Media and Links Articles Instructors and Performers Vendors/Dancer Resources Suggested Reading and Listening Miscellaneous and Fun Tava's Articles One Teacher's Opinion, from Middle Eastern Dance New England Dancing with My Daughter, written by Tava's mother, Mary. Thank You Skakira from Middle Eastern Dance New England The Sisterhood of the Troupe from Middle Eastern Dance New England Bellydance Instructors & Performers www.elenalentini.com - Master dancer, teacher and choreographer Elena Lentini. www.enchantressofbioluminosity.com - Website for NYC based Andrea Beeman (aka Andrea Anwar), teacher, choreographer and performer of middle eastern dance. (Tava's main teacher and mentor). www.aszmara.com - Master teacher, choreographer and performer Aszmara. Aszmara dances throughout NYC, Westchester and Southern CT. www.casbahdance.org - Master teacher and performer Morocco. Morocco also writes extensively on the origins of middle eastern dance. www.phaedradance.com - Phaedra teaches intensive workshops and and preserves dance footage from Ibrahim Farrah's Near East Dance Company. www.careesah.com - Teacher and performer (recently relocated to CO). www.adinasblessings.com - Teacher and performer in the Milford area. www.joydances.com - Teacher and performer (Tribal Fusion) in the New Haven area. www.bellyqueen.com - Website for Bellyqueen co-founder Kaeshi Chai. Kaeshi occasionally teaches in CT. www.riskallah.com - Master teacher, performer & choreographer Dolores Matzen (aka Riskallah Riyad) in the Danbury area. Dolores also sponsors intensive dance workshops with world-renowned instructors www.Bellyessence.com - NYC based dancer & choreographer, Kazja. Bellydance Vendors & Dancer Resources www.shakemyday.com - Dance photographer Sarah Skinner's website You can see Sarah's handywork on my photogallery page. www.bellydancenewengland.com - A comprehensive website with infomration on teachers, classes and bellydance events in New England. www.shira.net - A fantastic resource for dancers, including explanations of movements, rhythms, and historical information regarding bellydance. www.samirashuruk.com - Baltimore-based dancer with very informative website. Look for articles, links, and other helpful resources. www.thehipcircle.com - international bellydance resources. www.amyraks.com - Dancer and videographer for bellydance www.turquoiseintl.com - Vendor carrying high quality finger cymbals and other dance accessories. www.shimmyshimmy.com - Vendor with dance accessories and props. www.bellydanceshop.net - A great site for purchasing videos, CD's and accessories. www.maqam.com - This site has a huge selection of Middle Eastern music, DVD's and more. www.BellydanceCostumes.com - Vendor of Middle Eastern bellydance costumes. www.Decotach.com - Beautiful custom-made bellydance costumes and accessories, based in Queens, NY. www.Dottaviostudios.com - Brooklyn-based photographer Ted D'Ottavio's website. Suggested Reading & Listening Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance:Awakening Spirituality Through Movement and Ritual, by Iris J. Stewart The Belly Dance Book : Rediscovering the Oldest Dance, by Tazz Richards (Editor), Kajira Djoumahna (Introduction) www.zaghareet.com - Middle Eastern arts and culture magazine www.carmine.com - NYC-based multi-instrumentalist with great CD's for listening, dancing and instruction. Carmine's band plays for Tava's Bi-Annual Evening of Bellydance. www.Raquy.com - NYC-based musician with great CD's for listening, dancing and instruction. CD Recommendations -UPDATED 3/08 - Naked (Raquy & The Cavemen) - Drums, drums and more drums. I have been using many of these tracks for the drum solo portion of my sets. - Raqs El Qamar (Chris Marashlian) - Beautiful and traditional music, arranged as complete dance routines (from a short 7 minute set to a full 20 minute set), plus three excellent bonus tracks. - The Masters of Bellydance Music (various artists) - This CD features classics every dancer should know such as Aziza, and Enta Omri. - Princess of Cairo (Ali Hamouda) - A classic and must-have for any dancer - Ahsas (Solace) - Great for floorwork, (thanks to Aszmara for the recommendation) - Sultan's Secret Door (Burhan Ocal) - Beautiful traditional-style Turkish music for listening and dancing - Niyaz (Niyaz) - Slower tempo and modern, great for floorwork - Bellydance Superstars (Various artists) - Blend of traditional and contemporary songs for dancing - An American in Istanbul (Scott Wilson & Co.) - My favorite of Le Figaro's own Scott Wilson, includes many traditional favorites - Bellydance Overdrive (Turbo Tabla) - Very modern, great for nightclub performances - Talakik (Hakim) - My personal favorite of Hakim's extensive recordings - One Truth (Omar Faruk Tekbilek) - An interesting blend of mystical, Turkish and "New Age." A very talented musician. Miscellaneous & Fun www.OnYourFeet.net - Certified reflexologist and friend, Alissa Arakelian Connecticut Wedding Reception Planning - Wedding Reports.com is a great resource for all aspects of wedding planning. www.marcialouis.com - A fellow entertainer and one of my students, "Beautiful Marcia" has great music for children. www.dazzlestudios.com - Fun hand-made jewelry, for which Tava is the "throat model." www.stamforddance.com - Jennifer Weisner's Dance Studio in Stamford, CT. She offers group classes for children, teens, and adults. Tava occasionally teaches bellydancing classes here. partiesbycelia@yahoo.com - Contact information for Celia Niles, event coordinator/caterer who offers Middle Eastern themed parties (based in Westport, CT).