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         J E W E L  o f  T H E  N I L E  P R E S E N T S
    THE 2009 BELLYDANCE NATIONALS COMPETITION-NOVEMBER 21ST
               THE BWI AIRPORT HILTON in LITHICUM, MARYLAND

     BDNC 2009 MEET AND GREET GALA
        @ CAZBAR TURKISH RESTAURANT of DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE, MD
                       FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2009 @ 8PM
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    T   H   E        I  N  D  I  G  O
            WITH ZAFIRA DANCE COMPANY
        THANKSGIVING WEEKEND * PITTSBURGH, PA
              BRANDON'S OASIS WINTER ROAD TRIP
           LIVE SHOW @ THE REX THEATER * 11/28TH
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*(10/4) NINA AMAYA WANTS TO TAKE YA OUT ON A CRUISE TO THE
LOVELIES OF COSTA RICA FOR A WINTRY GETAWAY, HON... ;)
The Towson, MD belly-darling has asked for me to get the word out on efforts to find those who need a getaway from the wintry weather that awaits in February, the 6th-14th specifically, for a week-long getaway retreat to San Jose, Costa Rica. Joining Nina will be Naimah (for tribal fusion fun) and last month's Bellydancer of the Month Typhrodisia (for hula belly fusion fun) as well. For more info, check it out HERE for payment scheds...
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*(10/18) A SILENT FORCE WITH A TWIST OF LEBANESE TO AID HER
A quiet pat on the pat and a hip bump to Baltimore's R'aina, who had the dawning task of taking over BaltimoreBellydance.com about 3 years ago when its founder, Nerissa Miller (excellent bellydancer and photographer herself) moved on to pther personal ventures. She also helps run meridian Dance Company, who holds a monthly hafla in the Hampden area of Charm City at Mina's. She's a wonder with a sword, and if you watch her on YouTube vidclips (username: annskies), she's a young lady who can look 'ya eye-to-eye as well. She has been a leading force in maintaining an online belly-presence for those up there, and hope many are and continually appreciative of her efforts. :)
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*(10/18) HEY LITTLEEGYPT.COM, WHAT IS D.C., CHOPPED LIVER?
This isn't a complaint, all more a tounge-in-cheek nod to why Egyptian bellydance legend DINA won't come to thw Washington, DC area? In Novemeber, she'll grace Chicago, Illinois for a gala weekend that always seem to draw rave reviews. The ability to have that kind of pull is of galactic force and fancy, I'm just wondering what do we folks on the East coast have to do to make THE NATION'S CAPITAL ''Dina-Worthy'' for one weekend out of the year? In an era that has been consumed by tribal and fusion bellydance genres as of late, the need for a vision of classical and modern-style Egyptian, homerooted and textbook bellydancing is at a craving's demand about now, and what better place for a statement to be made than a DC, or a NY. I think she's done Miami, FL a couple years back, but I'm starting to feel (depending on their eastern US connections or representations) that DC's not good enough for Dina's presence. Not trying to start something here, just making a case for the cemented bellydance stronghold that DC-Baltimore-Northern VA has and can fill a hotel room better than anyone else has for Dina's past US ventures. (Yuvy brought us Raqia Hassan back in 2008 and was still a sight just to be in the same room at Casablanca (VA) as the woman behind decades of tradtional bellydance customs and thousands of students and professional performers.
My bellyrant aside, it's still nice to have Dina care enough to bring Cairo to the US on an annual basis. To learn more on Dina in Chicago, click HERE for information.
SIDENOTE: LittleEgypt.com has promoted Dina's presence in the US and Canada for the last seven years running, a huge feather in their cap that speaks highly as a promotional/production draw to say the very least. They also have brought the likes of Mona El Said, Randa Kamel, Dr. Mo Geddawi,
Luhna Emam, Magdy El-Leisy, Aida Nour, Fifi Abdou and many others.
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*(11/1) HICHAM ANMARI MAKING WAVES OUTTA' FALLS CHURCH
If his name sounds familiar, it's because you've probably seen his band on a weekend playing at Casablanca Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. Well, he's got a new gig, doing very well and entertaining crowds and partygoers at the new Babylon Club, located at 3501 South Jefferson Street (703-820-3900). Stating itself as DMV's hottest new international venue, Hicham and his band plays (we think) regularly on Tuesday nights at 8pm with belly dancers from the area soloing, as well as special late-night special features with some of the area's best Arabic singers and vocalists. To learn more, check out their site HERE....
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*(11/1) EVEN MECHANICAL SNAKES CAN MAKE A SUHAILA IMPACT :)~
A joking reference to Baltimore's Naimah, whose sleek, serpentine and robotic blend of gothic and tribal fusion makes her an area gem, especially for Charm City, who also recently announced that she is one more hottie that has been certified level I in Suhaila's teaching foundation's format.  Any1 who has had a chance to see her perform would know that this is NO surprise at all, and she'll find the next levels as a cakewalk also. :D Congrats, Naimah! (see above for Suhaila returning to Baltimore with Typhrodaisia and Sestraluna...)
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*(11/8) PROVIDING THE BIG APPLE WITH A BIGGER BELLYFUL...
Kaeshi and mom-to-be Amar Gamal's BellyQueen Dance Theatre have just updated their website, expanding their internationally-acclaimed local efforts and weekly dance projects within the NYC. And, they continue to add to their growing roster of all-stars as well. Budding talent and future superstar Anasma has been tapped for her 2nd WorldDance NY DVD on the blend of Hip-Hop Liquid Bellydance Fusion techniques, to be released in January 2010. To see more, go HERE...
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*(11/8) ONE OF MY EARLY BELLY-VHS COLLECTION INSPIRATIONS
If you're lucky to still own the Adnan Sarhan Sufi Movement videotape, sold back in the early 1990s featuring Dunya Dianne McPheason, you're probably still being held in a nice surreal trance from the rhythms that tape plays...and the dancing is as enchanting, too. :) 1st based than in TX, now in MA and working the Tri-State area with many meditation classes and retreats to her credit, she'll be at the Djam Under LeBron (held and hosted by Djinn band and Kaeshi of BellyQueen) on 12/8th. Her vids (and DVDs) are truly inspirational and worth a collector's eye and ear. To learn more on Dunya, go HERE and more on ''Djam'' by going HERE...
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*(11/8) SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY...DONE WITH THE HIPS :)~
The Southeast US is getting a dose of ''Cacky lacky Fever'' and making its personal niche in the tribal fusion bellydance scene. In the NC, there's Onca (Baraka Mundi) and Lisa Zahiya (2008 BDUC Tribal Fusion champ). Now from the SC, Natalie Brown and her Delirium Tribal mates are tearing up the scene. And let's not forget the raw quirkiness that is Ashley Bennett, who still has the burden of the nickname of ''Butterbeans'' from her dance to that song from the 1st Raqs America. Check out these talents by going HERE for Natalie and HERE for Ashley (also a member of Delirium Tribal)....and feel free to search their awesome dance clips on YouTube...
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