POP star Shakira may get you grooving on the dance floor with her hip-shaking, waist-twisting antics.
Australian belly dancer Laziza Layal. --Pics/CHRIS HUZZARD,SEDA JURIN,DAVID CHONG, PYRAMID DANCERS
But you ain't seen nothing yet.
Come 19 Aug, the second Singapore Belly Dancing Festival will showcase some of the hottest dancers from Turkey, Italy, Singapore and Australia, at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel.
It will be more than just a navel-gazing experience. Or a torso-bearing gig, organiser Samra El Said told The New Paper.
'Belly dancing is not just shaking your booty like J-Lo,' she said.
'It is a cultural dance, but not without its commercial appeal.'
And the pictures say it all.
The dancers are drop-dead gorgeous with bodies to kill for.
Belly nice, you say.
It may seem easy. The provocative motion gives us the impression that, hey, if Britney Spears can do it, I can too.
Italian dancer Rose.
But the craft involves more workout than just grooving around, explained Ms Samra, who also runs Pyramid Dancer, a belly dancing workshop along Arab Street.
'It takes hours of practice to coordinate body movements to the music,' added Australian dancer Laziza Layal, 34.
Wait till you see these women in action.
As the lights dim and the mesmerising sound of Turkish music fills the room, local dancer Norina Hall, 23, floats in wearing a turquoise midriff and breezy pants, along with a matching beaded headdress, ankle bangles and hip wraps adorned with gold coins.
Her smoky eyes and long mane hint of seduction as she sways her torso, her bare feet tapping to the pulsating music.
As the rhythm intensifies, she removes her veil elegantly and whips it behind her back.
She gazes intently at the audience while she snaps her hips from side to side, to the earthy drum beats before sliding across the floor in front of a seated crowd.
It is like a scene from Arabian Nights.
Local belly dancer Norina Hall, 23.
MULTI-PURPOSE DANCE
Belly dancing, said an Italian dancer who wanted to be known only by her stage name, Rose, 38, started as a woman's dance to celebrate femininity.
It dates back to as far as 4,000 BC.
Today, it is a dance for everyone, added Seda Jurin, 35, who is a popular belly dancer in Istanbul, Turkey.
She said: 'It's not always a solo female performance. The audience plays a part too. We teach them how to do it and invite them to join us for a dance. Kids enjoy it too.'
Besides its entertainment value, many are turning to belly dancing as a form of exercise.
The movements help to relief tension and stress. After a session, you feel relaxed, the dancers said.
Turkish belly dancer Seda Jurin.
In the ancient days, belly dancing was practised to prepare for childbirth as yoga is today. It also helps to shed those post-natal pounds.
Laziza and Seda are living proof.
Both are yummy mummies. Laziza has three children aged 8, 4 and 2 while Seda has a 6-year-old daughter.
'You stretch all your muscles in a 30-minute session. It burns calories and keeps you fit. Look at my tummy!' said Laziza who has been performing for 12 years.
Though the Oriental dance has taken many forms in the West, purists of the craft scoff at suggestions that it is nothing more than a dance of seduction.
Or a bedroom skill.
So will the festival lure a room full of testosterone-driven men?
There is an element of sensuality, acknowledged Samra who has been teaching belly dancing for more than 20 years. But it also depends on how the audience perceive the art.
She said: 'Belly dancing has evolved through different cultures over the centuries. But the principle hasn't changed.
'The dance is synchronised to the rhythm and the dancer uses her body to keep up the pace.
'The sharp movements follow the rhythm of the drum, while the fluid moves go with the melody of the flute.'
She added, with a laugh: 'If the girls are beautiful, you can't blame the guys for ogling them, right?'
TIPS AND PICK-UP LINES
'Sometimes the guys want to tip us,' added Norina.
'Other times, they hang around after the performance to try and get our numbers. The best way of showing appreciation is to come back to watch our performance.'
With their hourglass figures (nothing less than a C-cup), they do make the men go wow.
And women go green with envy.
But Laziza, Rose, Norina and Seda were quick to add that they have the same insecurities as other women.
The profession, they said, comes with high expectations from those who engage their services as well as the audience.
Physical attributes are important. And makeup, hair-colour and a beauty regime are tricks to looking good.
'We don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford, you know,' said Norina, who is of Indian and Australian descent.
'While belly dancing does help us to stay in shape, we watch what we eat too.'
Now, who wants to pay to watch a beer-bellied woman dancing?
Some dancers like Rose have a strict exercise regime. Hence, her toned figure.
It is also no secret in the industry that some dancers go under the knife for bigger breasts and flatter tummies to squash criticism and stay ahead of competition.
TOO SKINNY, TOO PLUMP
'In Australia, it doesn't matter if you're a blond or a brunette. The audience prefers a dancer who is not too skinny or plump,' said Laziza.
'Someone once told me I was too thin to be a belly dancer. It is a constant battle for me to keep some fat to appease the audience. And long hair is a must.'
In Turkey, Middle-Eastern belly dancers are in demand because of their exotic looks.
'Belly dancing has also taken a whole new concept,' said Seda who is the forth generation of belly dancers in her family.
'The dancer must know how to perform in a cabaret show - big stage, bright lights - other than a club or restaurant setting.'
So what can we expect from the festival?
Nothing less than a scintillating performance, said organiser Samra, who forked out $10,000 for the gig.
'Two male dancers will take to the stage too. This way, the female audience won't feel left out,' she added with a laugh.
SHOW INFO
WHAT: Singapore Belly Dancing Festival 2006
WHEN: 19 Aug
WHERE: Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 7pm till late.
TICKETS: $55 (available at Pyramid Dancer, 38 Arab Street, call 6396-7598 or e-mail
[email protected]NOT I promoting one hor hahaha....
