Hawaii is synonymous with the flower Lei. Have you seen in TV shows or in movies, someone arriving in Hawaii, is given a Lei and a kiss...

Happy Holi, the Spring Festival of Colors Also known as the Festival of Love, the Festival of Colors, and the Festival of Spring, Holi is...

For the 2023 Tarot-themed show, I chose the Empress card for my solo piece. Here is a little background regarding the card. Key Points:...

The typical westerner would probably associate dancing with a cane with Jazz or some other modern dance style, but did you know that...

My student dance troupe, Ragnar Rak, has a routine in the upcoming online Tarot-themed showcase. For this show, we chose the Three of...

An important part of Middle Eastern Dance, Finger Cymbals are four small metal discs played by Belly Dancers worn "on each thumb and...

When I teach Finger Cymbals, I will alternate how I call out the rhythms: "by the numbers," right-and-left, or using the Middle Eastern...

"When you first start out, it’s best to use just the basic sound, but as you advance, you can add different sounds." Choosing from the...

Most of my students are not what I call "counters." Instead, they are more intuitive when responding to music. However, it is valuable to...

"If you would like to try symbols, experiment to see which kinds work best for you. You should be comfortable using them. Symbols should...

How to Add Elastic to Your Finger Cymbals Now that you have your set of Finger Cymbals, it's time to add the elastic so you can start...

Turkish: Zills, Sil-Sil Arabic: Sagat, Sunouj Persian: Zang East Indian: Manjira or Manzira Farsi: Salasih The cymbal was an ancient...

Evolution of Belly Dance: Mata Hari the "Femme Fatale" Born in the Netherlands in 1876 as Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod, the infamous...

October is Emotional Wellness Month. Mental or emotional health is absolutely vital to our overall wellness. Stress comes at us from all...

Belly Dance To Help Bladder Leaks The abdominal movements from Belly Dance strengthen the "core muscles," which are the muscles of the...

By Amira Hamzar (Originally published in Shimmy Magazine in 2010) Percussion instruments include: Dumbek: sometimes called a Tabla or...

What Being a Cheerleader Brings to my Dance Teaching Today In honor of National Cheerleading Day, I wanted to share with you how Cheer...

After being in an abusive relationship for nine years, I was divorcing my husband. At this time, I joined a book club. This club let you...

By Amira Hamzar © Amira Hamzar 2020 The term Bollywood refers to the booming Indian cinema industry. Bombay, the epicenter of the Indian...

About Indian Dance: Masala Bhangra By Amira Hamzar © Amira Hamzar 2020 Originally performed by men in the 14th century, Masala Bhangra is...