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Bellydance talent show on Lebanese satellite
channel LBC
Hizi Ya Nawaem 2, the second edition of the World
Bellydance Championship, started on Lebanese satellite
channel LBC on 11th October 2008 and ended on 11th
December with the victory of Lebanese belly 
dancer
Makali.
Hizi Ya Nawaem (or World Bellydance Championship)
is a reality talent show, just like the ones we have
grown accustomed to in the last few years, featuring
this time belly dancers from all over the world.
The contestants are 12 belly dancers, who perform
week after week following a different theme every
week. This year’s themes included things such
as ’Dancing the Saidi style with a baton, 'Modernized
Belly dancing' and 'Dancing
with accessories'.
The contestant belly dancers are judged by a panel
of experts, which this year included Najwa Fouad,
Simon Asmar, Zaza Hassan and Nadra Assaf.
The World
Bellydance Championship is a hard competition, during
which the contestant belly dancers have to train
for 8 weeks and perform in 9 primes and, just like
in every other talent show, contestants are eliminated
every week until the best wins.
Nov.07 - Belly Dance Congress, Bognor Regis, UK
(Valeria dances for 3 days)
The 1st Annual Belly Dance Congress at Bognor Regis
in England (not too far from London - see event
information on the belly dancing events page)
was an excellent experience and one that I enjoyed
very much. On the 28th to the 30th of September 2007,
the event meant 3 days of belly dancing, 
workshops
and good evening entertainment. This event was very
popular with what seemed to be a few hundred people
present in all, at the various events, meetings and
workshops.
For me, as woman who loves everything to do with
belly dance, it was like being in a Disney Land of
belly dance. The venue itself is perfect in that even
though the dance rooms etc are not perhaps the Ritz,
what you do get is excellent value for money.
The accommodation and meals work out very reasonably
priced (Butlins prices) and all of the workshops and
classes are included in the overall event price. Anyone
who has attended other events will realise that the
cost of this belly dance convention is very reasonable.
With belly dancer attending from many different countries,
you cannot go wrong with this event.
July. 07 - Belly Divas publishes an article on
belly dance choreographer Ibrahim Akef
In March 2006, the legendary belly dance teacher
Ibrahim Akef died. He was one of the best teachers
and choreographers in the history of Egyptian belly
dance and taught many famous dancers such as the Egyptian
Dina.
Italian belly dancer, anthropologist and bellydance
teacher Paola Ziliotto Boudress studied with Ibrahim
Akef and has written an article about him. The article
has been published in the July 2007 edition of Belly
Divas, a belly dance magazine directed by Dr Mo Geddawi
(you can find the article on the side).
Paola Ziliotto Boudress is based in Turin, Italy.
Paola has been involved with belly dance for more
then 20 years and she studied for a while with Ibrahim
Akef. Paola is the artistic director of ‘Il
Tappeto Volante’ (the Flying Carpet) an Italian
cultural association that promotes Arabic dance and
music.
Paula Ziliotto Boudress has published a video featuring
Ibrahim Akef on Youtube. You can find it on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ_S3bxbkAk
Printed below with permission, please click
the images below to read larger version of text:
December 2003 - Valeria performs in Seoul, South
Korea
Click on image below to read large version
While living in Seoul, South Korea for 2 years, I
performed twice in Egyptian restaurants. Read the
news story which was in South Korea's main English
written newspaper, the 'Korean Herald', all about
their performances.
NEWS: 18th April - New World Record (Largest number
of Belly Dancers dancing together in one routine)
A brand new World record was recently
set by belly dancers in Scotland, as they belly danced
their way to the WORLD RECORD for the most belly dancers
to dance as a group together in one dance routine.
One hundred and thirty-four (134) belly dancers from
different countries met in Nairn, Scotland, where
they performed a 5 minutes dance which got them into
the Guinness Book of World Records.
The World record was organised and planned
by Ms Liz MacDonald aged 43, of Nairn. Liz is quoted
as saying that "It was fantastic. We were all
in our sparkly belly dancing costumes so it was really
colourful.." and that "There
wasn't a record for the largest number of belly dancers
performing a routine, so we contacted the Guinness
Book of Records and they accepted it as a challenge".
"I'm just delighted so many people attended
and participated and helped us set a new record. It
was a great achievement." After the performance,
the belly dancers relaxed and took a rest whilst other
dancers performed at a reception. In addition to setting
a New World Record, the dancers also raised more than
£1,000 for a local disabled people's sports
charity.
