company Ultra Gypsy under the direction of Jill Parker. The Bay area is home to Master Teachers Carolina Nericcio, Director of Fat Chance Belly Dance, and Suhaila Salimpour, with whom she now studies. She's been teaching since 1996, and performing since 1990.

For more information visit
www.bellydancesuperstars.com

Taipei Workshop

Venue: 4F , NO. 520 , Nei-hu Road section 1 , Taipei , Taiwan
For registration , please contact:
Tel : 866-9-68002304
Fax : 886-2-2239-4232
Email address : cc79558@yahoo.com

Kao-shiung Workshop

Venue: Arabesque Kaoshiung Studio
For registration , please contact:
Tel : 866-7-3489426

2008 events have featured: Lily in April, 2008, Sangita in March

2007 events have featured: Jillina in March, 2007, Resmi in June, Saida in August

2006 Arabesque Events Schdule
Arabesque events, shows and workshops with visiting artists in 2006:
Yousry Sharif(New York) in April, Ranya(New York) in July,
Meera(India/USA) in September, Tamalyn Dalal in October,
Kaeshi Chai in November.

Past events have featured:Yousry Sharif in April, 2005,
Mishal(Japan/USA) in October, 2005 and Meera(India/USA) in October, 2005.

Venue: 4F , NO. 520 , Nei-hu Road section 1 , Taipei , Taiwan
For registration , please contact:
Ms Lee Tel : 866-9-68002304 ( Mon -Fri )
Fax : 886-2-2239-4232
Email address : cc79558@yahoo.com