belly dancing

Shimmying through stereotypes
By Shradha Rao
November 30, 2016 - 5:55pm
Ionah and the Head over Heels Dance Co. educate about Middle Eastern culture through belly dancing.

With colorful lamps emitting soft light over the darbukas and hookahs in the corner and Scheherazade staring into nothingness in the background, Ionah Raqs swings her raven hair in her 100-square-foot space of her living room that doubles as her studio.

‘Right, left, right over left,’ the Syracuse local instructs her students as she gracefully shimmies to the music of Hossam Ramzy, a Middle Eastern musician.

Flair at the Fair: Meet five Westcott Street originals
By Lauren Cavalli
September 22, 2014 - 3:09pm
An assortment of performers dressed in eye-catching costumes mingled with fairgoers at the 23rd annual Westcott Street Cultural Fair.

 Artists, service organizations, trinkets for sale, cultural performances and food from local restaurants drew crowds to Sunday's Westcott Street Cultural Fair.

SU student uses belly dance to de-stress, express herself
By Farhad Peikar
January 22, 2013 - 12:45pm
The artful Middle Eastern tradition has spread across the globe, reaching Syracuse's campus via international students.

For many, “belly-dancing” brings to mind an image of tall, Middle Eastern women undulating and twitching their hips in bars or on stages to seduce men.

Well, that stereotype has grown stale. Today, the belly dance has been adopted by nations all over the world, and is seen as more of an art form than as entertainment. In fact, it has become a favorite among the youth in the world's most populated country: China.