Product Review

Star Dynamics: Belly Dance Turns and Traveling Steps by Egypt-based star of Oriental Dance Vanessa of Cairo focuses on one of the most challenging aspects of Oriental Dance - the technique of blending the earthy and grounded feel coming from its folk dance roots with the Western aesthetics of the light-on-your-feet, lifted and swirling flow of dance.

As the original belly dance deriving from the folk dances of the Middle East and North Africa evolved into a form of professional dance entertainment, it adapted to large stages and to the tastes of Western audiences by absorbing the dynamic footwork, sweeping arm paths, turns, and traveling steps of Western dance forms such as ballet, ballroom dance, and jazz, blending them with belly dance hip work and torso articulations.

With a degree in ballet, Vanessa has professionally performed classical dance genres, and taught them to belly dance artists seeking cross-training to add sophisticated dynamic turns and traveling techniques to their dance style. Her experience living in Egypt for 8 years while performing professionally at top venues and events, helped her distill the Western-dance-inspired techniques and moves that give that glamorous, star-like, larger-than-life flair to a modern Oriental dance performance.

In Star Dynamics Vanessa teaches a wide range of turns and footwork patterns, drawing attention to the differences between Western and Oriental dance technique and blending them with belly dance vocabulary.