Various - "Soundtrip: Oriental Belly Dance"

Description

Raks Sharki, the oriental dance, belongs to the most fascinating exports of the middle east. Its interwoven melodies and wavy sounds entice the body to move like no other music can make it do. In the western world Raks Sharki is known as “belly dance”, an inappropriate name because this dance involves the whole body, concentrating on the hips than the belly. It requires great skill and is danced by men and women, young and old. The Raks Sharki is such an important feature of oriental culture that any festivity would be in complete without it. Ancient historical writers in Phoenicia (today's Lebanon) and Egypt described dances that are similar to the typical movements of Raks Sharki. Since then, it has flourished mainly in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey, but throughout North Africa and as far as Afghanistan there are dances where the hips and body are moved in the same way. On this CD Cairo and Beirut are introduced as the most important centers of oriental dance. Jalilah (Lorraine Zamora Chamas), a popular Raks Sharki teacher, pioneered a sub-genre called “Nouvelle Vague”. Together with Piranha Records, she produced a series of six successful albums entitled “Jalilah's Raks Sharki”, oriental dance music recorded in Egypt and Lebanon. Some of these songs were chosen for this CD, beautiful music that invites you to listen as well as dance. It's easy to fall in love with Raks Sharki culture when immersed in its subtle, poetic music. The classical art of oriental dance is a valuable bridge between European and Middle Eastern cultures.