Bellydance Superstars give ancient art a new twirl Pittsburgh Tribune-Review	The Latest : In The Press options : Print | Search | Email This
By Alice T. Carter, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, November 14, 2010 Bellydance Superstars producer Miles Copeland considers his performers the Beatles of bellydance. Bellydance, he says, "was an art form that originated from the Middle East and got lost; much as rock and roll was dying and along came these guys from Liverpool and revitalized it and became the center of rock and roll. They saved rock and roll and made a major place for themselves in music." Similarly, Copeland says, Bellydance Superstars brought the art of bellydance out of the obscurity of night clubs and restaurants, moved the ancient art form into the 21st century and brought it to the attention of a wider audience through shows in prominent venues around the world. "Bombay Bellywood," the latest edition of Bellydance Superstars that performs Wednesday at the Byham Theater, Downtown, adds Indian dance styles of Bollywood and Bhangara to the performance mix. Since 2003, this professional dance troupe has been touring the world, performing tribal, Egyptian and cabaret styles of bellydance. Decked out in yards of swirling silky Technicolor-hued fabric and an abundance of baubles, bangles and sparkly beads, the company of American bellydancers twirl, gyrate, sway and glide to the pulsating beats of Arabic and, lately, Indian music. "Nobody has taken the art form to this level," Copeland says. Shabaz, an Indian fusion band that mixes contemporary beats and sounds with Indian classical music, created new music for the show. Though most of the music is prerecorded, Syrian percussionist Issam Houshan adds his live performance to the show. "He is the best in the world at interfacing with the dancers," Copeland says. "Bombay Bellywood" also introduces Samira Sitara, who joined Bellydance Superstars after performing in Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas-based production of "O." "It's Indian dance, but her own style," Copeland says. "She is just stunning in what she does." Bellydance Superstars gained wide attention in 2003 when it toured as part of the Lollapalooza rock tour. Since then, it has performed at venues in more than 20 countries and been seen on PBS, the Documentary Channel and Direct TV-Latin America. While essentially a bellydance troupe, the performers mix in bits of hard rock, jazz, reggae and Western dance forms, such as ballet. "It keeps the art fresh. What's the point of doing what was done 50 years ago? I believe art should grow. It makes art vibrant, inspirational," Copeland says. "In terms of format, it is similar to Riverdance. We took a leaf out of that book. But we've got more variety." Original Story: PittsburghLive.com
"Bellydance Superstars give ancient art a new twirl" John Bevilaqua | Published: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 |