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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 HEIGHTS, MARYLAND

          SELECTED WINNERS FROM THE 11/21 BDNC NATIONALS:
          2009 BDNC NATIONALS CHAMPION: ALIMAH (WA)
          2009 BDNC 1ST RUNNER-UP: SHEMS (MD)
          2009 BDNC 2ND RUNNER-UP ZAIRA (DC/MD)
          2009 BDNC 3RD RUNNER-UP: ALANA (Locale TBA)


When she's not bellydancing, she's actually doing her 1st love, which is a talented violinist in an Arabic band in the Seattle area. Saturday, the rhythms played aloud for Alimah and serenaded her way to the 1st BDNC win in the Nationals category, the last one held in the day. She also won the People's Choice category selection as well. With the looks of Hilary Swank and the carved physique of Rachel George, Alimah pulled out the Isis wings and electrified Baltimore with her drum soloing skills to leave no doubt on the judges' decison.
Congrats to Shems and Zaira for the great local representations offered in their dynamic routines, their dance experience shined out vividly.
 You can go HERE to read my personal take on the 2009 BDNC Nationals competiton, as the official winners (and their correct spellings of their names come out), I'll then add my personal thoughts and collections on the rest of the day and weekend's events, to say the least was ''eventful''. :D
                    
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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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*(10/18) 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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*(11/8) PROVIDING THE BIG APPLE WITH A BIGGER BELLYFULL...
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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*(11/15) WORLD CAFE LIVE WANTS TO EXTEND NEW YEARS' 2010....
ANIMUS, who'll be in town Friday afternoon at the Community College of Baltimore-Essex performing with Naimah, will have their 1st World Cafe Live (downstairs) show with some of Philadelphia's Bellydance Superstars (featuring Valerie, Rena, Nyla and Kiri) and other special guest dancers in the area on Sunday, January 20th. Something about this joint, Animus and Sundays that just seems to go together, 'ya think? :D To learn more, go to the band's site HERE....
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*(11/15) A SLICE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN COMES TO H STREET, N.E.
Having just opened a couple of weeks ago, SOUK, serving nice and lite international cuisines makes for a nice compliment to early eat-out before a show on any of the Atlas District's newer eateries (with many more opening soon and in early 2010), located at 1208 H Street (right next to the Palace of Wonders). Their website is not yet ready (www.soukdc.com), but you can gain an idea for the place by reading about'em HERE...
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*(11/22) SHARA'S JOURNEYS TAKES HER BACK TO CHARM CITY AND WEARS A JEWEL WELL, ALONG WITH HER DANCE MATES
Congratulations is in order to Shara English, who spent a few years in the DC area before mving to Raleigh, NC and then relocating to the Portland, OR area. After a few life changing moments, she dedicated herself to wanting to be a professional bellydancer full-time, found a bellyhome with the ladies of BELLYDANCE SOULFIRE (Sedona, Claudia and Ruby)...and the rest is history. And Shara hopes history repeats itself often, adding the 2009 championship in the Nationals Troupe category Saturday afternoon at the 2009 BDNC. Redefining the art of synchronization, the ladies of Soulfire had to do a perfect routine with the 9-member efforts of M.O.D.E. (MiaNaja Oriental Danse Ensemble), whose well-polished Isis wings routine was also championship-worthy. They also have a BDUC 2009 title on their soon-to-be-growing trophy case back in February in Long Beach, CA as well. To learn more on Bellydance Soulfire, go HERE and for Shara's personal site, go HERE...
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*(11/22) MECHANICAL SNAKES AROUND THE GLOBE ARE REJOICING!! ;)
Another shoutout to Miss Naimah (who'll be at the last DC Tribal Cafe for 2009 on 11/29th at Asylum with Asharah and Mavi) in cleaning the house in the 2009 BDNC Alternative Fusion Soloist category. World renowned for dancing comparable to a ''man-eating plant'' and a ''mechnical snake'', can now throw in bellydance competition champion to those uniquities.
It's been a busy and productive last-half of 2009 for her, from Belly Horror weekend to Rakkasah East, as well as this past weekend and local performances that makes her a standout in Charm City.  2010 will hopefully lead to Naimah gaining some national and international stardom she so richly deserves.
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*(11/22) ''ZAIRAMANIA'' PREPARING TO BE LAUNCHED LIKE A CAIRO ROCKET
Zaira al Zahara of Indra Lazul made a mark in her excellent and blossoming career with a powerful 2nd runner-up showing and a win for Miss Congeniality
in the 2009 BDNC Nationals category, giving the DC area some bellydance love to celebrate this weekend. Inspired by the teachings and dedications of Faten Salama (VA), Zaira's pinpoint accentuations to the classical and modern Eyptian foundations. Way to go, Zaira!! :D
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