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Here’s a game to use in your belly dance class or even by yourself as part of your practice. The goal of this game is to think analytically about the properties of movement and play with the changes. I suggest using this in an intermediate or higher level class. Any dance movement has a set of properties, for this game we will only be using three:  location, shape and plane. Let’s make sure we’re all

Let’s do another zill playalong. We’ll play along with the main melody line from “Lylet Hob”. The underlying rhythm is Maqsoum, but by using a “bridge” and a variation at the end of the musical phrase we can make our playing much more musical. Take these concepts – the bridging and phrase-ending variation – and try them out with the melodies of your favorite songs! Lylet Hob Playalong

A student asked me this recently… Q. Do I have to play my zills for the whole song? And if I don’t, can I just stop and start wherever I want? A. No, you don’t have to play your zills for any whole song – in fact, you may be overpowering the softer parts of your music if you do. This is especially important if you are playing with band and/or a singer. The music

It’s no surprise to anyone reading this blog that my first love is dancing – but what you may not know is that I am an avid cook too! I love all kinds of ethnic foods and have amassed a cookbook collection that has well over 250 titles.  Years of hanging around Middle Eastern restaurants for gigs have transformed my diet. Hummus, tabouleh and the like are “normal” food in my house – no more

Hey there dancers! I was putting together today’s Daily Bellydance Quickie and thought I’d try something new. Here’s a  “Zill Play-Along” for you to have fun with during your practice.  You will hear me play a pattern, then repeat after me. There’s a metronome going in the background to help you keep a steady pace. Mahin’s Zill Play-along #1 Depending on your skill and experience level in playing zills, you can use this track in