Videos

Videos with the Rising Phoenix Dancers

The Rising Phoenix Dancers can be seen, individually and collectively, on a number of Middle Eastern Dance videos.

YouTube clips:

• Ana Hon, an Egyptian pop choreography by Nadia Hamdi (2011)
• Mizmar Saidi, an Egyptian-style cane dance (2011)
• Tabbouleh, a humourous hip-hop fusion number (we called ourselves "Balad-D-Mentia" when we did this in 2010)
• Il Alem Alla, a Spanish-Arabic fusion choreography by Cassandra (2008)
• My Lovely Elena, a Lebanese-style cane dance (1993)
• Chiribim clip, from a class recital, posted by Rubesca (taken by her friend, so shows mostly her)
• Drum Solo clip, also from a class recital and posted by Rubesca

Show videos:

The following are generally available:

• Joharah's Hafla videos from Cintronart Productions:
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers perform to "Nar" in the Spring 2007 "Night at the Harem" show.
  • The group did their version of "tribal" for the Fall 2007 show, "Safari Sunset."
• Festival on the Nile, from Beledi Productions:
  • Joani does a solo in Volume XI (featuring Elena Lentini).
  • Sherezzah and Joani both do solos in Volume XIII (featuring Bàraka).
  • Pari does a solo in Volume XXII (featuring Ma*Shuqa).
  • Pari does a solo in Volume XXVI (featuring Aszmara).
  • Sherezzah does a solo in Volume XXXIV (featuring Gina).
  • The troupe perform Khaleegy style in Volume XXXX (featuring Rachel George). Joani also does a solo in this one.
• Kahreen and Kira's Belly Dance Gala Shows:
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers do a "gypsy" style number in the "Miami 1995" show (featuring Yousry Sharif).
  • Joani does a solo in the "Miami 1997" show (featuring Tonya and Atlantis).
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers do a cane dance ("Ya Leyl") in the "Miami 1998" show (featuring Aziz). Joani also does a solo on this one.
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers perform "Eskandrani" in the "Miami Gala Show 1999" show (featuring Fahtiem). Joani again does a solo on this one, and Pari does also.
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers perform "Khatwet Habibi" on the "Miami Gala Show 2000" video featuring Jasmin Jahal, Nourhan Sharif, and Atlantis.
  • Joani does a solo in the "Miami Gala Show 2001" video featuring Angelika Nemeth.
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers do a Schikhatt style dance in the "Miami Gala Show 2002" video featuring Tonya and Atlantis.
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers reprised the cane dance (from 1998) by special request for the "17th Annual Dance Oriental Fantasy" (2003) video featuring Nourhan Sharif.
  • For the "18th Annual Dance Oriental Fantasy" featuring Mesmera (2004), we did a dance theatre piece featuring "Johnny Sparklepants."
  • The group did a contemporary fusion dance with veils for the "19th Annual Dance Oriental Fantasy" (2005) video featuring Shoshanna.
  • The Rising Phoenix Dancers performed a drum solo for the "20th Anniversary Gala Belly Dance Show" (2006) featuring Angelika Nemeth.
  • For the "21st Annual Gala Belly Dance Show" featuring Shoshanna (2007), the group did a Nubian number.
  • We did an Egyptian number (Rakset Mona) in our red dresses for the 2008 show. Pari also does a solo in this show.
  • For the "23rd Anniversary Gala Belly Dance Show" featuring Fahtiem (2009), the group performed a veil choreography by Margo Abdo O'Dell.
  • The group did a "tribal" drum solo for their 24th Anniversary Gala Belly Dance Show featuring Mesmera (2010). Joani and Pari also did solos.
  • By special request, we again reprised the cane dance originally done in 1998 for their 25th anniversary, featuring Fahtiem (2011).
  • For their 26th Gala Belly Dance Show starring Mesmera (2012), the group did an Egyptian pop song called "Washwashih." Pari also did a solo.
  • We did a Yemenite-flavored dance for their 27th Annual Gala Belly Dance Gala starring Aszmara (2013), Pari again also did a solo.

Other Videos - Recommendations

(Information from Sherezzah.)

I am often asked if I have any teaching videos. The answer is no, I don't... and part of the reason is that there are already a lot of other wonderful teaching videos out there.

My personal recommendations for teaching videos for beginners are:

• Delilah's Bellydance Workshop (3 volumes). It's a bit pricey to get the whole set, but it is very thorough and well-done.
• Jasmin Jahal's "Reach for the Stars".
• Mesmera's "Dance of the Serpent". Very well produced; arranged so you can stick it in your VCR and use it as a workout video. Also includes some information on layering techniques for more advanced dancers. Not good if you're spooked by snakes though.
• Turquoise's Intro to Bellydance with Cassandra (part of the American Dancer series). One thing I especially like with this one is that Cassandra advises you to improvise with the music, and shows you how it can be done, and look good, with just a few basic moves.

My personal recommendations for performance videos are:

• The "Awards of Bellydance" series. I've seen several of these, and was especially impressed with Volume 3. They may seem a bit high-priced, but you get a lot: two whole hours of top-quality dancers and troupes, well staged and photographed.
• "Dance Delilah Dance". Basically, a compilation of the performances from Delilah's teaching videos. Some beautiful choreography, beautifully photographed.
• "Jasmin Jahal Live". Just one dancer, but an excellent one, with variety in her dances. Probably the most beautifully photographed "live" show I've seen.
• Turquoise's set of performance videos from the International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance. Absolutely top-quality performers.
• The Oriental Fantasy performance videos. Horacio and Beata are both wonderful performers, put on a wonderful show, and video it well.
• Hossam Ramzy's The Stars of Egypt series. All those wonderful old-time Egyptian dancers.

For more information on videos and video recommendations, check out the Middle Eastern Dance Resource Guide video page.

I also have a fairly extensive video collection; if you want my candid opinions on any Middle Eastern dance videos, feel free to email me, Sherezzah, sherezzah(at)beledy.net

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