Desert Moon Dancers

BELLY DANCE GLOSSARY

Awwady.

(Pronounced "uh WAHD dee".) In Arabic music, this refers to the free-form improvised instrumental solo that has no underlying rhythm. This is often used for the opening few phrases of music played for a belly dancer, and it is then followed by the fast- or medium-tempo entrance music.

Bedleh.

(Pronounced "BED luh".) In Arabic, this literally means "suit". It refers to the cabaret-style beaded bra/belt/skirt/body stocking costume that a belly dancer wears for a performance.

Bourka.

full face veil worn in the Middle east - made from either netting or opaque fabric

Chalwar.

(Pronounced "CHAL war".) An alternate spelling is shalwar. Chalwar are pantaloons, harem pants. The word originates from Persia.

Chiftitelli.

(Pronounced "shift uh TELL lee".) An alternate spelling is chiftetelli. The word has taken on several meanings. In one of its meanings, it refers to a certain Turkish drum rhythm which is in 8/4 time. The Arabic-speakers call the chiftitelli rhythm "wahad e noss" or "dar e noss" ( "1 & 1/2" or "hit & 1/2"). Another use of the word chiftitelli refers to an improvised musical section by a solo melody instrument that is layered over the top of that pulsing rhythm (similar to the Arabic taxim, which is defined below). There are two primary ways the chiftitelli rhythm may be played--as a fast, spirited, upbeat song, or as a slow, hypnotic, sensuous melody. The fast chiftitelli originated as a folk dance done by couples and occasionally groups, but is now frequently used by belly dancers who enjoy Turkish music. When belly dancers refer to chiftitelli, they are usually thinking of the slow chiftitelli, which they may use for floor work, balancing, or standing undulations. Greeks spell this Tsiftetelli, and in Greece this word refers not only to the musical definition of the word but is also used to mean "belly dancing" in general. That's why many Greek recordings intended for belly dancing contain the word "tsiftetelli" on the label.

Choli.

(Pronounced "CHOH lee".) This is the bare-midriff, fitted blouse worn under saris by women in India. A close fit is the main characteristic of the choli, since it serves both as an undergarment and a blouse for the sari. The specific styling of the choli can vary from one region of India to another. Use of the choli for belly dance practice outfits and costumes was popularised by Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance in San Francisco.

Def.

(Pronounced "def".) This is a Middle Eastern frame drum which looks like a large tambourine.

Dumbek.

(Pronounced "DOOM bek".) This is the hourglass-shaped Arabic drum. May also be spelled Dumbec, Doumbek,

Doumbec, or Darbuka. Traditionally, dumbeks were made of ceramic, with the head made of either goatskin or fish skin. In modern times, many dumbeks have synthetic heads, and the drum body may be made of metal.

Gallabiya.

(Pronounced "gal uh BEE yuh".) This Arabic word refers to a simple-cut full-length dress or robe. The term also refers to the full-length cotton robes that many men in Egypt still wear for everyday life today instead of shirts with pants.

Guedra.

(Pronounced "GEE druh") This is an ancient blessing ritual practiced by one of the Tuareg Berber tribes. The word Guedra has several meanings: it refers to the ritual itself, it refers to the particular Tuareg tribe that practiced it, it refers to a cooking pot, it refers to the drum that was made by stretching a skin over the top of the cooking pot, and it refers to the dancer who is actually performing the ritual. The dance is often done on the knees with flicking moves of the hands and wrists.

Habibi. (Pronounced "hah BEE bee".) This word means "my darling" or "beloved" in Arabic, and appears in many Arabic song titles and lyrics.

Hafla.

(Pronounced "HAHF lah".) This basically refers to a party. A private hafla thrown by a belly dancer usually involves Middle Eastern music (sometimes live musicians jamming, sometimes just taped music), dancers taking turns performing for each other, and some open-floor dancing for everyone to get up and enjoy the music. A more public hafla may be effectively a full belly dance festival, with vendors selling their wares and a more formalised stage show.

Haik.

(Pronounced "hah EEK".) This is an article of clothing in Morocco, historically worn by the Tuareg Berber nomad tribes. It consists of a piece of fabric about 6 yards long, which is wrapped around the body and fasted in place at the shoulders.

Henna.

decorative red, brown or black tattoo design lasting approximately three weeks, derived from the henna plant. Often used for weddings and Arabic celebrations

Kanoun.

(Pronounced "kuh NOON".) Sometimes spelled Kanun or Qanun. This is a musical instrument, common in Turkey and Arabic countries, which somewhat resembles an autoharp. Its wooden frame is designed to lie flat on a surface such as a table or the performer's lap, and the strings across it are plucked to produce the melody

Karsilama.

(Pronounced "CAR si luh mah", where the "i" in the "si" syllable is pronounced like the "i" in "it".) This is a Turkish musical rhythm, in 9/8. This means there are 9 beats to a measure, and an eighth note gets one count. The accents occur on beats 1, 3, 5, and 7. In Turkish, it means "face to face", and there is a Turkish folk dance to this music which does involve partners dancing with each other face to face. Some belly dancers like to use a karsilama as their finale, because it's a very fast, very exciting rhythm. Songs which are based on the karsilama rhythm include Caderemen Ustunev (also called Rampi Rampi), Dere (which is Turkish), Marinella (which is Greek), Tamzara (which is Armenian), and Hoplada (which is Turkish).

Kawala.

(Pronounced "kuh WALL ah".) A type of flute made from a reed which resembles a Ney. Commonly used in Upper Egypt. Sometimes called a Shalabeya.

Kirik Havalar.

(Pronounced "KEER ick HAHV uh lar".) This is a category of Turkish music. These are tunes composed of rhythmic and measured melodies--the type of music that you could hum along with. One example of this type of music is songs based on the karsilama rhythm.

Maqam.

(Pronounced "mah KAHM".) Plural is Maqamat. The literal translation from Arabic to English means "place". A maqam is the foundation of Middle Eastern music. Instead of using a "key" or a "scale" like Western Music, Middle Eastern music is based on maqams.

Maqsoum.

(Pronounced "mock SOOM".) Also sometimes spelled Maksoom or Maksoum. This is an Arabic musical rhythm, and can also be called Masmoudi Saghir which means "little masmoudi". (There is a different rhythm which is known as "big masmoudi".) In the United States, the maqsoum rhythm is also frequently called "beledi". It is in 4/4 time, which means there are 4 beats to a measure and a quarter note gets one count. When played on a dumbek, it sounds like DOOM DOOM teka tek, DOOM teka tek. The above musical notation describes the maqsoum rhythm, with the DOOM sound falling on the accented notes.

Mawwal.

(Pronounced "mah WALL".) Sometimes spelled Mawal. In Arabic music, this refers to free, non-rhythmic singing. It's a vocal improvisation that sounds melancholy.

Me-Attaa.

(Pronounced "may AHT tah".) In traditional Arabic music, this refers to the question-and-answer that goes back and forth between a melody instrument and a drummer. This generally appears at the beginning of a song, immediately after a very brief opening taxim played by the melodic instrument, and serves as the prelude just before launching fully into the rhythm of the song to come. The word means "broken up bits of music and rhythm."

Mizmar.

(Pronounced "MIZZ mar".) This musical instrument, which resembles a Zurna, produces a loud, blaring sound. It is a member of the oboe family of musical instruments.

Oud.

(Pronounced "ood" where the "oo" sound is like that in "moon".) Sometimes spelled Ud. This is a musical instrument commonly used in Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian music which was the forerunner of the European lute. It has 11 strings and no frets. The melody is produced through plucking the strings. Literally, the word "oud" means "wood", and the instrument is made by gluing thin tapered strips of wood edge to edge. The glue line is usually no more than a thousandth of an inch wide! The oud was introduced by the Persians to Arabia in the Middle Ages, and passed to Europe through Islamic Spain.

Ouled Nail.

(Pronounced "WELL ed nah EEL".) a Tribe that lived in Algeria, near Biskra.

Rakkas.

This Arabic word means, "the male dancer".

Rakkasah.

This Arabic word means, "the female dancer". This is also the name of a very famous, very popular annual belly dance festival that is held in Richmond, California (near Oakland).

Raks.

(Pronounced "rocks".) This is the Arabic word for "the act of dancing", and is sometimes spelled Raqs. It usually appears combined with another word that defines what type of dance--for example, Raks Leyla means "Leyla's dance". ("Leyla" is a common Arabic woman's name.)

Raks Al Balas.

(Pronounced "rocks all BAH luhs".) Water jug dance.

Rebaba.

(Pronounced "ruh BAH buh".) Also sometimes spelled Rababa. This is a stringed instrument, typically used in music of the Said (Upper Egypt). It has one or two strings. The music appearing on cassette tapes or CD's by Metkal Kanawi uses rebabas extensively.

Riqq.

(Pronounced "reek".) This is the Arabic word for tambourine. It i

sometimes spelled Riq or Reque.

Sagat.

(Pronouced "suh GOT".) This is the Arabic name for finger cymbals, and means "small metal trays". Sometimes spelled Zagat.

Saz.

(Pronounced "sahz".) This is a gourd-shaped Turkish stringed instrument, resembling a lute only with a smaller base. It has frets whose positions can be adjusted, enabling the musician to get varying quarter tones. Different maqams require the frets to be set in different positions. The saz was the ancestor of the Greek bouzouki.

Shebecka.

(Pronounced "shuh BECK kuh".) This is the Egyptian name for the body stocking that is worn with bedleh.

Souq.

(Pronounced "sook", in which the "oo" sound is like that in the word "root".) It is sometimes spelled Souk, Suq, or Suk. In Arab countries, this is a market place, with row upon row of stalls of vendors selling their wares. Belly dance event organizers will sometimes refer to the section of their event that features the vendors as a souq.

Sufi.

(Pronounced "SOO fee".) A sect within Islam focused on philosophy and mysticism. One Sufi form of expression that most Westerners have heard of is the "whirling dervish". The whirling is a form of movement meditation.

Takht.

(Pronounced "tahkt".) This refers to a small ensemble of Egyptian musicians, often including oud, kanoun, nay, tabla & riqq (tambourine). Originally, the word referred to a small bench or bed, and in the early nightclubs of Egypt, the musicians sat on such a bench to play.

Tar.

(Pronounced "tar".) This is a Middle Eastern frame drum which looks like a large tambourine. Another name for it is Def.

Taxim.

(Pronounced "tock SEEM".)

In a dance routine or long piece of music, "taxim" (tahk-seem, taqsim, taksim, takasim) refers to a short segment of music performed primarily by one instrument (sometimes accompanied by a �quiet� drum in the background). It is performed by any instrument in the band other than the drum and percussions, such as an organ, accordion, flute, violin, kanoon and oud. The taxim offers a break from the steady rhythms and recognizable melodies. The musician plays improvisationally, expressing emotion and varied levels of intensity, according to however he feels. There is no melody and little repetition.

It is impossible to choreograph dance steps to a taxim that is to be performed to live music. Both the dancer and the musician are performing spontaneously. The best performance occurs when both artists are so attuned to each other that the movements and the music become one. In other words, the dancer visually expresses the music that is played as a reflection and inspiration of her movements. Even though the dancer has no idea what she will hear next, she simply flows with the sound, but not without the musician�s keen attention and response to her dancing.

Of course, recorded taxims allow the dancer the luxury of becoming familiar with "what�s coming next." Yet, it still takes repeated listening in order for you to begin to remember its irregularities. The taxim may appear at the beginning of a routine, but most often it lies within. It is never performed as the final� or alone (that is, without following or being followed by another piece of music).

Thobe.

(Pronounced "tobe".) You may also see this spelled Taub. This is the Arabic word for dress. Different styles of thobes are typical of different parts of Arabia. Many dancers say just "thobe" when they really mean "thobe al nasha'ar", which is a particular style of dress.

Thobe Al Nasha'ar.

(Pronounced "tobe ahl nahsha ar".) You may also see this spelled Taub. This is a richly embroidered dress worn in the Persian Gulf (Khaleegy) region, in countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Dubai. It is sometimes called a

Khaleegy Dress. It's a large, somewhat sheer rectangular piece of fabric, worn over the top of your party clothes. There is a vertical center panel down the front of the dress, just below the neck opening, that has particularly heavy embroidery. The arm openings on the sleeves are very large. The Thobe al nasha'ar is designed to be so long that it would drag on the floor if you didn't pick it up and hold it.

Tulle Bi Telli.

(Pronounced TOOL bee TELL ee.) A textile art from Egypt in which tiny bits of metal are attached into net fabric (tulle) to create a design. The Egyptian name means "tulle with metal". Dancers in the United States made up the name "assuit" to describe this fabric.

Uzun Havalar.

(Pronounced "OOH zoon HAHV uh lar".) This refers to Turkish music that has no rhythm or measure, and sounds improvised. It is conceptually equivalent to the Arabic taqsim.

Zaghareet.

(Pronounced "zah guh REET".) The zaghareet is a high-pitched ululation done with the tongue. It is a sound of celebration associated with weddings, parties, and other joyful occasions. Within the context of belly dancing, it is a favorite tool for expressing approval for whatever the dancer is doing at the time, and sometimes dancers themselves will zaghareet to express how much fun they're having at the moment.

Zeffa.

(Pronounced "ZEFF uh".) This term is often used to refer to an Arabic wedding procession. The newly married couple is led into the reception hall in a formal procession to acknowledge their new status. A zeffa frequently is led by a belly dancer. The term can also be used to refer to the musical rhythm that is characteristically used in the music played for these processions.

Zills.

(Pronounced "ZILLS".) Sometimes spelled Zils. This is the Turkish name for finger cymbals.

Zurna. (Pronounced "ZERN uh".) This is a type of horn used in Turkish folk music, which is a member of the oboe family of musical instruments.