Origins of the Mazin (Ghawazee) Inspired Shimmy Combination

Please note: the name of this step has changed from Ghawazee-Inspired Shimmy Combo to Mazin-Inspired Shimmy Combo. You can read more about the change in this journal post

This earthy, fun and feel good Shimmy combination was inspired by the Ghawazee dancers of upper Egypt. Specifically the Banat Mazin family.

The flat-footed, slightly wider stance has a very different look and feel from our regular 3/4 Shimmy. The earthy stance removes the balance challenge of a 3/4 Shimmy letting the dancer more easily and tap into the big, bouncy, relaxed hip movements.

Arm placement is slightly different than our regular Shimmy, but not quite as relaxed as the traditional Ghawazee dancers. FCBD®Style’s uplifted ribcage and strong arm positions is one of the things that really sets this dance style apart from other bellydance styles so it would be aesthetically confusing to the audience, not to mention an even bigger energetic shift for the dancer to completely drop this posture for one combination in a set. So instead, we only slightly lower the arms, still keeping the elbows lifted (pointing to the back) rather than pointing down or putting so much bend in the elbows.

For a full breakdown of the FCBD®Style Ghawazee Inspired Combination, check out week 11 of Carolena’s Level 2 Series. Once you are feeling pretty confident in the step, try out her Level 3 Picky technique class!

Both of these are included in your monthly subscription to fcbdU.com

If you LOVE this combination and really want to dive into the origins and original source of this step, then you are in luck!

This week we are gearing up for a LIVE workshop and Q&A with Khyria Mazin! That’s right! The last of the famous Mazin sisters that is teaching her family’s legacy! THE actual source of inspiration for this beautiful Shimmy we love. Khyria’s workshop is designed specifically for FCBD®Style dancers and similar fusion styles so it’s going to be an absolute treat! Click the image below to learn more and register! Monthly Subscribers get a $10 discount and lifetime access to the recording!

If you are interested in learning more about Khyria and her family, you can see them in the documentary The Romany Trail and find several articles about them, including this one titled, “The Mystery of the Ghawazee Lives On!” written by Nadia Khastagir is from Tribal Talk 1998! Our dance style has a long love of Khyria and her family. This article will share a little about Khyria and get you excited for Saturday’s workshop with this living legend.

Special thanks to Carolena for allowing us to share this article. You can purchase the entire Tribal Talk collection from fcbd.com. It’s currently 25% off along with everything on fcbd.com!!

If you can’t tell, we absolutely love the Ghawazee Inspired Shimmy Combination! It’s going to feel even more special when we get to learn from Khyria, the original source inspiration, and feel a deeper connection to the culture and history of the Banat Mazin Ghawazee.