TITO SEIF is an internationally acclaimed male oriental dancer, instructor, choreographer and one of the world's top oriental artists. Born in Egypt in 1971, he started to dance at the age of 14 learning folklore and then oriental.
Within
a very short period of time he became one of the biggest names in the
Oriental Dance and a prominent, innovative and mesmerizing dancer
worldwide. Tito has been dancing for 28 years and he has been teaching
for 18 years.
A prominent, technically
proficient, innovative and mesmerizing belly dancer, he is recognized as a leader
in the belly dance world. Tito's talents as an entertainer and a gifted prolific
instructor are sought after all over the world. Source: AlAhram
Videos:
Tito dancing with 4 sticks in Valencia, 2008
Tito performing 'drumsolo on a drum' with Issam Houshan at BDC, 2013
Tito at Stockholm BD Festival 2015
Tito workshop, 2015
Tito workshop, 2016
Enjoy!
See also:Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Time Traveling with the Stars of Egyptian Dance This workshop
series by Khalida takes you on a journey in time with the great dancers of then and
now.
Raqs sharki 1 – ‘Favorites of the fifties’ –
Contains combinations and techniques inspired by the legendary dancers
of Egypt like Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Nadia Gamal and Taheya Carioca.
Raqs sharki 2 – ‘Stars of the seventies’ – Inspired by famous
Egyptian dancers from the 60-80s like Suheir Zaki, Nagua Fouad and Fifi
Abdo.
Raqs sharki 3 – ‘Modern legends’ – Contains informationa about,
and techniques and combinations inspired by the famous dancers of this
age
Part 13: Randa Kamel (EG)
RANDA KAMEL was born in Mansoura, Egypt. When she was a kid, she had
many problems with her family because she used to dance in her friends
and neighbours weddings and in scholar festivals. In that traditionalist
city, her family disapproved her pleasure of dancing.
At the age of 15, she began studying egyptian folklore with the
famous group Reda. She took part of it during 7 years. Nevertheless, she
never attended to oriental dance courses, she always developed her own
style.
After studying to be a psychologist (which is a discipline that helps her
to be a dancer), Randa began her career as a professional dancer at the
age of 21, in Alexandria. She lived there fore two years.
Afterwards, she moved on to El Cairo and worked in restaurants and
cabarets during four months until she began to work in Meridien hotel.
There, she shared the stage during a week with the famous dancer Fifi
Abdou.
Randa danced as soloist in the hotel´s night show for two years, and
later she began to work in Nile Maxim, a luxury cruiser that sails
through the Nile river.
She likes working in El Cairo because she loves live music, but she
also likes traveling and teaching oriental dance. “When I dance abroad, I
feel as my country and my culture´s messenger”. She also tells us about
the belly dance prejudices in her country that: “In Egypt, we believe
that the oriental dance is a representation of the women’s beauty in
order to seduce men. But I don’t agree with this. This is a millenary
dance, and one of the most difficult ways of dancing. That’s why I don’t
dance in a seductive way”.
About her own style, Randa says that she puts together ballet steps,
the folklore style of Suheir Zaki or Samia Gamal and her own invention
steps.
For her: “dance must be energy and power, constant movement. I don’t
like soft movements. I like to show different expressions, feelings;
every single part of my body must move. I want that anyone that looks at
me, feels my movements. It’s the only way to catch the spectator’s
attention, to surprise them”.
Even if she enjoys dancing baladi and modern oriental, her favourite
music is Um Kulthum, because “everything in these songs is beautiful,
the music, the lyrics; there are so many feelings that they catch my
heart”
See also:Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Time Traveling with the Stars of Egyptian Dance This workshop
series by Khalida takes you on a journey in time with the great dancers of then and
now.
Raqs sharki 1 – ‘Favorites of the fifties’ –
Contains combinations and techniques inspired by the legendary dancers
of Egypt like Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Nadia Gamal and Taheya Carioca.
Raqs sharki 2 – ‘Stars of the seventies’ – Inspired by famous
Egyptian dancers from the 60-80s like Suheir Zaki, Nagua Fouad and Fifi
Abdo.
Raqs sharki 3 – ‘Modern legends’ – Contains informationa about,
and techniques and combinations inspired by the famous dancers of this
age
Part 12: Nesma Al-Andalus (ES)
NESMA lived in Cairo from 1993–1998, where she obtained her extensive knowledge of Oriental dance, Egyptian folklore, Arabic music, culture and traditions. During this time she performed as a soloist with her own orchestra in over 3,500 shows on the most prestigious
stages of Cairo. She broadened her artistic career in the National
Egyptian Folkloric Ballet, The Reda Troupe, becoming over the years one
of Mahmoud Reda’s closest collaborators.
Since 1998 she has danced and taught around the world. In Spain she founded her own school and a prestigious dance company, Al-Andalus Danza. She presented her shows in prestigious stages in Europe and at the Cairo Opera House, the Opera of Alexandria, and the Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Her early interest in creating shows inspired in the Spanish Moorish heritage made her a pioneer of Andalusian style dance.
Along with her dance company, Nesma has established a record company,
Nesma Music, presenting a great line of authentic music and videos, and a
major festival, Raks Madrid, which takes place yearly in July in the
grand city of Madrid.
Note: I've been lucky enough to take workshops with Nesma at several events, and she is one of the most inspiring artists I have met. If you'd like to know more about Reda style, Andalusian dance, understanding Egyptian music and folklore, and/or working with live music and/or finding femininity and elegance in dance, I highly highly recommend her workshops, festival and formations. Also be sure to check out her music CDs, which have beautiful full-orchestra arrangements of known and new songs.
Enjoy!
See also:Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Time Traveling with the Stars of Egyptian Dance This workshop
series by Khalida takes you on a journey in time with the great dancers of then and
now.
Raqs sharki 1 – ‘Favorites of the fifties’ –
Contains combinations and techniques inspired by the legendary dancers
of Egypt like Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Nadia Gamal and Taheya Carioca.
Raqs sharki 2 – ‘Stars of the seventies’ – Inspired by famous
Egyptian dancers from the 60-80s like Suheir Zaki, Nagua Fouad and Fifi
Abdo.
Raqs sharki 3 – ‘Modern legends’ – Contains informationa about,
and techniques and combinations inspired by the famous dancers of this
age
FIFI ABDO was born in Cairo on April 26, 1953 and named Atiyat Abdul Fattah
Ibrahim. Her father is a policeman and she has 11 siblings, including
her famous brother Abdelraheem Abdul Fattah Ibrahim, who encouraged her
career.
When she was 12 years old she joined a baladi
troupe and later found work as a model. She began to gain attention in
the early 1970s when she became the main attraction at the Arizona.
Over the years she danced at many other venues such as Le Meridien, Mena House and the El Gezira Sheraton.
Her performances usually lasted around two hours and she received up to
$10,000 per performance.
In addition to dancing, her routines often
included circus tricks and even rapping. The Moroccan newspaper La Vie Eco
reported in 2004 shortly before her retirement that she possessed 5,000
costumes with the most expensive being valued at $40,000
In her acting career, she is known as the woman-empowering type where,
rarely in Egyptian culture and film, she beats up and overpowers men.
(Source: Wikipedia)
See also:Raqs Sharki 1-2-3: Time Traveling with the Stars of Egyptian Dance This workshop
series by Khalida takes you on a journey in time with the great dancers of then and
now.
Raqs sharki 1 – ‘Favorites of the fifties’ –
Contains combinations and techniques inspired by the legendary dancers
of Egypt like Samia Gamal, Naima Akef, Nadia Gamal and Taheya Carioca.
Raqs sharki 2 – ‘Stars of the seventies’ – Inspired by famous
Egyptian dancers from the 60-80s like Suheir Zaki, Nagua Fouad and Fifi
Abdo.
Raqs sharki 3 – ‘Modern legends’ – Contains informationa about,
and techniques and combinations inspired by the famous dancers of this
age