**Please say Marhaba (Hello) from TAHYA & tell 'em I referred you! Shokran (thanks!)

Articles of Interest:

MOROCCO**
Important references are located herein... To name a few:
- Bellydancing and Childbirth
- Roots
- Giving to Light
Visit "Articles" by Morocco and while visiting her site, don't miss "Born to Dance!" posted Jan. 2007 at her blog.

"Recreating Ritual" penned by yours truly and other articles penned by Tahya class participants

For example, I say "The rhythmic patterns and dance movements of this tradition steeped in antiquity, steeped in women's ancestry, rekindle a natural sacred state of well being. With renewed self-esteem and self-confidence, daily affairs become less stressful and more manageable."

"A Life Revealed" Sharbat Gula - an Afghan Refugee's Story
...and after reading, perhaps you will be inspired to donate to Afghan Girls Fund

NOTE: I firmly believe and whole-heartedly agree with Z-Helene's statement in her article "Middle Eastern Dance ~ The Emergence of the New Sacred Temple Priestess" from Vol. 18 No. 2 issue of Habibi:

"It is imperative that we create a vision within ourselves as sexy and holy mediators between Heaven and Earth, body and spirit... study the varied archetypes of the Great Goddess and consciously foster within ourselves those aspects of her we personally resonate with. ... make any (every) space we dance in, be it the Holiday Inn or a concert stage, a sacred space, our own temple. "

 

Conor Sauer, Core Alchemy, To Be Of Courage, To Be Of Heart

 

BOOKS / RECOMMENDED READING &/or PERSONAL LIBRARY REFERENCE

A#1 When the Drummers were Women, by Layne Redmond**  ~ Layne Redmond was a composer, drummer, author, filmaker and educator and this renowned, internationally acclaimed seminal work provides a spiritual history of rhythm and women's role as the sacred time keepers.  SO MUCH valuable information that launced a worldwide wave of women resuming their role in the world with drums in hand!

CIVILIZATION OF THE GODDESS by Marjia Gimubtas ~ Civilization of the Goddess synthesizes the work and theses of her previous books (Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe 1974/1982 and The Language of the Goddess 1989/1991). All three provide a deep dive into the existence of a triving, neolithic goddess-centered culture in prepatriarchal Europe.  Watch a wonderful documentary about Gimbutas as the launch of this publication:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k34hXty4iw&t=2s   MORE:  Before her death from cancer in 1994, the pioneering archeologist Marija Gimbutas' decades of scholarly research shaped much of the field of pre-Indo-European archeology (7000-3000 B.C.) and then her two copiously illustrated, oversized books made this research accessible to a nonscientific audience: The Language of the Goddess and The Civilization of the Goddess. The later illuminates the continuity between scores of religious symbols from the cultural flowering of Neolithic Old Europe in the fifth millennium B.C. to European folk cultures of the modern era. 

Doumbec Delight, by Mary Ellen Donald** ~ Instructional Materials on Middle-Eastern Percussion plus Belly Dance Music.  Doumbec Delight is THE source for information about basic music theory, simple and fancy drum technique, middle eastern rhythms, guidelines for creating rhythmical variations, tips for accompanying bellydancers, and practice suggestions. Companion cassettes available.  NOTE: Also, check out Middle Eastern Rhythms for Beginners Volume I Cassette & Booklet which contains musical examples for each rhythm written for doumbec, tambourine, and cymbals. Excellent for practicing doumbec, tambourine, cymbals, tar, melodic instruments, and dancing.  I also recommend Mary Ellen's Gems of the Middle East Books & CD's. These books contain rhythmical analyses for each of the CDs ~ a great aid in playing cymbals.

Earth Dancing, by Daniela Giosefi, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA 1980 ISBN 0-8117-2116-7 (pbk.)

MUDRAS, Yoga in your hands by Gertrud Hirschi, Weiser Books, Boston, MA 2000 ISBN 1-57863-139-4 (pbk.)

Serpent of the Nile, by Wendy Buonaventura, Interlink Books, Brooklyn, NY 1994 ISBN 1-56656-117-5

Grandmother's Secrets, The ancient rituals and healing power of Belly Dancing by Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav, First American edition published 1999 by Interlink Books

The Fundamental Movement Vocabulary of Raqs Sharqi   and Answers & Advice About Raqs Sharqi & Raqs Shaabi (Oriental & Folk Dance)  by our beloved 'Aunt Rocky' aka Morocco (Carolina Varga Dinicu) 

Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance by Iris J. Stewart

Kawakib's Dance Tips and Guide to Teaching Middle Eastern Dance by Anthea Poole (a/k/a Kawakib)

Looking for Little Egypt, by Donna Carlton

This is interesting... Metropolitan Museum "reveals" portraits of a woman named Omene. Now entirely forgotten in the history of dance and entertainment, Omene achieved an incredible level of celebrity in the national press of the 1890s as an early practitioner of belly dancing on the American stage.

Glossary of Middle Eastern dance terms and definitions:

Visit Shira

Glossary of Middle Eastern names:

Visit Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide

MUSIC:

First, permit me to tell you about my three TAHYA MEDITATION CD's: These CDs are a compilation of relaxing guided meditations with hypnotic percussion. Click herefor more complete information.

 

AVI SILLS & ALEX SPURKEL = NAKED RHYTHM **
These two HOT drummers began their collaborative effort with a vision of mixing ethnic/world grooves with electronica. I *love* *love* the music on their CD 'Frequency' ~ I use their music in class all the time and never tire of it! Here's the link to purchase their CD 'Frequency' at Hollywood Music Center.

PE-KO RECORDS **
a/k/a Hollywood Music Center = GREAT Resource for finding the music you seek! E.G., Find the Arabesque, Naked Rhythm, & Rhythms of the Dance (the "essential" rhythms ~ straight up!) CD's here.

DOUG ADAMZ & Light Rain ~ some of my early musings of movement were to the strains of Doug's violin and DeAnn's cymbals on Dream Dancer & Dream Suite LP's *wink*

ALAN SCOTT BACHMAN**:
Alan Scott Bachman serves as a Utah Assistant Attorney General by days in support of his passion ~ music. Alan was kind enough to let me use "Desert Breeze," a bolero, from his World Dance CD on my Healing Dance DVD.
Among my personal favorites are the CD's:
World Dance (2-CD Set) and Kali Ma

PETE BARNHART**:
Pete and I collaborated on my debut Tahya Meditations CD.

RANDY CRAFTON**:
Randy Crafton is active as performer, composer, and producer. Formerly an assistant professor at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, he is now at The Juilliard School in New York, as well as Chair of the World Percussion Committee for the International Percussive Arts Society.
Among my personal favorites is the CD entitled:
Spirals: Unwinding for Vitality and Health
Visit the "Store" at www.Craftone.com

MARY ELLEN DONALD**:
Nationally acclaimed author, instructor, and performer in Middle Eastern Percussion with instructional materials on Middle-Eastern Percussion plus Belly Dance Music. Check out Middle Eastern Rhythms for Beginners Volume I Cassette & Booklet which contains musical examples for each rhythm written for doumbec, tambourine, and cymbals. Excellent for practicing doumbec, tambourine, cymbals, tar, melodic instruments, and for practicing your dance. See more info. above at MARY ELLEN DONALD ~ DOUMBEK DELIGHT

STEVEN FLYNN**
Among my personal favorites are the CDs entitled: Welcome to the Dance; Rapture Rumi
Visionary Dance Productions
PO Box 30797, Seattle WA 98103
(206) 632 - 2353
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.visionarydance.com/Music

ROBERT FREY
I had the pleasure of meeting Robert on an excursion to Maui; specifically, an event hosted by Paulo Mattioli, and I was enchanted by the songs and dances Robert facilitated. Robert was reknowned as one of the most experienced male American Tantra teachers. Robert was also a talented musician, singer, song writer, Sufi dance & devotional singing leader. Although he no longer graces the planet with his footsteps, his love light still shines brightly amoung us...
I recommend his CD entitled: Opening to Love

PAULO MATTIOLI
Paulo and I collaborated on the Tahya Meditations Vol. II ~ Rainbow CD. My sweet "brother" dearly departed beloved Paulo was an active performer, composer and producer who traveled all over the world facilitating drum circles designed to bring participants "together as one community and to remind us of our shared universal rhythms."  Over and above the wonderful musical he provided on our collaborative CD Tahya Meditations Vol. II ~ Rainbow CD, among my personal favorites is his high energy West African Tribal Dance Rhythms CD entitled Master of the Forest

HOSSAM RAMZY**
Among my personal favorites are the CD's entitled:
Eshta; Source of Fire; Immortal Egypt (with Phil Thorton); and Book of Secrets and A Winter Garden with Loreena McKennitt
Search "Hossam Ramzy" and find 'em at Pe-Ko Records and/or visit Hossam Ramzy website.

OMAR FARUK TEKBILEK**
A virtuoso on several Middle Eastern instruments and a masterful performer on dozens more.
Among my personal favorites are the CDs entitled:
Whirling; Mystical Garden; and One Truth
http://dynrec.com/tekbilek/

Traditional Crossroads
PO Box 20320, Greely Square Station, New York, NY 10001-9992

Veena** and Neena's Sensual Art of Belly Dance ~ Slow Rhythms which can be found at www.bellytwins.com

UBAKA HILL**
A bright and shining star whose music will move you! Among my personal favorites is her CD entitled:
Dance the Spiral Dance
www.ubakahill.net

GLEN VELEZ**
Glen Velez is an internationally recognized frame drummer, composer, scholar, and teacher. His concerts include a beautiful array of instruments ~ the Egyptian riq, (tambourine), the Irish bodhran, (a large single-headed drum), and the North African tar (often seen in the hands of desert nomads).
Among my personal favorites are the CD's entitled:
Rhythms of the Chakras and Breathing Rhythms
www.glenvelez.com

VIDEOS & DVD'S

First, permit me to tell you about my: TAHYA HEALING DANCE DVD with over 60-MIN. of INSTRUCTION. Also included: Tahya performing a dance utilizing the movements that are reviewed during instructional segment. Special attention to posture, hip articulation and graceful arm and upper torso movements.

Secondly, Belly Dancing the Sacred Shapes with The Goddess Dancing, a Boston-area collective. This is a lovely compliment to my DVD overviewing circle, crescent, figure 8 and undulating movements.

 

MOROCCO**
Academy of Mideastern Dance
320 W. 15th St, New York, NY 10011 (212) 727-8326
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Morocco

Layne Redmond**
A Sense of Time and Rhythmic Wisdom
Layne Redmond

Dalia Carella**
Dunyavi Gypsy (Rom) Dance Vol. I & II
Dalia Carella

Suzanna Del Vecchio**
Precision Motion Workout & Dances from the Heart
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Suzanna Del Vecchio

Artemis**
Lifting the Veil of Time
...and when visiting this site don't miss the other items for sale: Beautifully reproduced antique pictures of women and entertainers from North Africa and the Middle East from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.
Serpentine.org

Veils of Light
An earth angel residing in Maui ~ visit Mirayah Delamar**

Delilah**
www.visionarydance.com

Suhaila Salimpour**

Dances of Egypt & Dances of North Africa **
Aisha Ali
(310) 474-4867

Veena** and Neena's Intructional videos ~ NOTE: you might wanna have a more introductory instructional video on hand (e.g. mine) before getting started with one of these. Their videos can be found at www.bellytwins.com

BEAUTIFUL IMPORTS, CALLIGRAPHER EXTRAORDINAIRE, COSTUMING &/or FINGER CYMBAL RESOURCES:

CALLIGRAPHER EXTRAORDINAIRE:
Therese Swift-Hahn ~ Bella Scrittura Calligraphy and Design

TAHYA ~ offers COSTUMING CONSULTATIONS: Allow me to assist you with your costuming on a consulting basis.

Salome's Tent
A great resource for my Lehigh Valley, PA, class participants and anyone visiting my site ~ expansive inventory

another GREAT resource:
Sharifwear , clothing designed by Nourhan Sharif for divas that dance!

ELLEN LAINCZ
Ellen is a retired costume designer extraordinaire; however, for expert advise, I suggest contacting her with your costume construction and/or design question(s); perhaps you will be blessed with her imparting bits of her expertise.
(610) 683-6513

Fatima's Bazaar
Check out this site for unitards with reinforced netting at torso in the Online Catalog Clothing section
(916) 482-3568

Moondance Bellydance ~ Gifts for the Dancing Spirit
This site comes to me recommended by a few class participants who continually show up in class surprising me with their finds from this site!

Scheherezade Imports
Books, Music, Costuming, ETC! ~ I Love LUCY! (Lucy is the proprietress and her extensive selection ranks high on my list!)
(804) 749-3059
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Silk Veils
Silk hand-dyed by?Tamsin Murray aka Nahari in an outside studio under the juniper trees of? New Mexico. 

Saroyan Zills ~ Visit the website to sample hearing the unique tones of each set!
FYI, I like any one of the sets at http://www.saroyanzils.com/historic/ or ARABESQUE Brass MC-300 or NEFERTITI MC-100 at http://www.saroyanzils.com/studentsadvanced/ and AFGHANI CYMBALS Brass MC-800 at http://www.saroyanzils.com/tribalperformances/
These cymbals price range approx. $20-35 plus S&H

Zildjian Cymbals ~ When visiting the Zildjian website don't miss reading the fascinating history of the Zildjian tradition and reviewing the timeline... It was in the Ottoman Empire, in the year 1623, when an alchemist named Avedis Zildjian first discovered a method of fusing copper, tin and silver to create unique musical instruments. From that day to the present day, the Zildjian mystique has captivated musicians and music lovers alike. The secret method for blending metals survives to carry the celebrated “Zildjian Sound" into the present day and beyond.

Zill Speak ~ Great CD by Artemis with a wonderful companion booklet chock full of history and rhytmical notation!

DRUMS:

My beautiful SYSTRUM:  HathorSystrum.com

Here are a few  more places I recommend researching frame drums

and don't forget to Say 'Hello from TAHYA' when you tell 'em I referred you! ~ Shokran (thanks!)

Go to the 'Marketplace' at GlenVelez.com

Check out the illustrious drums manufactured by Cooperman.com

Amazing array of drums, percussion and melodic instruments:  Mid-East Mfg

Go to World Percussion, Frame drums at Remo.com

Earth Rhythms, West Reading, PA
CALL TOLL FREE 1-877-610-3743
www.earthrhythms.com

DRUM DOGS: Check out this Forum for Drummers

.... and for some on-line access to rhythms you can practice along with your finger cymbals, go to: Shira.net

DRUM CAMP, FESTIVALS, RETREATS & WORKSHOPS:

TAHYA's Summer Drum & Dance Weekend Retreat ~ Rejuvenate your spirit! Immerse yourself in drumming and dance traditions celebrating the divine essence within you! Explore expressions of the drum and dances of the heart with Grant Smith and Tahya.

MOROCCO'S Week-long Workshop ~ A Casbah Dance Experience at Morocco's gorgeous studio in the heart of New York City:
6 West 20th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues). Morocco always delivers new Inspiration, excitement and plenty of information in a format accessible to every level of dance experience/expertise. Participants in Morocco's seminars say they've never learned so much, so clearly, with such detailed fact in so short a time.

SUZANNA DEL VECCHIO'S Annual Dance Retreat** at Shadowcliff Life Center in Grand Lake, Colorado. The Center is perched on a cliff overlooking Grand Lake Village and the Colorado "Great Lakes" area. Shadowcliff guests are given magnificently beautiful and ever-changing views of the Colorado Rockies at their grandest. Dance and yoga classes, hot sulfur springs, and time to relax and explore this majestic spot.

RAKKASAH FESTIVAL** is for dancers - solo, duo, trio and troupes. *All* levels and ages are welcome and encouraged to perform on stage. Also, enjoy the vendors gathered for your shopping pleasure.

MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC & DANCE CAMP in Eastern USA**
Let's caravan for a weekend retreat of dancing, singing and making music moving together with some of the top musicians in this field at Tayyar's camp in the Susquehanna Valley of Maryland. For a review/report of the inaugural camp in September 2003, Click here

MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS:

Zaghareet!
Sharina, editor**
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

**Gilded Serpent Web Magazine for Middle Eastern Music & Dance
On-line "magazine" free to you, supported by advertisers. Loaded with interested articles!

MORE Belly dancing resources on the Internet that could keep you "linked" for days!

Learning Middle Eastern Percussion and Middle Eastern Dance links

SHIRA A *great* website for finding a worldwide directory of dancers not to mention answers to many FAQ's.

ANTHEA, DC area dancer and contributing writer for Zaghareet! Magazine, author of Kawakib's Dance Tips and the first person to sponsor yours truly for a weekend retreat (Thank you Anthea!) .

ARTEMIS a wonderful dancer specializing in Turkish dance, who has also written many fine articles on the dance. She also has an extensive library of vintage images.

ASAmed Associated Artists of Middle Eastern Dance Inc., a non profit organization dedicated to keeping the heart of Danse Orientale beating in all of us.

ASZMARA another one of my favorite dancers, a great teacher and leader in the art of the dance.

Desert Moon Dance

MEDLS (Middle Eastern Dance Leaders Society) ~ MEDLS brought to you by Amara Al Amir & iWorldArtists.com. NOTE: Don't miss the extensive Resource Directory, COLLECTIONS Video Series, Costume Emporium, etc. at this site!

NAGWA SAI'D ~ among my earliest influences/inspirations! aka "Philadelphia's First Lady of Dance"

Najia: Philadelphia classes and Suburban Mainline classes

Oriental Dancer.net - The Belly Dance Hub

Philly Raqs ~ Information on belly dance events in the Greater Philadelphia/DE/NJ/Central PA

Samadhia: Magic Art of Fusion Dance

Finally, permit me to recommend your visiting these sites; you may find them of interest ~

** Say Marhaba (Hello) from TAHYA & tell 'em I referred you! Shokran (thanks!)

Visionary, Spoken Word Artist, Poet, Peace Advocate: DreamingBear Baraka Kanaan, author of "Wild Love"

Tarot Reading by Dalia

International Belly Dance Directory

Peace Troubadour James Twyman, author of "Emissary of Light"

Helene B. Leonetti, MD, author, Menopause: a Spiritual Renaissance. Dr. Leonetti is a traditionally trained western MD interested in and practicing holistic women's health.

Creative Wellness , Holistic Health Solutions with my friend Kitty Holzmer

Kim Pickett - Healer/Horsewoman/Animal Lover/Intuitive

David Amram**, composer/conductor/multi-instrumentalist, a living American treasure

Vision: Every American appreciates, values and participates in the arts: www.artsusa.org

Looking for a read that’s a little off the beaten path: Rockabilly Haiku & Swingin’ Tails. As the name implies, my friend Albert Difilippantonio uses the Japanese poetic form to present his unique view of this original American musical genre. Check out rockabilly-haiku.com for more info.

Experience the wonder of an ancient and enduring art.
Discover the mystique of a tradition steeped in ritual.

Tahya links & resources