Ziva Emtiyaz International Dance Artist
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Landing Fulfilling Dance Shows in Orange County and Dancing Outside the Box

11/16/2014

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All About That Risk... No Trouble!
#doyoubooboo

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By now you’ve undoubtedly heard Megan Trailor’s hit song “All About That Bass.”  (I’d guess you’ve even gotten it stuck in your head a few times.)  In the chance you haven’t been exposed to it, the catchy song pumps lyrics boasting messages of self-acceptance regardless of a bigger body size and tells ladies to embrace what cho’ mama gave ya.  While not an expected music choice for me to perform to as an International dance artist, this pop song gave me an opportunity to do something different, yet strangely familiar.

Bella Ballroom Dance in Orange County recently had its anniversary party for which I was anticipated to perform.  This would be the first time any current or prospecting dance students would see me perform since I started teaching at the Newport Beach dance studio in April.  It would also be the first dance performance my colleagues would see from me.  I made an executive decision, took a performance risk and decided to dance as… *gasp!*… myself!  Let me explain.

Any classical or international dancer understands that to be considered excellent there are certain dance standards to adhere to.  Cultural contexts and musicality formats must be respected to represent an ethnic dance appropriately and correctly.  While there may be some room for expression, a plié will always be a plié.   Regardless of the style, if a dancer is going to stay 100% true to a formatted or traditional dance, they will experience some limitations.

When I decided to “perform as myself” for the anniversary party, I chose to just move:  freely and without adherence to any genre of dance.  I left the stage persona behind and pumped up a hidden faucet of my personality.  It was a risk.  When people know you as a bellydancer, they expect to see you bellydance and they get excited to see all the bells and whistles that Raqs Sharqui has to offer.  There was a good chance my performance’s absence of bellydance would disappoint them.  Additionally, I was performing for a crowd of ballroom dancers.  A ballroom dancer’s foundational values rely on patterns, technique and formatting.  It was a risk to break barriers and do something completely unconventional for this dance-trained crowd.  Beyond this, my biggest risk of all was exposing my own personal vulnerability.  You are your art and your art is you.  As singer Erykah Badu expressed and popularized, “Keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit!”

So I went for it.  I All About My Bass’ed it for an unsuspecting audience.  I worked the room and moved my body in a way that felt good and true to me.  In retrospect I can say that I became a personification of the song’s message to whole-heartedly embody and be proud of who you are. 

The result?  While a performer never really knows how an audience actually perceives them, I can say that I felt personally gratified for being true to myself and sharing this juicier side of me.   I graciously received warm compliments and by the end of the night I was hired by one of the guests to do the same performance at their upcoming wedding in Huntington Beach!  Sometimes you just got to “do you” and prosper.  I celebrated self-acceptance and the results landed me another dance show in Orange County!

 Dancing at the wedding in Huntington Beach was equally fun and fulfilling.  I got to be a surprise for the guests.  Unfortunately and ironically, the MC announced me as performing “Middle Eastern Dance.”  I cringed backstage wearing a black feather boa and pinstriped fedora hat preparing to dance to American Pop music.  There was nothing Middle Eastern about the show and I feared for any unknowing associations that would be made by viewers after the performance.  Sometimes when you dance outside the box, people just don’t know where to put you.   (Which in turn describes my biggest marketing challenge!  How can I promote a multifaceted dance performance and teaching service that’s not categorized?  Comment your thoughts below!)
 I hope this has inspired you to share a little bit more of your genuine self with the world.  Take the risk, be vulnerable and get in a little trouble.  Whether it’s through dance or another mode of expression, find your bass and shine.
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Ziva Emtiyaz dances for Huntington Beach Wedding November 8th, 2014.  Photos by Joel Jimenez.
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Ooh la la... Costumes!

4/20/2013

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The Urban Dictionary describes this month’s Hipspiration “Va Va Voom,” not only as the sound of a car engine, but the following:

1.  The feeling you get when you're filled with inspiration or full of excitement and energy

2.  To be interesting, exciting, or sexually appealing

3.  A phrase or expression used when a particularly attractive person is seen

As Arabic Dancers, I ask myself, what makes us go “Va Va Voom”?  What excites us and upon sight makes us shout, “Ooh la la!”? After reflection, I’m overwhelmed with a plethora of answers.  While I believe there are several inspiring, energizing, sensual, and interesting elements of the dance, let us pause in April to reflect on the Arabic Dance costume.

The “bedlah” is used to describe the sequined bra and belt set that we traditionally see on classic cabaret performers and dancers today.  In Arabic, “bedlah” means suit or outfit.

Before the bedlah, dancers were accustomed to performing in their everyday dress.  Classic dancers such as Suhair Zaki preferred the figure-hugging baladi dress, which covered the body from shoulders to toes.  What’s fascinating is that the cabaret costume featuring the decorated bra, skirt with side slits, and belt developed from the influence of the Western world in the 1920s.  Hollywood’s film industry was booming and developed costumes projecting an Oriental fantasy drawing inspiration from the female allure that was associated with the vamp.  Dancers in Egypt we’re not even allowed to show their bellybuttons as the Western world’s costume depicted. Arab dancers adopted the costume, but covered their mid-drift by adding a long strip of material running vertically between the center of the bra and the skirt.

From this birth of the bedlah, the cabaret costume has evolved. Through the years we have seen a variety of costume fads, from Negwa Fouad’s long fringe in 1978 to Dina’s short skirts in the 1980s.  Today we see prints, asymmetrical cups, clear straps, feathers and more trending fashions.  Cairo’s dancers now also wear stylish and classy dresses similar to the party clothing of Arab people, only with more sequins and beads.  Ironically, this mimics the pre-bedlah dresses that Arabic dancers were wearing before the cabaret costume developed!

When deciding what costume to wear, there are many things to consider.  Does it match the piece of music?  Does it fit right? Will it stay on and endure heavy shimmying, pops, locks and rolls?  Is it appropriate for the venue?  Does it accentuate the dance or inhibit it? The list goes on. Perhaps one of the most important questions to ask yourself ladies is, “Does this costume make me feel Va-va-voom?”  Rock something that suits you, and that makes you feel completely gorgeous daaaa’ling.  Don’t worry about looking like anyone else or fitting someone else’s ideal.  Life is just too short not to feel absolutely stunning.


Recommended reading:

“Costume Porn… The latest trends in Egyptian Belly Dance Wear”

http://princessraqs.blogspot.com/2011/08/costume-pornthe-latest-trends-in.html

Works Sited

Buonaventura, W. (2010). Serpent of the Nile. Northampton, MA: Interlink. 

Dictionary: Va va voom. (2012, November 28). Retrieved March 27, 2013, from 
     http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=va%20va%20voom 

Varga Dinicu, M. C. (2011). You asked Aunt Rocky: Answers and Advice about Raqs 
     Sharqi and Raqs Shaabi. Virfinia Beach, VI: RDI. 


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Snag That Sizzling Solo!

7/3/2012

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It’s never too early to start planning that perfect performance.  Read on for helpful hints to snag your sizzling solo for this fabulous event.

1. Choose Your Music

Find a song that speaks to you and that naturally makes you move.  (See last month’s blog for tips on how to find Arabic Dance Music.)

Once you’ve decided on a song, find out what type of song it is and what cultural significance it holds. For example, folkloric music, cabaret music, and fusion music are all very distinct from one another and should be interpreted differently.  If you’re not sure what type of music you’re working with, ask your teacher.

2.  Map Out and Memorize your Music

Once you’ve decided on a song, it’s time to map it out. You should know your music well enough that you could hum even it if it wasn’t playing.  Understand what instruments are being used, and what rhythms are backing them up.  What time signature is your song in? Does it have lyrics?  If needed, translate and use the words to fuel your dance’s story.  If you’re a visual learner, map out the song by drawing out the way the music sounds.  Sketch the changes in the music and note at what time they happen during the song.

3. Create Movement

For the new performer, I suggest you choreograph your routine or at least create a strong outline for your performance.  When starting to choreograph, try freestyle dancing to your song and see what comes naturally.  When you perform a move that sticks out to you, keep it!  Pay attention to what the music is doing.  Does it slow down?  Speed up?  Change in tone?  Is it a sad song or a joyful song?  Match the music with your movement.  Consider the emotion behind the song and what the intent of your piece is.  What kind of impact do you want to have on your audience?  When you get choreographically stuck, take a break or think of moves you’ve used in class recently.  Youtube and Arabic Dance DVDs are great sources of inspiration.   Incorporate contrasting moves to keep your piece visually interesting.  Avoid standing in one spot, and make good use of your stage.  Consider if you will start on-stage or need to choreograph an entrance.  Don’t forget to enjoy the creative process instead of focusing on your end goal. J

4.  Practice. Practice. Practice.

A well-prepared performer is a confident one.  Set up a schedule for yourself as if you we’re training for a marathon.  Video tape yourself practicing so you can see what you look like.  Show your choreography to a friend and practice making eye contact with them while you’re performing.  If it feels right, ask your friend for feedback.  Remember to practice in the costume you are going to perform in.  Costume malfunctions are much better performed at home than in the company of others.  J

5. Go get ‘em tiger!

It’s game day.  This is what you’ve been waiting for!  Arrive early enough that you can polish off your make-up and get into costume without feeling rushed.  Create your own personal mantra to pump yourself up.  “I’m going to rock it!”  You are your own cheerleader.  Accept that things may not go quite as you have planned, and commit to enjoying the experience no matter what happens.  Remember, we dance because we love it, and we perform so we can share this love with others.  When the time comes to shine, take a deep breath and know that you are a star.



~Ziva Emtiyaz
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    Ziva Emtiyaz is an award winning International Dance Artist excited to share her knowledge and life experiences about the big world of dance!

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  • Ziva Emtiyaz
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