ARABIC VS. WESTERNIZED MUSIC



Arabic vs. Westernized Music
By Helena Vlahos Edited by Daphne Papageorgiou

In Spain, the audiences shout *jaleos* while the flamenco dancers* footwork and the tapping of her castanets move to the strumming of the guitar.

The greatest ballet dancers glide and pirouette across the stage whilst the grand orchestrations of Tschaikovsky are played. The deep beat of the drum vibrates a Tahitian dancers core as she shakes to the frenzied beats. For each of these dancers, the music plays an integral part of the performance. Specific instruments in each song combine to create the perfect beat for each individual dance. They create the feeling that the song and the dancer become one.

Each person has an individual sense of taste and style when it comes to choosing music for her belly dance. A dancer knows what beats inspire her soul. For me, nothing can equal the mesmerizing melodies and hypnotic rhythms of the Middle East. The intricacies of the music fuse with my body as it reacts to the sounds. My arms and hips sway to the wails of the violin, my layered shimmies vibrate to the pulsation of drums and my cymbals harmonize with the nay and oud. While Western music has become more accepted by belly dancers, the soulfulness of Arabic melodies cannot be replaced. Belly dancing can only be enhanced and enriched when paired with the exotic Middle Eastern sounds, which range from folkloric to pop to classical. Arabic music fits a belly dancer like a glove.