Rating: 
Summary: Using belly dance for personal growth and healing
Review: As a veteran belly dancer (since 1981) and a teacher of the dance, I had mixed feelings about this book.The opening section, consisting of anecdotes about the author's childhood, was fascinating to read. Each anecdote was told to present a lesson. The second section, on the history of women's dance, was light in content. It was okay, but anyone who wants to know about the history of the dance won't find much here. The third and fourth sections, suggesting how to use belly dance movements for personal growth, healing, and spiritual fulfillment, are the real meat of this book. The author provided new ways of looking at familiar movements. An experienced dancer who is looking for new dimensions to the dance will probably enjoy this book very much, as I did. The exercises provide a source of creative inspiration as well as contributing to an overall feeling of well being. However, a beginner who is hoping to find a book that will teach her how to become a belly dance performer will find this book disappointing. While some of the exercises are based on moves that would be used in a performance, others are not. There is no information about what kind of music to use, and no suggestion of how to combine moves into a show. The biggest negative to this book is that it doesn't differentiate between the author's ideas about historical fact and how various moves might be used in ritual. For example, when describing "The Veil Dance", the author says "A woman dances the knowledge of the new living creature that can be born from her. She dances the eternal return of life; even without children, she dances this awareness of life that comes to her from the rhythms inside. She dances Eros beyond the loving embrace; she dances the place in-between, the time between birth and death that is called life." Interesting. The historical fact is that the modern Egyptian practice of beginning one's raqs sharqi performance holding a flowing piece of fabric (ie, veil) arose when a Russian dance coach named Ivanova instructed Samia Gamal to enter with a piece of fabric as a way of improving her arm carriage. The author's narrative can provide fertile inspiration for a dancer seeking new sources of creative inspiration for her performance, so it's legitimate to put these ideas out there. But I wish she would have acknowledged them to be her own interpretation rather than letting the reader believe she's stating historical fact. I actually enjoyed the book very much, but I gave it only 3 stars because of my concern it will mislead readers about the history and ethnic context of the dance.
Rating: 
Summary: A book not only for Dancers...........
Review: As one who has been making dance costumes for years and now (at 50) starting to learn the American Tribal Style of dance, I must say.....I found this book exceptional ... a nice doorway to what I have always felt. I feel that to say a new or beginner to this dance form would not get much out of it or would not understand what that the author is trying to get across...is not a truthful statement. I believe what the author is saying.....Dancing is in us....it is part of us......it is the doorway to finding who we are...and a way to feel the past.. present and future that lives in all of us. GREAT BOOK.
Rating: 
Summary: Belly dance enhances life
Review: Belly dance has long been misunderstood by those who see it more as an erotic thrill than the respectable art form it really is. This book is more of a history of belly dance than actual instruction. It is more about how the author was introduced to belly dance and how she uses it in her life. For her, belly dance instilled a sense of bonding with the female members of her family and was a sacred part of celebrations. The end of the book does describe some simple moves, but if you're not familiar at all with belly dance you may want to start by watching an instructional video, or better yet, enroll in a beginners' class yourself! I would recommend this book especially if you are taking a class already.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I am really disappointed with this book as it is not at all what I thought it would be. Instead of a view which the title conjured up (that of things bellydance related passed down to the author by her grandmother..) I got a flaky and new age book that links itself to bellydance in a 'spiritual' manner. The end of the book describes bellydance steps and this is somewhat interesting, although very basic.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful and enlightening
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. The first part is a brief, anecdotal account of the author's childhood in Baghdad, with emphasis on the women who raised her and the importance of dance (and bodily awareness in general) in their lives. The second part is a history of dance, from the feminist/revisionist perspective that's been presented more thoroughly in many other books, but she summarizes it succinctly and her conclusions are generally levelheaded. The best part of the book for me (as a student of belly dance) was the third part, where she presents exercises -- mental and physical -- to put the dancer in touch with the meaning of the various dance moves and techniques. Of course you can't learn to dance out of a book, but anyone who has a basic belly dance "vocabulary" will find these exercises extremely valuable in giving depth to your dance and helping you to integrate your mind and body more fully. For most Westerners, raised in religious traditions that divorce mind and body, this is the part of dancing (and physical movement in general) that's most difficult to grasp. Other writers have touched on the same subject (e.g., Gabrielle Roth from a more general dance perspective, and Moshe Feldenkrais and others from the world of "exercise"), but this is the best exposition of the subject I've seen that relates specifically to belly dance. I recommend the book highly, not only to aspiring dancers but to anyone who wants practical guidance for getting your mind and body back in sync. The illustrations are more decorative than useful -- aside from a few touching portraits, and the photo of the author's grandmother (who looks much gentler than her formidable reputation implies!), they could have been omitted without detracting from the book. The translation is admirable: the book is easy to read, and the author's poetic language comes across gracefully.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book about belly dance
Review: I got this book because I have been belly dancing for over 10 years and wanted to learn more about the history and background behind the dance. This book did not disapoint! It was a wonderful look into the beauty and power that can be found in belly dance, and the bonds of women. This is a great gift for anyone interested in learning about belly dance and life in the Middle East. It is a great book for belly dancers, as the section about dance moves is very interesting and full of insights about why the movements are important. Overall it was also an easy book to read and the style was great, even with the translation, it came across well. I really enjoyed reading it, and it has helped me with my dance practice as well.
Rating:
Summary: I felt this book helped me be in touch with my body more
Review: I was child abused many years ago, and therefore split off
from myself quite profoundly. Years of therapy have helped me
heal and get back to me and my feelings. The last place to
heal has been my lower torso area. Discovering belly dancing
is profoundly moving (no pun intended!) and this book helps
put the whole thing into historical and personal perspective.
I especially like the part about how the women dance for each
other and bond in feminine ritual and understanding...even
when children in the middle east.
I think this book is valuable on many levels.
Rating:
Summary: A celebration of feminism.
Review: This book is a joy to read. It's not so much about belly dancing as it is a celebration of being female. This is a very suitable book for any women's group library. Instead of angst and raving against men, her attitude is, "We are blessed to be female and we carry the future generations in our bellies." Very strong message, with an eastern twist. If you are looking for a book about the finer points about actual belly dancing, you may want look elsewhere. This is a book about feminism, the joy of a female body and how we dance to celebrate. Fawzia talks about how women protect each other, feel proud and survive. She explains why eastern women belly dance and how they encourage women of all ages to dance. This dance is not a "jiggle show to entertain men" as westerners may think. Now I'm wondering why in the west women dance so stiffly? Who is really suppressed here? Fawzia talks about the ancient history of belly dancing, life in an Arab culture, etc. If you are a dancer, interested in women's issues or interested in the middle east, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Unclosing the Essence: dancing from inside out
Review: This book is a mile stone among belly dance books. It uncloses the essence of belly dancing to us Westerners who are learning the dance in a very non-oriental way: in dance studios in front of mirrors. It teaches how to approach belly dance from inner feeling, rather through quick and efficient learning of form and technique. It invites us to learn or relearn an intimate connection with our body -- just the secret which the dancing women in the near-Eastern cultures have been able to keep alive!
This deep and honest inner connection to one's embodied self must be the secret of the great dancers who inspire their audience beyond technique. Al-Rawi says that she wishes her book also to be a cultural embassador. Truely so, let West and East learn from each other's treasures. The book is great!
Rating:
Summary: A joyous and transformative experience
Review: This book, simply put, is charming. Though I would not recommend it to those not devoutly interested in Belly Dance, I recommend it for everyone who is! It's a sweet coming-of-age story of an Iraqi girl and her relationship with her grandmother. This part of the book is charming. The second part of the book no longer focuses on the author and her family, but on specific dance moves and their cultural meanings - fascinating. Very interesting short read if you like the history of belly dance.
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