Tribal Bellydance: khaleezji, Adani or dances of the Persian /Arabic Gulf

Khaligi or Khaleeji
dances of the Arabian Peninsula or United Arab Emirates

tribal dance of Abu Dhabi in the Sweihan area - photo courtesy of Jos Meijer

Khaleezji is the name of the music style and the dance style of the Gulf region. Qatar, Abu Dhabi, in short the Emirates of the Gulf. More and more bellydancers in and outside the Middle East have adapted the Khaleezji style in their programme. Especially to please their increasing public - the oil sheikhs - originating from the Gulf. The gulf region has many different rhythms and which are generally called Khaleezjy. Another type of khaleezj is Adani which is a rhythm from the region of Adan, Yemen. Kettle drums are often used in this beat.

The style of khaleegee bedouin dances of the Gulf have their own character. Swaying of the body, head and hair is a significant part of it and marks this particular style of dancing. Dances were and are still an important part of social gatherings. The dancers make a row and start to sway with their upper body parts.
The women dance often in groups. Wearing and manipulating their large thobes (thobe el-neshel / thobe nashaal also known as darrah zerri) hair tossing, very small shoulder shimmies as an occasional accent, very little hip work (usually small drops), gliding footwork