Anyway, I’ve featured Kai’s music on the blog before with Howl and Here She Comes. As a belly dancer herself, Kai produces music that has a great belly dance influence and vibe and often features belly dancing in her videos and live performances. Shine was written for a short film called The Hidden Sister and features her own belly dance teacher Sera Solstice as a Spirit Dancer:

The visuals and audio on this piece are amazing. You can download Shine by Kai Altair here.

The Tarifa Salem Eastern Dance Ensemble presents Glimpses of the East this Saturday at 8pm at Downtown Dance, Lake Worth, Florida. Visit http://tarifasalem.com/ for more information.

Tarifa is the neice of Ibrahim Farrah and danced with his company from 1979 to 1983.

Where? Knox Dance Worx Studio, Knoxville, TN
When? May 1-2, 2010
How? Visit: http://alexia-dance.com/ for more information

On  the evening of April 30th there will also be an evening performance by Mohamed Shahin, the Alexandria Dancers, Alexia, and other dancers  at Pellissippi Performing Arts Center.

The Tribal Massive and Massive Spectacular in Las Vegas, NV

53 hours of tuition with Mardi Love, Rachel Brice, Heather Stants and more, plus an epic stage production

Visit: http://www.thetribalmassive.com/2010/index.htm

2nd March

Cairo! Cairo! 2010 in Victoria Theatre, Singapore

Clarabel’s Raks Sharki Studio presents Dina performing live with her own Egyptian band

Visit: http://www.bellydanceinsingapore.com/events.htm

4th – 7th March

Incanto d’Oriente Festival in Lake Garda, Italy

International Belly Dance Festival of shows, competitions and workshops featuring Aida Nour, Leila, Khaled Mahmoud, and many more

Visit: http://www.gardafestival.com/

5th – 7th March

Gothla US: The Evoking – Journey to the Underrworld in Pomona, CA

A celebration of Gothic and Dark Fusion Bellydance through workshops and performances

Visit: http://www.gothla.us/home.html

5th – 7th March

Majma Belly Dance Festival in Glastonbury, UK

Annual Middle Eastern and World Dance Festival with a wide range of workshops and performances.

Visit: http://www.majmadance.co.uk/

6th – 7th March

Attar 2010 Tribal Special in Wellington, New Zealand

A selection of workshops over the weekend with tribal resonance open to all dancers.

Visit: http://www.attar.org.nz/

6th – 7th March

Petite Jamilla Workshops in Bari Italy

Petite Jamilla of the Bellydance Superstars presents workshops in Double Veil and Spinning techniques and Modern Drum Solo Choreography.

Visit: http://www.malikaraqs.it

10th March

Art of Taksim: Slow and Senusous Movement Workshop in Glen Ellyn, IL

90 minute workshop with Shahina in performing sensuous floorwork, and what to do when the music slows down.

Visit: http://www.shahina.com/calendar/

12th – 14th March

Rakkasah West 2010 30th Annual Belly Dance Festival in Vallejo, CA

Middle Eastern Dance festival with workshops and performances .

Visit: http://www.rakkasah.com/west/

19th – 21st March

Hip Expressions 2nd Annual Beledi Beach Bash in St Petersburg, Fl

A weekend of workshops, classes and performances, featuring Sadie

Visit: http://www.beledibeachbash.com/

21st March

Technique! Technique! workshops in Las Vegas, NV

Leyla Amir and Amira present workshops on Hips and Veil at The ROCK Center for Dance

Visit: http://www.amirasbelly.com/images/_OtherEventPromo/Technique!%20Technique!.JPG

21st – 22nd March

Egyptian Dance Workshops in London, England

Hossam and Serena Ramzy present 2 days of workshops in Egyptian Dance.

Visit: http://www.hossamramzy.com

27th March

2nd Annual Belly Dance Seminar and Night of Dance in Neenah, WI

Kahina and The Shimmy Shoppe introduce Jasmin Jahal in a one day workshop and International Night of Dance

Visit: http://www.shimmyshoppe.net/

8th – 12th September

Momo Kadous 5 Day Intensive in Knoxville, TN

Turquoise International presents renowned Egyptian choreographer, dancer and actor, Momo Kadous, for 5 days of workshops and a Gala show.

Visit: http://www.bluegrassbellydance.com/momo-kadous.html

9th – 12th September

Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive and Festival in Las Vegas, NV

4-day extravaganza of entertainment, education and excitement at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

Visit: http://www.bellydanceintensive.com

Don’t forget, you can let me know about your event by filling out the online contact form or adding it to the comments section, and I will include it in future calendars.

TribalCon Dance and Music Convention in Downtown Decatur, GA

Workshops, Lectures, Performances and more featuring Asharah, Heather Stants, Denis Proteau, Donna Mejia, and Awalim Tribal Dance co.

Visit: http://www.tribalcon.com/

28th February – 6th March

The Tribal Massive and Massive Spectacular in Las Vegas, NV

53 hours of tuition with Mardi Love, Rachel Brice, Heather Stants and more, plus an epic stage production

Visit: http://www.thetribalmassive.com/2010/index.htm

2nd March

Cairo! Cairo! 2010 in Victoria Theatre, Singapore

Clarabel’s Raks Sharki Studio presents Dina performing live with her own Egyptian band

Visit: http://www.bellydanceinsingapore.com/events.htm

4th – 7th March

Incanto d’Oriente Festival in Lake Garda, Italy

International Belly Dance Festival of shows, competitions and workshops featuring Aida Nour, Leila, Khaled Mahmoud, and many more

Visit: http://www.gardafestival.com/

5th – 7th March

Gothla US: The Evoking – Journey to the Underrworld in Pomona, CA

A celebration of Gothic and Dark Fusion Bellydance through workshops and performances

Visit: http://www.gothla.us/home.html

5th – 7th March

Majma Belly Dance Festival in Glastonbury, UK

Annual Middle Eastern and World Dance Festival with a wide range of workshops and performances.

Visit: http://www.majmadance.co.uk/

6th – 7th March

Attar 2010 Tribal Special in Wellington, New Zealand

A selection of workshops over the weekend with tribal resonance open to all dancers.

Visit: http://www.attar.org.nz/

6th – 7th March

Petite Jamilla Workshops in Bari Italy

Petite Jamilla of the Bellydance Superstars presents workshops in Double Veil and Spinning techniques and Modern Drum Solo Choreography.

Visit: http://www.malikaraqs.it

10th March

Art of Taksim: Slow and Senusous Movement Workshop in Glen Ellyn, IL

90 minute workshop with Shahina in performing sensuous floorwork, and what to do when the music slows down.

Visit: http://www.shahina.com/calendar/

12th – 14th March

Rakkasah West 2010 30th Annual Belly Dance Festival in Vallejo, CA

Middle Eastern Dance festival with workshops and performances .

Visit: http://www.rakkasah.com/west/

19th – 21st March

Hip Expressions 2nd Annual Beledi Beach Bash in St Petersburg, Fl

A weekend of workshops, classes and performances, featuring Sadie

Visit: http://www.beledibeachbash.com/

21st March

Technique! Technique! workshops in Las Vegas, NV

Leyla Amir and Amira present workshops on Hips and Veil at The ROCK Center for Dance

Visit: http://www.amirasbelly.com/images/_OtherEventPromo/Technique!%20Technique!.JPG

21st – 22nd March

Egyptian Dance Workshops in London, England

Hossam and Serena Ramzy present 2 days of workshops in Egyptian Dance.

Visit: http://www.hossamramzy.com

27th March

2nd Annual Belly Dance Seminar and Night of Dance in Neenah, WI

Kahina and The Shimmy Shoppe introduce Jasmin Jahal in a one day workshop and International Night of Dance

Visit: http://www.shimmyshoppe.net/

8th – 12th September

Momo Kadous 5 Day Intensive in Knoxville, TN

Turquoise International presents renowned Egyptian choreographer, dancer and actor, Momo Kadous, for 5 days of workshops and a Gala show.

Visit: http://www.bluegrassbellydance.com/momo-kadous.html

9th – 12th September

Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive and Festival in Las Vegas, NV

4-day extravaganza of entertainment, education and excitement at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

Visit: http://www.bellydanceintensive.com

Don’t forget, you can let me know about your event by filling out the online contact form or adding it to the comments section, and I will include it in future calendars.

You may remember a while back I featured the video and song “Here She Comes” from Kai Altair from her Star of the Sea EP.

Well, this is a live video if her performing “Howl” with her Tribal Bellydance dancers, from the same EP.

I’m afraid the video is a little wide and stretches into the sidebar. If this is annoying you, then double click on the video to watch on YouTube.

He asked, “Hi all, i was wondering if it is acceptable for males to be belly dancers, i am interested ”

My answer is yes (but with the warning that not everybody may feel the way I do).

If you read my posts and Male Belly Dancers: Men in a Woman’s WorldMore on Male Belly Dancers, you’ll see that there is a long history of male belly dancers, and in the Middle East the tradition continues.

However, in the Western World I think there is still a lot of prejudice in that area. Many of us are quite happy to see men dance, but my experience has been that often non-dancers in particular don’t see it as a “masculine” pursuit.

So, I say follow your heart and ignore any criticism. Find a dance teacher locally who is happy to include a guy in her classes (you will be outnumbered by the women) and enjoy it.

If you get the opportunity, try to take workshops with some of the male teachers who often tour from Egypt, other Middle Eastern countries, Turkey and even the US.

If you are a man interested in Belly Dancing (or a woman interested in teaching men to dance), you should check out this DVD…Learn the Art of Male Belly Dancing…