What the heck is a Hafla? ...and other Belly Dance Lingo

Even if you are new to belly dance, it is always nice to have a good understanding of some of the common lingo in the belly dance community. The following is a short compilation of common belly dance vocabulary that maybe used for future reference.  

Al Jeel (ahl JEEL) – popular present day Egyptian music

Assuit (uh SOOT) – Mesh fabric with metal threads through it.

Awwady (uh WAHD dee) – free-form improvised instrumental solo with no underlying rhythm, 

Bedleh (BED luh) – Cabaret beaded bellydance costume 

Beledi (BELL uh dee) – popular belly dance rhythm

Canes The cane dance is a dance for women imitating the men's victory dance while the men were away. 

Candleabra or "Shamadan"(Sha ma Dan)- This is a prop used by bellydancers during wedding ceremonies. The Candelabra is balanced on the head. 

Choli (CHOH lee) –  fitted midriff top worn under saris by women in India. 

Debke (deb kee) – folkoric dance

Def.  Middle Eastern frame drum which looks like a large tambourine. 

Dumbek. (Doom- beck") A dumbek is an Arabic drum. May also be spelled Darbuka

Ghawazee (guh Wah zee) –tribe of gypsies that settled in Egypt. 

Habibi (hah BEE bee) – means my love or my darling.  Used a lot in bellydance  love song

Hafla (Haf lah) – a hafla is basically a party, social dance gathering. .It often hosted by instructors as a way for their students to perform for their  friends and family.  Often bellydance vendors are there to sell their merchandise and food and drink is usually provided.

Karsilama. (kar si luh mah) 9/8 rhythm used in Turkish music is the foundation of Middle Eastern music. 

Mizmar (mizz mar) – musical instrument that produces a loud, blaring sound. Often heard in classic bellydance music.

Rakkas – an Arabic word meaning "the male dancer" 

Rakkasah. an Arabic word meaning, "the female dancer". 

Raks. ("rocks".) Means dance.

Raks Sharki (rocks Shark-EE) –  cabaret-style belly dance. 

Sagat (suh GOT) – (Arabic) meaning finger cymbals aka Zills

Saz (sahz) – a gourd-shaped Turkish stringed instrument. 

Spoons - wooden spoons, dance prop used in Turkish Dance

Shaabi (SHAH bee) – refers to a type of modern-day Egyptian music; this music is from the back streets of Cairo. 

Taxim  or Taqsim (tock SEEM)  -an instrumental solo with no rhythm

Veil - used in middle eastern dance as an introductory prop and is usually dropped before the actual bulk of the dancing is performed.  American bellydancers were the first to incorporate the veil for an entire dance performance.   

Zagat (su got) – just another spelling for the Arabic name for finger cymbals. Deebah is shown here playing finger cymbals. . 

Zaghareet (Zah Guh reet)  A Zaghareet is a high-pitched ululation done with the tongue. A Zaguareet is equivalent to clapping to express approval for whatever the bellydancer is doing at the time! 

Zeffa (ZEFF huh) – Arabic wedding procession 

Zills – Zills is a Turkish term, it means finger cymbals.(Aka zil for singular and ziller for plural)