raqsart

Interview in Raqs ART

2. What is the most important thing to do when we dance in public?

The mos important thing is "connect with your audience!"

If you are perfect with your music, costume, and presentation, the performance will be OK at the beginning.

First of all, you must respect yourself and your audience with your costume and your music which you chose

and express yourself correctly."Simple is the best”

Don’t forget that every your audience is not expert.

Keep your dancing movements simple and clear. You arms and hands must be elegant, and you have to keep

a beautiful posture. Never look down to the floor. Always keep looking to your audience.

"Smile is very important!" You should connect with your audience with your natural smile.

Nobody enjoy watching dancers without smile.

3. Could you tell about your Raqs Sharqi style?

My Raqs Sharqi style is mix of Turkish style belly dance and Egyptian modern style, because I am a Turkish

and Turkish style is in my blood.

My style is more multi-cultural. Moreover, I want to add some fusion elements or gypsy stuffs, because I believe

these things will make my dance style more rich.Of course, I have big respect to dancers who prefer one style.

I prefer my modern style and mix of Turkish style, Egyptian style, Gypsy style, and some fusion elements.

I think everybody has one own color. but I want to be more colorful to keep learning.You can chose staying in

one color. You can go to adventure to add more different colors on your current Raqs Sharqi style. I prefer

learning different styles, and I believe these experiences will make my dance more rich.

4. Could you tell about the relationship between Raqs Sharqi and your background?

I’m Turkish. You can hear oriental music at a festival and a wedding party. Raqs Sharqi is in our blood.

We have really mix and rich culture. So I was born and grown up in this mix culture. I think Raqs Sharqi is

heritage for me from my culture.

5. Could you give some advices or comments for Raqs Sharqi dancers?

*Respect to yourself, to your dance, to your audience

* Never stop learning! There are always new things to learn.

*Accept Raqs Sharqi is Art !! You can show your emotional feelings with Raqs Sharqi,

but don’t make it in vulgar way.

* If you really love Raqs Sharqi and want to be a dancer, you should overcome all difficulties.

*You don’t have to love everybody or every dancers, but you should respect each other, because you will never

know who will be co star in the future.

*Never think “You are the best!”, because its not true. Everybody has a different style, taste, and color.

6. Who is your ideal dancer? Why do you like the dancer?

My ideal Turkish dancer is Nesrin Topkapi. She is a dancer and a teacher like everybody have to be.

Her respect to her professional, herself, and her students is wonderful. You can feel her respect directly

when she dance or teach. Every one will fall in love with her dance, because you feel her elegance, her

beautiful movements, and her charisma. Unfortunately, younger generation dancers might lose these parts.

My another idol is Aziza from Canada. She is a beautiful dancer and a teacher. I do not need to explain much

about her. If you watch her videos, her dancing will show you what I mean.

7. What is your future plan with Raqs Sharqi?

Try to improve this dance as an art form. I have traveled around the world, but I will travel more and more to

see dancers who have same passion with Raqs Sharqi.

8. What is the most important thing to create choreography?

*Choose right songs for you. You have to feel good with the songs which you choose for your dancing!

For example, if you are a tribal or a fusion dancer, you don’t choose Egyptian classic music, because it will

not fit your dance style.

*Don’t forget to smile, keep good posture when you create your choreography.

*Listen your song 50 times or even 100 times, because the song will tell you what you have to do with the

music. Moreover, listen the song in different places (in dance studio, in your car etc.) and you will hear and

recognize different details of music each time.

*Be make sure what you want.

*Make sure that your choreography is for solo, group, or duet.

*OPEN YOUR MIND !!! you have a potential and possibility more than you think. Don’t block yourself.

9. How and/or with whom do you train?

I’m teaching everyday minimum 3-4 hours at weekly classes. I’m travelling around the world for giving

workshops in the weekend. These are part of my training. When I have to create new choreography,

I train 5-6 hours everyday.
Never stop to listen belly dance music. Music always gives me new inspirations . Great teachers also give me

new inspirations to Raqs Sharqi! Never stop learning!!!

Serkan Tutar teaches the detail meaning of Raqs Sharqi

First of all, Raqs Sharqi is a general name. Raqs means "dance", and Sharqi means “middle eastern”.

So, Raqs Sharqi is “dance of middle eastern”. The middle eastern includes these area from Morocco, Tunusia,

Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, India, China , and Japan. There was a silk road in old time. All those countries had

connection with their culture, dance, and music.

Raqs Sharqi is a general name like Oriental Dance. French people say “Dance de ventre" which means

Belly Dance. “Dance de ventre" includes those kinds of dances who are Indian dance, Turkish dance, Moroccan

dance, Gypsy style, and Thai dance.

“Dance de ventre" becomes more popular with Egyptian style or Lebanese style. Both styles are called

Raqs Sharqi.

Thank you Yuki Okamoto and Raqs ART.